Noontime prayer: Helping kids reconnect with God and reset their day

If you are trying to pray an adapted form of the Liturgy of the Hours as a family, incorporate some form of noon prayer (the traditional Latin name is Sext) into your routine. Praying at noon is a great way to reconnect with God and one another midway through the day; sometimes, it can be like hitting a “reset” button (for yourself, if not for your kids).

The simplest way to begin would be to pray a simple Meal Prayer at lunch. In Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers, the U.S. Catholic bishops recommend reciting the Angelus (“The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. . .”)—or, during Easter, the Regina Caeli (“Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. . .”). Both are centuries-old prayers with monastic roots; typically, they were prayed at dawn, noon, and dusk; you’ll find them below.

And of course, you can also pray the prayers prescribed by the  Liturgy of the Hours for noon.

Here are a few more ideas for your noon prayer:

  • Begin with 30 seconds of silence to help kids (and you!) settle down and focus.
  • On special feast days, light your prayer candle.
  • Keep some cards with kid-friendly meal prayers handy at your lunch table, and let them choose which prayer to say.

 

Angelus

Leader: The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,

Response: And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Say the Hail Mary:

Hail, Mary, full of grace . . .

Leader: Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

Response: Be it done unto me according to thy Word.

Hail, Mary, full of grace . . .

Leader: And the Word was made flesh.

Response: And dwelt amongst us.

Hail, Mary, full of grace . . .

Leader: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.

Response: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Leader: Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection; through the same Christ our Lord.

Response: Amen.

Regina Caeli

Leader: Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.

Response: For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.

Leader: Has risen, as he said, alleluia.

Response: Pray for us to God, alleluia.

Leader: Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia.

Response: For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Leader: Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord.

Amen.