In the midst of the delightful "battle of prayer" as the Catechism so deems it, I've always enjoyed the line, that in regards to praying with our children, parents are called to "mediate" not "meditate." Let me say that in a different way. Parents must be the pillars for family "mediation" and let go of any hopes of personal "meditation." If you're a parent who has children, and who tries to pray with them each evening, you not only know what I mean, you probably just laughed out loud at that last line. My wife and I have had some, how shall we say, "interesting" moments in time with "family prayer." They echo the pledge of our vows, "in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health"......(new emphasis) till leaving home do they part." Rather than speak about some of the battle wounds we've experienced, for now, let me just offer one little victory anecdote that I think has literally, "struck a cord" in this ongoing struggle. It is singing together.
I know it's simple, but St. Augustine's words, "He who sings, prays twice" seem to be the most successful "method" of prayer thus far in the Mueller family, or at least the one that pretty much guarantees a bigger smile and a lighter heart for all of us. Like the emphasis of the Vatican II document which exhorted the faithful to that "full, conscious and active participation" required in the Mass, singing together at home has brought about the "active participation" that this "parental magisterium" has hoped for.
On a practical note, I scoured four or five different hymnals that I had gathered over the years (keep an eye out at the parish when it's "new hymnal time" so you can get your freebie old one). I thought about some of the chants that my wife and I have heard over the years, from "Veni Sancte Spiritus" to the "Eight-fold Alleluia" . I looked up a few more things online, tried to be prudent about what would "work" practically, and created a five-fold Mueller manual / binder of our own personal "top twenty." While not all of us are known to carry a tune in a bucket, at least we're doing it together---to God be the glory, as we're singing in the "reign". And while this prayer form may not be one of meditation, it is one form of mediation that, as parents, we've certainly enjoyed.
I know it's simple, but St. Augustine's words, "He who sings, prays twice" seem to be the most successful "method" of prayer thus far in the Mueller family, or at least the one that pretty much guarantees a bigger smile and a lighter heart for all of us. Like the emphasis of the Vatican II document which exhorted the faithful to that "full, conscious and active participation" required in the Mass, singing together at home has brought about the "active participation" that this "parental magisterium" has hoped for.
On a practical note, I scoured four or five different hymnals that I had gathered over the years (keep an eye out at the parish when it's "new hymnal time" so you can get your freebie old one). I thought about some of the chants that my wife and I have heard over the years, from "Veni Sancte Spiritus" to the "Eight-fold Alleluia" . I looked up a few more things online, tried to be prudent about what would "work" practically, and created a five-fold Mueller manual / binder of our own personal "top twenty." While not all of us are known to carry a tune in a bucket, at least we're doing it together---to God be the glory, as we're singing in the "reign". And while this prayer form may not be one of meditation, it is one form of mediation that, as parents, we've certainly enjoyed.
No comments:
Post a Comment