Finding a natural way to pray
Hendricks effectively uses story and a conversational
tone to convince the reader that prayer is not simply other-worldly and
sublime (though there might be moments when we experience such consolation
in prayer), but rather something that flows naturally from the stuff of
everyday life. She offers ample suggestions for finding prayer time in
your adult life, and then sharing the gift of prayer in your home.
People looking for a "magic" method
of prayer will be disappointed here. However, this book provides something
better than magic. According to Hendricks, prayer
flows out of ordinary life, and the everyday activity of the household:
When the house on Ivy Lane was being built, my mother insisted on enlarging
the dimensions of the dining room. Her recognized need for for a bigger room
was both prophetic and purposeful. At the time she had only two children.
Four more would arrive over the next several years, and spouses and
grandchildren followed. Even though our dining room table could seat
eighteen people when extended its full length, it eventually grew too small
to accommodate everyone. This was the site of my first experience of
communal prayer and ritual, and the impressions it made at a young age have
stayed with me throughout my life. (p.
32)
In her chapter on "The Where of Prayer, "
Hendricks names physical places in our homes where we can make time for
prayer, mobile locations for "prayer on the run," such as our car or
public transportation, and places of family pilgrimage outside of the home.
She then offers insights into finding interior space for prayer, even when
we are on the go. This chapter, as well as each of the others,
concludes with advice on "Guiding Your Child" and questions for bringing the
chapter insights back to "Our Family."
A Personal Glimpse
Kathy Hendricks seamlessly intersperses vignettes
about her personal and family life into each of the chapters. Readers will
hear about her son Eric's love for music, her husband Ron's avocation as a
mountain runner, and numerous moments where a friend or an event inspired
her approach to prayer.
This is a great use of the catechetical
method. As we get a personal glimpse into Hendricks' journey of prayer, she
moves to Church teaching and spiritual wisdom of notable figures. She then
provides down-to-earth reflections for bringing the teaching into your home.
In addition to the chapter noted above, topics include: What Good
is Prayer?, Getting Down to Basics, The Rhythm of Prayer, When It's Hard to
Pray, and Staying Spiritually Fit.
The book also includes a great appendix with
resources for further reading.
For individuals...and groups
This enjoyable book is a "must read" for Catholic
parents. The discussion questions and application at the end of each chapter
make it ideal for use by small faith sharing groups. You might notice that
there are only a few references to the Church's public celebration of prayer
through our rich liturgical life. I hope that Kathy Hendricks follows up on
this book with a sequel, A Parent's Guide to Liturgy. Such a book
would be worth the wait!
Chris Weber
Director,
Catholic Education Ministries of Central Maryland
301-447-3707
Copyright © 2004 by the Catholic Education
Ministries Center of Central Maryland, Emmitsburg, MD 21727. All rights reserved.
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