Working on Bended Knees

On Thursday, many Christians spent some extra time talking to God while our country observed the National Day of Prayer. The tradition was formally established by Congress in 1952 but has precedents going all the way back to 1775, when the Continental Congress declared “a day of public humiliation, fasting, and prayer.”

Of course, we can have a conversation with God on any day of the year. Prayer has always played a central role in the life and faith of Catholics. Jesus himself prayed to the Father on a regular basis and taught his disciples to do the same, and you could fill a library with the books that have been written during just the last few decades on how to pray, what to pray, where to pray it and why.

Here at Cross International Catholic Outreach, we begin each workday with a time of prayer and devotions. From a worldly perspective, this might seem like a colossal waste of time and a loss of productivity. But from a heavenly perspective, a conversation with God is the most important “business meeting” we can have. It keeps us focused on the right priorities, reminds us of our dependence on God’s goodness, and opens doors to blessings. We pray for our ministry partners, our friends, relatives, the poor, and prayer requests from donors.