Creative Prayers Lead Students Closer to God and Each Other

My job is awesome. God has given me the opportunity to be with teenagers in an academic setting and to talk with them about their faith life. This is one of my senior classes of theology (I love this class). They are learning about Catholic Social Teachings; social justice, life and dignity, rights and responsibilities etc.

Each class period we open with a prayer. They have been given prayer assignments for the year. The prayer assignment includes deciding on a type of prayer, answering a few questions, describing the prayer, engaging the other students and bringing the theme of that week into the prayer. They know that I grade harshly if the prayer is boring and lifeless. So, this class has been great about being creative.

This week a very introspective student came up with an excellent idea. She gave each of us a balloon which we wrote a prayer intention on and we listened to a video about those who are oppressed. Then we went outside and she said a prayer and we released the balloons; allowing our intentions to float up to heaven.

I am so excited when my students are creative and show progress of their journey towards God. That is the reason I am in their lives to find a way that makes sense to them to get closer to God. When I see prayers like this I know we are on the right track. It must be relevant in their world or it will not stay in their minds. I thank God that He constantly guides me to teach these students to think and pray outside the box.