Do you forget to pray? A prayer altar is a visual reminder to pray

home altarHow many times have you watched an old movie or read a historical novel and told yourself, “I don’t know how they did it back then.” You can’t imagine living during a time where you had to wash and dry your clothes without the help of your energy-efficient washer and dryer, or prepare dinner minus your convection oven or multi-burner cooktop. Not too long ago, laundry day meant you had to wash clothes by hand, and feeding your family required growing your fruits and vegetables and relying on your hens for eggs. Who had the time? Yet even with all the technologically advanced gadgets and tools we have at our disposal today, our proverbial plates are always full and our calendars are so jam-packed we don’t know how to fit in another event. As we try to juggle all of our tasks, a lot of things fall to the wayside.

One of the things that are left off our to-do list is praying. Many of us don’t intentionally omit prayer from our daily lives; we are so consumed with everything else we’re ashamed to admit that we often forget to pray. Yet neglecting to pray is like neglecting to eat. Without food our bodies aren’t nourished, and without prayer our souls aren’t nourished. The importance of prayer is repeated throughout the Bible. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (New International Version), Paul says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” In a recent homily, Pope Francis further stressed the importance of prayer, saying that when we don’t pray we’re “closing the door to the Lord, so that He can do nothing. On the other hand, prayer, in the face of a problem, a difficult situation, a calamity, is opening the door to the Lord so that He will come.” He goes on to say, “This is what praying is: opening the door to the Lord, so that he can do something.” Praying isn’t only about asking for God’s intercession; it’s also a time to give thanks and to sit in silent reflection to listen to what God wants to say to you.

How can we remember to pray? Instead of “out of sight, out of mind,” we use the phrase, “in sight, in mind.” Having a daily visual reminder–such as a prayer altar–in your home will help you to remember to carve out some time during the day or evening to reflect on God and pray. Setting up a prayer altar is a beautiful opportunity to teach your children about the Catholic faith. Even children who only seem to be interested in their electronic devices will stop and inquire about the prayer altar.

You don’t need a lot of room to set up an altar in your home. All you need is one area to place your favorite devotionals such as statues, pictures, a crucifix, or rosary beads. Some of our favorite altar pieces include:

Sacred Heart & Immaculate Heart 8″ x 10″ Framed Print

Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary Framed PrintThis classic art work print of the Sacred Heart of Jesus along side the Immaculate Heart of Mary is designed with great detail for the Holy Mother and Son. They are both dressed in matching garments of blue and red. Each has their hand raised offering a blessing. And each is gently revealing the glowing heart of mercy and love. More Details

Madonna and Child Water Font 7″

Madonna and Child Water FontThis Madonna and Child Water Font is made of beautifully hand painted crushed stone with gold detail and image of Madonna and Child. More Details

Our Lady of Grace 18″ Statue

Our Lady of Grace Statue 18 InchThis beautifully hand-painted stone crushed statue depicts the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Grace. At the base of the statue she is standing atop the earth crushing the devil in the form of a serpent. Her flowing garments are beautifully sculptured with the traditional colors of white and blue. With fine attention to detail the garment is finely trimmed with a gold finish. Unlike many statues of Our Lady of Grace, she is depicted with her eyes opened, which creates a loving gaze. This statue would make a great addition to any location within your home, school or office. More Details

Madonna Rosary Holder

Madonna Rosary HolderWhere to put your rosary? On a rosary holder of course! This Madonna Rosary Holder is not only pretty but practical too! The rosary holder is crafted of resin with a unique stone look and texture. On the base of the holder is a unique flower design finished off with metallic blue paint. Simply place your rosary at the base of the statue or wrap the rosary strand around Mary’s arms. Either way your rosary will be ready and waiting for you. More Details

Standing Dark Cherry Crucifix with Base- 10 inch

Standing Dark Cherry Crucifix with Base- 10 inchFrom the beautiful dark cherry stained finish to the detailed corpus, this standing crucifix is a wonderful devotional piece for your home or office. The standing crucifix is just the right size, not too big, not too small with total dimentions of 10″ H x 4.5 inches wide. The corpus is made of genuine pewter and will not tarnish. the corpus is 5″ H x 3″ wide. The base measures 4″ W x 2.5″ deep. More Details

Of all the things you need to make time for in your day, its prayer. Creating a prayer altar is a visual reminder to take a break from your hectic schedule and to spend some time thanking and listening to the Lord.


>