Retirees share ways that they keep prayer alive in the home
Gratitude and daily reflection are central to Bob and Mary Alice Helmsing’s prayer life.
The Helmsings, who have four grown daughters, 14 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, say that prayer finds its way into their daily activities, whether it’s a simple “Bless us O Lord” before a meal or through acts of service for others.
Starting the day with daily Mass or going to eucharistic adoration are simple ways to help extend prayer into the home, said the members of St. Clement of Rome Parish in Des Peres. The two shared other ways in which they keep prayer alive in the home:
Learning with grandchildren: The Helmsings love to connect with their grandchildren when they stop by their house on the way home from school. “When they have a project or a paper or anything, they’re very willing to open up and ask us what we think,” depending on the subject, which could include moral issues, prayer or the saints, Mary Alice said.
The Helmsings also enjoy listening to contemporary Christian music with their grandchildren while they’re in the car. “They try to teach us the modern prayer way of praying through music that they like,” she said.”It’s different than what we grew up with, and yet, they can really relate to it.”
Service as a prayer: Service is another form of prayer, the Helmsings said. Whether they are making sandwiches for the St. Patrick Center or helping with a project for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, “we invite the kids to go with us, and they always do, and they’re always happy to go and figure out what the next adventure is,” Mary Alice said.
The Ignatian way: Before they go to bed, the Helmsings will do the Daily Examen, a prayer practice rooted in Ignatian spirituality to help discern God’s presence. The couple also recommends “Three Moments of the Day: Praying with the Heart of Jesus,” by Father Chris Collins, SJ, in which he focuses on the morning offering, evening reflection and how to ponder the gift of the Eucharist throughout the day.
“It’s really with that focus of gratitude,” Bob said. “If you go to bed every night and you really think about all the good things that happen, there’s so many of them every day that you really almost forget the bad.”
A special prayer for vocations: Through their involvement with the Serra Club of St. Louis, an organization that promotes vocations to the priesthood and the religious life, the Helmsings have found that the discussions are another good way to bring prayer into their lives. Speakers have included priests and sisters who share their vocation stories and ways to encourage vocations in others. “It’s just opportunities for conversation, and conversation is a form of prayer,” Bob said.
This is the final in a six-part series on keeping prayer alive in the home. Read the first part, as well as subsequent parts when they are published, at www.stlouisreview.com/story/prayer-alive-in-the-home/
