The Importance of Prayer and Prayer Groups

In our busy and harried lives with it's fast pace of demands and electronic distractions, it is often easy to neglect time with God through prayer, even when we are wanting to follow Christ.  Jesus doesn't want us to be stressed out, overwhelmed and miserable. He says 'Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.'  We find our peace and joy in Christ through spending time in prayer. A prayer group can not only help us to find the time to pray deeply and connect with Him but also we connect with each other, becoming a family in Christ.

Here are two messages given by Our Lady Queen of Peace to visionaries in Medjugorje:

September 25, 2000: "Dear children! Today I call you to open yourselves to prayer. May prayer become joy for you. Renew prayer in your families and form prayer groups. In this way, you will experience joy in prayer and togetherness. All those who pray and are members of prayer groups are open to God’s will in their hearts and joyfully witness God’s love. I am with you, I carry all of you in my heart and I bless you with my motherly blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Message of June 25, 2004: "Dear children! Also today, joy is in my heart. I desire to thank you for making my plan realizable. Each of you is important, therefore, little children, pray and rejoice with me for every heart that has converted and become an instrument of peace in the world. Prayer groups are powerful, and through them I can see, little children, that the Holy Spirit is at work in the world. Thank you for having responded to my call.