philothea Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 By prayer I mean time spent soley, formally, praying -- and not at mass (since you don't have control over how long that takes.) I am curious because I read that St. Teresa of Avila assumes serious people will spend at least two hours a day praying. That seems like a lot, but then considering how much time people (including myself) spend on drivel like TV, internet, and games, it wouldn't really be hard to find two hours to use better. Any comments or reasoning behind your responses welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
journeyman Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 Interesting question . . . but is "a person" in the same category as a person in religious life? irregular - it depends on traffic . . . sometimes I finish a full five decades in the car . . . and sometimes I don't . . . Evening Prayer most days, but not all . . . I'm thinking of adding Morning Prayer . . . which might help make me actually move in the AM Throw in the occasional meditations that might approach lectio divina and it might reach an average . . . but the question also said "every day" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resurrexi Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 10-30 min. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philothea Posted May 1, 2006 Author Share Posted May 1, 2006 [quote name='journeyman' post='966424' date='Apr 30 2006, 10:00 PM'] Interesting question . . . but is "a person" in the same category as a person in religious life? [/quote] Well, assume that people in religious orders out to spend as much time praying as they're told to, so I was thinking of us typical Catholics-in-the-wild sort. [quote name='journeyman' post='966424' date='Apr 30 2006, 10:00 PM'] irregular - it depends on traffic . . . sometimes I finish a full five decades in the car . . . and sometimes I don't . . . Evening Prayer most days, but not all . . . I'm thinking of adding Morning Prayer . . . which might help make me actually move in the AM Throw in the occasional meditations that might approach lectio divina and it might reach an average . . . but the question also said "every day" [/quote] Picky, picky. : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscan13 Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 depending on the person, and where they are in their faith walk is how much time they spend in prayer. i think though, your whole day can be a prayer if you offer all that you do say and feel to God then your day is a prayer. personally i feel i should increase the time i spend in prayer somtimes lately i feel like im in a slump prayer wise. so i ask ya'll to pray for me that i get out of this slump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel's angel Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 1-2 hours usually. On Saturdays its more like 3 hours. It doesn't leave me as much time for homework and things but I get that done as well. It's all about organisation. Why do I pray for that length of time?? I need to. If I didn't, I dunno where I'd be right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 I took to heart the thought that God is as close as your own skin. and we are a member of the Body of Christ, so I try to have a serious conversation with God all day long and be mindful I am now a member of a very large family. I also say the Office when I can, and the Rosary when I go walking or go to bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philothea Posted May 1, 2006 Author Share Posted May 1, 2006 [quote name='franciscan13' post='966472' date='Apr 30 2006, 10:52 PM'] i think though, your whole day can be a prayer if you offer all that you do say and feel to God then your day is a prayer. personally i feel i should increase the time i spend in prayer somtimes lately i feel like im in a slump prayer wise. so i ask ya'll to pray for me that i get out of this slump. [/quote] [quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='966792' date='May 1 2006, 09:10 AM'] I took to heart the thought that God is as close as your own skin. and we are a member of the Body of Christ, so I try to have a serious conversation with God all day long and be mindful I am now a member of a very large family. [/quote] I agree with trying to pray at all times, but that's not so much a scheduling issue. Prayers for you, francisican! I hate those slump times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezic Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 This is a good question and an interesting one. I am a firm believer that we should sanctify every action of our days and offer them as prayers. In this way i think the goal is to pray constantly. While this is ideal and something to strive for, there is another component of prayer. These things are good, but we also need to take time to pray specifically and directly. Some people think that reading the Bible is prayer, and it is, but i think we need this personal contact. Jesus comes to us as Lord, but as a friend. TO encourage a relationship friends talk to each other. We need to be the same way with Christ. We need to talk directly to him. We can listen in scripture or in many other activities and we can offer songs of praise, but there is still something about this silent prayer to Jesus. In the end i think that we need several of these components, that contact with Jesus in our daily lives through work, scripture, Mass, and a time for silent prayer. I guess everything else kind of has predefined values for the amount of time except the silent prayer. That i would say should be something like 20 minutes or so (if you are doing everything else, if not multiply this by a few times.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
she_who_is_not Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 Between morning and evening prayer and usually a little office of compline before bed I rack up about 45-60 minutes a day excluding ejaculations and occasional rosaries said walking to and from work. I'd lke to pray more and realize that I often skive off when I'm "not in the mood" However, lately St. Benedict's admonition from his rule rings loudly in my ears, "Nothing shall be preferred to the work of God." I want to say a daily rosary during May. As for how much people should pray, it certainly depends on the individual and their particular needs and responsibilities. For example a mother of young children may have little time for formal prayer but makes her work a prayer for her children. Conversly, those who are widowed and retired may have a significant portion of time to devote to prayer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theoketos Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 [quote name='philothea' post='966399' date='Apr 30 2006, 09:29 PM'] By prayer I mean time spent soley, formally, praying -- and not at mass (since you don't have control over how long that takes.) I am curious because I read that St. Teresa of Avila assumes serious people will spend at least two hours a day praying. That seems like a lot, but then considering how much time people (including myself) spend on drivel like TV, internet, and games, it wouldn't really be hard to find two hours to use better. Any comments or reasoning behind your responses welcome. [/quote] Mass, and any liturgy, should totally count in the total. Mass, plus the cardinal hours, plus rosary is enough to sustain the average faithful, and in the Spirt of the Doctor's meaning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philothea Posted May 1, 2006 Author Share Posted May 1, 2006 [quote name='Theoketos' post='967281' date='May 1 2006, 02:05 PM'] Mass, and any liturgy, should totally count in the total. Mass, plus the cardinal hours, plus rosary is enough to sustain the average faithful, and in the Spirt of the Doctor's meaning. [/quote] Well, sure, but I don't know if sustaining the average faithful is the best thing to aim for. I think sainthood is a better target. But perhaps I am reading too much into your particular wording! St. Teresa was speaking specifically of people seeking to attain infused contemplative prayer, so I don't think the Mass, or hours really [i]do[/i] count. Those are of a formal, vocal, discursive nature. A rosary would, of course. I'll look for the exact quote and context when I get a chance, but I think this she meant [i]personal, private[/i] prayer. I'm totally not dismissing the Mass; I think if you could only do one thing, going to a Mass would be it! I'm just curious about how people fit prayer into their lives, and what seems "reasonable" and such. Off the top of my head, I'd probably have said 30-60 minutes would be good... but that's way off Teresa's thought. So I'm curious to see what the pham thinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 between LOH and personal prayer and praise and worship and other various prayers and prayer times... about 1-2 hours daily. when i go to Mass it's more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heyyoimjohnny Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 I think as far as the SHOULD goes, that varies according to the individual... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbi Posted May 1, 2006 Share Posted May 1, 2006 [quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='966792' date='May 1 2006, 08:10 AM'] I took to heart the thought that God is as close as your own skin. and we are a member of the Body of Christ, so I try to have a serious conversation with God all day long and be mindful I am now a member of a very large family. I also say the Office when I can, and the Rosary when I go walking or go to bed. [/quote] Hello all, With great shame, less than 10min. I have a hard time concentrating for lengthy periods. I tried to do the rosary during Lent but found it difficult to meditate on the mysteries at the same time. Its something I have to work on. BTW, what is the "Office"? Ive never heard of this before. Peace, Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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