"How Do I Keep Prayer from Becoming a Checklist?" (Special Podcast Highlight)

Patrick Madrid takes a call from Matt in Huntington Beach, who asks a very relatable question: How do I keep prayer intentional when I have so many intentions that it feels like a checklist?

Patrick admits right away that he’s not speaking as a prayer “expert,” but as a fellow traveler who wrestles with the same distractions. He encourages you to pray at times and in places where the noise of life is quieter -- whether that’s at home in the early morning or during a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. But he also affirms that prayer doesn’t have to be limited to those moments; it can happen anywhere -- in the car, at the grocery store, or in the middle of a busy day.

What matters most, Patrick says, is not the absence of distractions but what you do with them. He suggests offering those distractions to God directly: “Lord, I’m trying to pray, but my mind is scattered. I give you these distractions too.” That effort, he says, is pleasing to God because it shows love and persistence.

Patrick also draws on Ignatian spirituality, recommending a prayer method that involves putting yourself into the scene of Scripture or the mysteries of the Rosary. For example, while praying the Sorrowful Mysteries, you can imagine yourself standing at the pillar as Jesus is scourged, which helps stir gratitude and deepen prayer.

He goes on to outline the stages of prayer:

-Discursive prayer -- the “shallow end,” made up of spontaneous prayers or rote prayers like the Our Father

-Meditation -- a deeper form, where the mind and heart actively engage with the truths of the Faith

-Contemplation -- the “deep end” of prayer, described by saints like Teresa of Avila as gazing on God with love, much like beholding a beautiful sunset in awe

On the specific problem of prayer becoming a long “laundry list,” Patrick introduces the idea of virtual intentions. Instead of naming every single person or need individually each time, you can entrust categories of people or petitions to God: “Lord, I pray for all those I promised to pray for” or “I pray for all who have died.” This way, prayer remains heartfelt without being mechanical.

Finally, Patrick recommends two spiritual classics to grow in prayer: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales and The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila. Both provide wisdom on moving from simple, everyday prayer to deeper intimacy with God.

Patrick reminds you: the key is not perfection, but intention. As long as you’re sincerely engaging with God rather than just “clickety clacking” through words, your prayer life will bear fruit.