We all struggle with distractions in our prayer life, at Mass, and in our spiritual reading. The great Fulton Sheen told this story of St. Bernard and the distractions in prayer. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayA friend boasted to St. Bernard that he had no distractions. St. Bernard admitted he had trouble getting distracted. One day they were both on horseback and Saint Bernard said that he would give his horse to his friend if he got off his horse and could pray the Lord's Prayer without any distractions. His friend went as far as “Give us this day our daily bread” when he looked at St. Bernard and asked, “Can I have the saddle too?” » If Saint Bernard admitted to having trouble staying focused, then we surely find ourselves in the same boat. Have you found yourself distracted during prayers or during mass? Of course yes, we have all experienced it. The Catechism states that “the usual difficulty in prayer is distraction.” We can easily find that our thoughts are drifting away from our prayers. How can we become more focused, more disciplined in our prayer life, in our reading of Scripture and at mass? We can improve our prayer life by guarding our senses. God gave us the senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Our senses can easily distract us. Remember that Jesus said, “Whenever you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your Father in private” (Matthew 6:6). We need to find a quiet place where we can pray alone. Remember that it is in silence that the Lord speaks to us: “Elijah did not find the Lord in a strong wind, in an earthquake, or in a fire, but rather in a quiet whisper” (I Kings 19:9). We need to focus on our prayers. Although memorizing prayers or having a regimen of favorite prayers is a good discipline, we must be careful not to become lax in reciting them. We could easily recite the words without focusing on their meaning. Most of us have probably said a dozen rosaries, or Our Fathers, and ended the prayer by asking ourselves, “What did I just say?” These formal, memorized prayers are essential to a good prayer life. However, we need to slow down when we say them and focus on the meaning of the words we are saying. We must open ourselves to God's grace through the sacraments. We must return to the sacrament of Penance to purify our soul so that the union between the Lord and ourselves is in the best possible spiritual condition. The Blessed Sacrament unites us intimately with the Lord through the reception of Holy Communion and envelops us in its presence when we pray before the tabernacle. Saint Thomas More (d. 1535) said: “If I am distracted, Holy Communion helps me to collect myself.” Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The great Old Testament figures of prayer, along with the Mother of God, the saints, and Christ himself, teach us all that prayer is a battle against ourselves and against wiles of the tempter who does everything he can to turn the man away from prayer. Yes, we all face distractions but we must be vigilant and become stronger in the discipline of our prayer life..