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No time to pray?

Sean E. Mazary | Special to the Catholic Herald

My mind was swimming — or maybe drowning — in thoughts of midterms and papers. I had finished my classes for the day when I realized I had completely forgotten to pray my daily holy hour. Flooded with thoughts of my busy evening, I thought, “I can’t possibly pray right now. I would be too distracted, and I just don’t have the time.” 

It is in moments like this when taking time to pray is a true gift to God. In these moments, we are telling Our Lord that being still in his presence and attentive to his word are what we are first called to do as his children. As St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote, “Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.” Everything else that we do and everything else that we possess ought to be directed toward this foundation.

In my formation as a future priest, all of my studies and ministry are worth nothing if they are not aimed toward praising, reverencing and serving God. In anything we do, whether our career, school or leisure, we ought to direct our hearts and minds to the Lord and remember our purpose.

On that day, as I made my way to the chapel and knelt before the Blessed Sacrament, I had peace knowing that I was exactly where I needed to be. In the most hectic and challenging moments in my life, when I have chosen to respond to the call of Jesus to spend time in his presence in prayer, he has always guided my work and efforts to serve his church according to the will of the Father. It is truly an exercise of love and of trust when we place the Lord at the center of our lives, especially in our everyday routine; he will always draw us closer to his heart.

Mazary, who is from Holy Trinity Church in Gainesville, is in his second year of pre-theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. He is a member of the Youth Apostles.

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