FAQs
Do you have a question regarding prayer? Your faith? God?
Below you’ll find answers to common questions that a lot of today’s teens have...and some not so common questions. Browse through the headers to see if someone else is dealing with a similar issue or has asked a question you’d like answered.
If you have a question that hasn’t been answered already, submit it anonymously and we’ll answer it here. Our crack team of youth ministers, priests, and prayer warriors will answer as many question as we can.
Most Recent Questions
Q: I just got back from an awesome retreat and want to incorporate more prayer in my life. What should I do?
A: The beauty of prayer is that is has no limits. We can always pray! St. Paul encourages us to pray unceasingly. We must look for the small opportunities of quiet for prayer. Some ways I have found to incorporate more prayer is by turning off the radio in the car and spend that time (before you make it to your next destination) to pray. Pray the rosary or read a prayer card as you are waiting in line or waiting for someone to pick you up from school/practice. Take advantage of those small moments of your day that you can “re-connect” to Christ.
If you are busy like me and find it hard to find the time to pray, it may be useful to schedule “prayer-dates” with Jesus in your calendar to make sure you have time for Adoration or personal prayer. Sometimes on Saturday’s, I will block out my morning for a “prayer-date” and just spend the morning with Him.
Find what works for you. I would encourage you to begin with taking time five minutes in the morning to sit with Jesus. Create a “prayer chair” or area (perhaps with a picture of Christ or crucifix to focus on) to go to for prayer and start your day…Five minutes will eventually turn to ten and so on. Soon you won’t be able to begin your day without offering it first to Jesus.
Remember that prayer doesn’t have to be elaborate or complex. It is about communicating with God. Prayer is like a telephone conversation with a close friend. When we are talking on the phone, we are hardly aware of the instrument we are using. We are just focusing on the voice at the other end. Prayer is just the same…Our focus should be on the voice on the other end…Our focus is on Jesus. Just talk to Him, (as often as you can,) He is waiting.
- Mary Bielski
Q: If Jesus was God, why did he have to pray?
A: I bet you've heard the phrase, "God is love." It comes from the New Testament, from the First Letter of John. Have you ever wondered how God could "be love" before people were ever created? Long before earth even existed, how could God express love if there were no people to love? The answer is that God is not a solitary being. Yes, there's only one God, but three persons - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - make up that one God. That mind-blowing mystery is called the Trinity. These three unique, divine persons are so profoundly bound by love that they are one God. This love has been in existence for all eternity.
God sent his Son into this world to live a fully human life just like us in all ways except sin. While Jesus lived on earth he was still totally united with the Father and the Holy Spirit. So that's why Jesus prayed. Prayer is simply another word for communication with God. We communicate in many ways - by talking, by listening, or sometimes just by silently being with someone. Jesus talked to the Father, he listened to the Father, and I'm sure he spent many hours simply being in the quiet presence of the Father. Communication is the foundation for all relationships, and Jesus needed prayer to stay in close relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We all need prayer to build our relationships with each person of the Trinity.
- Deacon (Soon to be Father) Dan Janasik