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tech talk redesign I have been a long-time conscientious objector to the technological revolution. I was a slow-adapter when it came to computers and mp3 files, avatars and emojis. But whether, like me, you are a technophobe, or whether you are enthusiastically racing down the information superhighway, you may find that a trip to the App store can give you just the tool you need to kick-start your prayer life. I recently began using a phone app that encourages me to pray 40 days. I was quite skeptical at first — downloading apps can be anxiety-producing for me. But the app’s photo of the sun on the horizon was inviting, and I found the prayer prompts similarly engaging. I just click on a day designated by the app — today happens to be Day 9 — and I am off on my daily prayer journey. The Introduction reminds me of the “5 Ps” of prayer: place, posture, preparation, passage, and presence. While place, posture, and preparation may be self-explanatory, passage refers to the Scriptural text I will be using, while presence encourages me to “enter into the presence of God.” As the app indicates, this “may be simply closing your eyes, making the sign of the cross, and inviting God to be present to you and you to be present to God.” I then slide into the meditation, where a soothing voice provides spiritual direction. This vocal coach leads me through the meditation with skill and tenderness, helping me to make the transition into communication with Jesus. The app even offers me an opportunity to journal electronically with my phone — a kind of “God text” I find extremely helpful. I am then prompted to reflect on the material that has been covered during this time of prayer. I have been surprised to find my prayer life growing deeper and stronger as a result of this simple phone app. While I may not be having mystical experiences on a par with St. Teresa of Avila, I feel that I am being drawn closer into the Lord’s embrace. Indeed, God can use so many different tools to bring us into His light — a little phone app is what is working for me at the moment. So the next time you hear someone longing to improve his or her prayer life, consider saying, “There’s an app for that!” "One way to kick-start your prayer life" by Maria Gallagher (CatholicMom.com) Image credit: By Sebastien Gabriel (2017),Unsplash.com, CC0/PD[/caption]

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Copyright 2020 Maria V. Gallagher