Need A Nighttime Prayer Routine? Try This #catholic

For the longest time, I had trouble keeping with daily night time prayer. By the time the evening rolls around, I'm caught up in other life stuff, and if my head hits the pillow... Faaahget-da-bout-it! I'm OUTTT! 🙆🏿‍♀️🤷🏿‍♀️😪😴

I recently took up spiritual direction and so my task is to spend 5 mins reading the Bible (right now I'm starting with the gospels as per his direction), and spiritual reading for 10 mins of a book my SD wants me to read. Right now, that book is To Know Christ Jesus by Frank Sheed.

In addition to that, I spend 20 mins in mental prayer giving thanks, bringing my intentions/requests, sharing my joys/sorrows/worries, and simply having an actual conversation with God. He is Our Father and always there to listen.

A daily examen has been key to my growth and has given me a tool to see where I need to expand spiritually, acknowledge where God is showing up in my life, face my faults and repeated sins, and offers a guide for what I need to bring to confession. I use the Jesuit/Ignatian questions for spiritual examination.

And finally, I spend time with Our Lady. I pray my favorite Marian prayers like the Salve Regina, Magnificat, and then just talk to Mama Mary about what's on my heart, woman to woman.

This all can take anywhere between 30-45 mins. But it's time that I OWE Our Lord. It's time that, well applied, helps me to grow in virtue and grace. It's a challenge at times, but it forces me to stop the bustle of life and allow stillness in to feed my soul in a way that only the source of Our Creator can do.

Try it! Develop a rhythm and practice that works FOR YOU.