It’s a goal of mine to improve my prayer table this year.  It’s one of those things that’s always there like all my other furniture (I’m not much of a re-arranger), but I hate that it’s taken for granted.  In a best case scenario our prayer table is a quiet haven in our home.  It should be a public witness and a reminder to everyone who lives here of who we are and Who we follow.  It should be a centerpiece of our domestic church.  In reality though, what I find is that when it’s not updated often it’s just … well … it’s just a piece of furniture that we don’t think about often.  Like a lamp.  Hmmm…

So I’m making a public declaration that my prayer table will be current with the colors of the liturgical seasons, it will be updated to reflect the major feasts of the Church and the minor celebrations that are important to our family, and I will keep it dusted.  (That last bit may be the hardest part.)

Since we are studying the Church’s Liturgical Cycle in a particular way in Family Formation this year, it is my hope to post ways for you to hang out with me and keep your prayer center up to date also.  I’ll be posting regular reminders and some tips here under the Prayer Center tag on the sidebar and I hope you’ll come back often to see what’s new.

Let’s begin with the next week or so —

• Today is the feast of Saint Matthew and one of my absolute favorite pieces of art illustrates the great Gospel writer receiving the words directly from one of God’s messengers.  Can’t you just hear the conversation? [angel counting on his fingers] “Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers…”  I know many of you have a Matthew in your family (first, middle, or Confirmation name) and you’ll want to remember this important day.
• September 29th is the feast of the Archangels.  If you have a picture of any Annunciation scene, put it on your prayer table today.  I tend to keep my old Christmas cards until the next year and I know if I looked through the pile I would probably find an Annunciation scene on at least one of them.  Also, if you have anything picturing the Mysteries of the Rosary, you’ll see the Archangel Gabriel talking to the future Mother of God in the first joyful mystery.  You might want to pray that mystery on the 29th.
• We’re learning about angels in our Family Formation home lesson this month, so it would be very appropriate to keep a statue or picture of an angel on your prayer table this month as a reminder of the topic.  Personally, I prefer images of angels that are more in the strong warrior category than those on the cute cherub end of the spectrum, but you be the judge.  Use what you have and gather around your prayer table each day to light a candle and recite the Guardian Angel prayer.
• We’re still in ordinary time, so the color of your cloth will be green all month (and actually with the exception of a few martyr’s feast-days, it remains green until Advent begins on November 28).