“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-17
On Friday morning, I went with my hubby on our daily walk. We went to walk to the Hollywood Broadwalk. It was so early that the moon was still out, but there were plenty of people walking while others were waiting for the sunrise.
As we were walking, a guy with a Navy shirt ran past us. I noticed that he looked up, did a salute and said out loud: “All day every day.” I looked up and I saw the American flag. I literally got goosebumps. What pride this man had for our flag that he took time from his run to salute it and to say those words. I love this country that adopted me and its flag, but I don’t stop to salute it every time I see one.
As we continued our walk, I started thinking about his words: “All day every day.” What exactly did he mean? It could be that he is proud to be an American all day every day. It could also mean that he is willing to serve his country all day every day. Then I started thinking, what do those words mean to me? What is the thing that I would like to do all day every day? The word that came to mind is pray.
During Lent I read a book called “I heard God laugh” by Matthew Kelly. He says in the book that we can pray all day every day. I have been trying to do this but I have realized it’s not that simple. His suggestion is that we can divide our day in hours and offer up each hour for someone. We can think of someone that is sick, a family member, a friend, a homeless person that we crossed on the street, someone that cuts us in traffic... anyone really. It could be someone we know or someone we don’t know. It could be for one person or a group of persons. By offering up this hour, we are praying for this person or persons.
The problem with me is that I am very absent minded. I have tried this, but let’s say at nine o’clock I decide to offer my next hour for my daughter Chabeli. When I remember again, it’s already noon. I literally would have to put an alarm every hour to remind me. But then it hit me. I don’t have to offer up just one hour. So what I’ve been trying to do is offer up my drive to work, the morning, my lunch hour, the afternoon, my drive home from work, etc. I say I’ve been trying because I don’t always remember. I may offer up the drive but when I get to the office I get distracted and then I forget to offer up the morning. But I think the fact that I am trying also counts as prayer. I guess if I end up offering up three hours for my daughter instead of one, she particularly needed more prayers that day.
This morning I was talking to my sister from a different mother who is in quarantine with Covid. She was complaining that she is missing out from being outdoors in Madrid enjoying the beautiful spring weather. Then she said that she feels sorry for all those people that are suffering from long-term illnesses or who are in prison. I told her to offer up her quarantine for them and then her suffering will be easier to carry because it will be a prayer for those that are suffering more than her. Offering up our suffering helps us to love others as Christ loves them.
The runner with the Navy shirt really made me stop and pause. Yes, there are a lot of things that I would like to do all day every day but I just don’t have the time to do it. However, I can offer up a prayer for someone all day every day. I don’t need to complicate it. Even if I offer up the entire day for someone else, then my day will have more meaning and more value. If I offer up every part of my day: my work, my joys, my frustrations, my sufferings, the interruptions, the pleasant or unpleasant surprises, the setbacks, and any little obstacle or treasure that I encounter in my path, then God will be delighted and I will be gifted with a better attitude to face any minor trials that come my way during the day. It’s certainly a great antidote to a mentality of complaining, irritability and negativity, which I’m very prone to succumb to when I’m under a lot of stress.
I hope that offering all my activities in prayer, all day every day, will bring peace to someone in need of prayers. And I know that I will benefit as well because God will turn my day into an opportunity for personal growth.
Copyright © 2021 Christy Romero. All rights reserved.
