Distractions in Prayer

Discussion in 'Questions and Answers' started by rosebud101, Aug 6, 2012.

  1. rosebud101

    rosebud101 Angels

    How do you deal with them? I have recently moved from the front of the church for Mass to the back. I'm not sure this is really going to help. I am still finding myself distracted during the Mass. Any suggestions?
    Thanks.
     
  2. Seán

    Seán New Member

    To deal with distractions in prayer, I follow the wisdom of Fr Eugene Boylan who wrote a best-seller called 'difficulties in mental prayer.' The key to overcoming distractions, he says, is not to try and run away from them, since we are human beings with active imaginations, and we are bound to be distracted at some point. The most effective prayer is not one without distractions, but which accepts them and offers them to God as part of the attempt to pray. Prayer is an act of the will,not of the emotions, so this is why we can still pray effectively when we feel our prayer is dull and dry. If we desire to speak with God, we simply place ourselves, mind and heart, in God's presence, and let Him do the rest, even when distractions seem to overwhelm us. It is still prayer fervently made, even if we can't seem to get a spiritual 'kick' out of it!
     
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  3. rosebud101

    rosebud101 Angels

    Thank you, Sean, that is both beautiful and helpful!
     
  4. Jane

    Jane Angels

    It can be difficult. But if there are more people in front of you, there seem to be more distractions.
    I am easily distracted and I'm not happy with myself for it.
    In the diary of St Faustina, I can recall her saying how she was feeling annoyed how a certain nun came and sat next to her at Mass. The reason was because she found her distracting.
    Jesus wanted this particular nun to sit next to Sister Faustina because He knew it would annoy her. I'm sorry, I can't remember what Jesus exactly said to Sister Faustina regarding this matter. But He wanted her to get over this hurdle.
    But as I well know. Easier said than done.
    We can only try our best!
     
  5. I used to find people talking in the church after mass very distracting but one day I realised many of them were elderly and lived alone and probably had nobody to talk to for the rest of the day. This helped me to be (more) compassionate in my prayer towards them:mad:

    Some though would test one's patience and one morning one of the retired priests who was helping out, shuffled down the church with his brievery and settled down to his morning prayer. 5 or 6 rows in front of him sat two elderly ladies having their usual natter. I could see fr getting annoyed but he kept silent for a good while, finally when he could take no more he said in a booming voice. "CAN YE SPEAK UP A LITTLE, I'M ONLY GETTING AN ODD WORD!!" and that was that!! I used to sit quite near him from then on :)
     
  6. rosebud101

    rosebud101 Angels

    :) How cute is that!!!
     
  7. Oh, between the short dresses, the tube tops, the gum chewing and the little girls on the altar with flip flops I just might go mad! God help me!! :eek::mad:(n):confused:
     
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  8. Jane

    Jane Angels

    I know what you mean. But I would think that those who dress immodestly, don't realise what they are doing.
    I was one of those who use to dress inappropriately, I just didn't give it any thought. I was just keeping up with the fashion.
    We might just have to wait patiently for 'the warning' for them to realise. :)
     
  9. SteveD

    SteveD Guest

    I was once told that 'distractions' in prayer are sometimes 'inspirations' - a pointer about what and who to pray about/for. This has sometimes helped me. However the distractions caused at Mass by thoughtless people who hold loud conversations while waiting for Mass to begin and who obviously don't realise in whose presence they are, nearly drive me mad. I try to pray that these people will come to understand, but my prayers do not seem to be having much effect, so far! One nearby church (not my own unfortunately) has a sign saying that stewards will remind those talking in church that they should maintain silence for the sake of others - this works very well. It is a pity they don't all have such a sign.
     
  10. Jane

    Jane Angels

    Steve, That was well said and so true.
    i can't see our priests putting a sign up. I think they are afraid of offending people and never seeing them again.
    The noise inside the church is very trying. I loved the days when you walked into a church and you could hear a pin drop.
     
  11. padraig

    padraig Powers

    People talkıng ın Church drıve me nuts. I once had a terrıble flamıng row wıth two ladıes when I asked them to keep quıet. They told me to shut up and I kept ınterruptıng theır converstatıon. Eventually they threw theır hands up and left. But eıther way no prayer got done.

    I thınk beıung dıstracted ın prayer ıs part of the human condıtıons, ıts a gıven and harmless, Where ıt goes wrong ıs ıf we delıberatley start to gıve ınto them, hence concoıusly tryıng to work out problems at home or work or whatever. Fıghtıng dıstractıon ıs actually a bonus I thınk a source of merıt. They remınd me of lıttle bees we have to flap away.:) Ifınd ıt annoyıng though ıf I dadream through somethıng lıke scrıpture readıngs, when thıs happens I go after mass and reread them.

    I have to admıt I hate sermons , generally they are awful, but a good speaker ıs wonderful, ıts just fınıdnd one.:) When I sermon ıs beıng preached I am off mentally on the moon or Mars or somewhere...
     
  12. Another thing I find very distracting is when the priest decides to play some meditative chants or such before mass. I love silence and this drives me nuts :mad: . I recently went very early to an evening mass specifically to prepare and the priest had put this music on that very evening, with nobody else in the church! I sat outside in the car trying to pray :censored:
     
  13. Mary's child

    Mary's child Guest

    Talk to God about your distractions. Include them in your prayer. Thank Him for the gift of music, if you are distracted by problems, share these with Him too. Tell Him everything. This is actually what brings you into a living relationship ( a friendship a father/daughter father/son relationship brother/brother/ brother/sister/ friend to friend) with Him.

    I love my rosary, I love to picture the whole scene, then see Jesus and Mary in the scene and pray to them there. It is wonderful, it means you are actually consoling them at the time of their passion, or sharing in their lives. It is difficult to be distracted when you do this kind of prayer. You can become oblivious to what is going on around you.

    If there are days when I am so distracted, or I have a problem, then I talk to God about it. And if I cant sit still, I tell him I am a bit restless today, and I keep gazing up at His love for me on the cross. My conversation can jump, but this is ok too. It is all communication with God, I think we beat ourselves up too much, and then get annoyed with others as a result.

    My children had special needs, They drove a few women nuts, and they gave me a very difficult time, made me dread going to Mass on the one hand. But these were the children that God gave me, with their difficulties. So I said to these people, if you dont like what you see, complain to their designer.

    Another time, when a woman tore into me (and I chased the children everywhere trying to get them to sit still) I told her that she had just added to my problems and that once she left she could go home and pray in peace. That I was up with my children all through the night, and in and out of hospital. I told her that instead of spending 10 minutes making me feel dreadful, it would have been better if she spent those 10 minutes praying for me.

    I wonder who Jesus preferred having there that day. My children with their difficulties, happy to be in Jesus house (as they called it) or people moaning at me chasing me out.. And yes, I have been chased out too.

    Everyone wants the gifts of the Holy Spirit, very few want to work on the fruits.

    How often do you ask God to change you? To make you more like Jesus, more patient, more tolerant, more loving towards the unloveable? And how do you think He is going to answer this prayer?

    By giving you plenty of practise. :) Be very careful, what you ask for ...
     
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  14. rosebud101

    rosebud101 Angels

    Mary's Child, that is wonderful answer. I think you have hit the nail on the head. You clearly have your challenges yet you know how to pray. Thank you for your response. I pray that God will bless you beyond your wildest dreams! Thank you!
     
  15. rosebud101

    rosebud101 Angels

    When I am visiting my daughter, the Catholic Church there is very different in terms of their behaviors. The congregation talks out loud to each other before Mass. This used to drive me CRAZY until I was gifted by the Holy Spirit during prayer there. I came to realize that these people are very much loved by God. The Holy Spirit is very active in that church. You can feel His very active presence. Not only that, I was again gifted by the Holy Spirit to know that these people GENUINELY LIKE EACH OTHER. This seems to be very important to God. The Church is an interesting church, and I was truly humbled by my experiences there. They are always blessing each other. It's wonderful, and these experiences have made me rethink my ideas of community in this congregation. It is an amazing place. No more judgments from me. I try to pray quietly, but now, the noise makes me joyful!
     

  16. Thank you Mary's child for your thought provoking post. That's one of the things I like about this forum.. There is always someone covering one's blind spot and challenging one to grow.
    " A question that makes you think is worth asking."

    God Bless
    BC
     
  17. Jane

    Jane Angels

    Gee. I don't know. We seem to be able to justify anything, right or wrong. As humans we have done this rather well.
    Church is a place of prayer. It is a place of silence.
    At my Church there is a handicap teenager who makes 'sounds' during mass. I'm sure everyone is understanding. She sits with her father at the back so there is limited distraction for others. He really does his best, and I'm sure it's not easy for him.
    We all understand some nioses are unavoidable, like a screaming baby/child. If ever one of my children were upset I would go outside until he is calm in respect for others.
    But this noise in the Church before Mass, or speaking during Mass is just inconsiderate to others.
    This 'modern' way of thinking, where it seems to be like a party, I just don't like it.

    I often think of when Jesus turned the tables in the temple. How would He react to our modern ways of today?

    There is a time for silence and a time for talking.

    How I loved the days when the Church was full of people and you could hear a pin drop. It really felt as if you were in a Sacred place.
     
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  18. padraig

    padraig Powers

    I am always prayıng that the angels of those who are talkıng mıght go over and gıve them a lıttle shake or maybe a kıck ın the behınd.;) It drıves me nuts.:eek: I notıce ın the Mosque the other day how well behaved they were. ITs sad to have to leave CHurch because of ıt. THe poor prıests are helpless to stop ıt but I,d love ıt ıf they bawled folks out a few tımes. My father one tıme prınted of a lıttle poster askıng people to keep quıet and got nearly eaten alıve by an angry mob.:rolleyes: People these days dont take rebukes too well.

    No, talkıng ın Church ıs just wrong.
     
  19. rosebud101

    rosebud101 Angels

    I have a spirit actual practice that I actual learned to do as a result of this church. I practice this in my home church, and it was quite revealing and humbling for me. About ten minutes before Mass, I close my eyes and I listen. That's all. Even in a quiet church, you'd be amazed at all the noise. People walking in make noise. The furnace makes noise. People genuflecting reverently make noise. I was shocked at all the noise I heard. Then, I stop myself and I make myself tHink, what should I really be focusing on. The answer is simple. Jesus in the Eucharist. Then the noise fades away and the reason for the Mass is there. God knows what's in our hearts just as.he knows what's in the "noisy" people's hearts. situations might not be perfect for reflection and prayer in church, though they should be, but it is very humbling to realize we are not perfect either. When we lack love and kindness for others, even the noisy ones, we lack kindness and love for Jesus in the Eucharist. I guess when it comes to "revelations" I prefer it when the Holy Spirit helps me to realize that love for others is far more important than self love and what is perfection in our eyes. Yes, noise drives a lot of us crazy, but, in many cases, those who drive us crazy might have hearts that are much more pure and loving in God's eyes.
     

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