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To have the Light of Christ shine in your life, prayer is the light switch.

A prayer life is important. I know this because for many years I was a lukewarm Catholic and prayer was not important in my life. My family and career seemed to be enough, and they kept me very busy.

I thought I was a good-enough Catholic by going to Sunday Mass

It didn’t seem necessary to pray each day. And I seldom got around to helping other people.

This attitude was like a brick wall between me and Jesus. He was more a stranger than a friend.

One day I saw that my life was a mess

I had failed to follow my earlier dreams, my business ventures were failures, and my marriage was in trouble. I became very depressed and started drinking.

A year later, for some reason, I wandered into a Catholic church dedicated to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. There was hardly anyone in there, but the red sanctuary light was visible — so I knew the Lord was present.

I was moved to pray to the Mother of Jesus for help

She led me back to her Son and I poured out my heart to Him. I honestly admitted my sins and apologized for the many times that I had ignored Him. I asked for His forgiveness and help.

I realized that Jesus still loved me. He had not rejected me, despite my faults. His love is not conditional. As I accepted this, my spirit felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from it. There was a new joy in my heart. I knew that prayer and the Light of Christ had to be an important part of my life.

If you take time for prayer your life will become better

Now, I set aside Quiet Time each day to pray and to say the rosary. Devotion to the Sacred Heart and receiving the Holy Eucharist give me peace and joy. Jesus reveals Himself to me when I read the Bible.

There are still problems in my life. Now, instead of trying to handle everything myself, I tell Jesus I am in trouble and need his help. And he is there for me, despite my past failures.

May Jesus Christ bless you,

James Lawrence

James Lawrence holds degrees in philosophy and theology. He has been a college professor and an RCIA program instructor.

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