Pope Francis’ Five Finger Prayer

Prayer is an important part of our lives. It helps us invest in our relationship with God, and it shows us how good God is and how much He moves in our daily lives. It’s important to keep those around us — family, friends, teachers, government officials, and people we pass at church — in our prayers. Pope Francis uses a simple way for you and your children to pray using the fingers on your hands! Thumb: Because the thumb is the closest finger to you, begin by praying for the people who are the closest to you. This will likely include immediate family, extended family, close friends, and maybe even neighbors. Ask your child who he would like to include on this list. This will help establish a lifelong habit of recognizing the needs of the people closest to him.Index: Your index finger represents the people who instruct, heal, and teach you. Help your child think about his teachers, coaches, doctors, and pastors. As you pray for these people, pray specifically that they will have the support, health, and wisdom they need to continue helping others.Middle: Because your middle finger is your tallest finger, it should call to mind people with authority: government officials and other leaders. Pray that these people will open their hearts and minds to what God says to them and that others in your church family will pray for them as well. Ring: Tell your child that the ring finger is actually our weakest finger. When you reach your ring finger, pray for people who are weak, perhaps those who have a long-term illness or other difficult challenges.Pinkie: The pinkie is the smallest finger on our hand, and it reminds us to pray for ourselves. When the world around you is full of people who are struggling, praying for ourselves can feel selfish or even uncomfortable, but it’s actually very important. When we have a solid faith and a healthy heart, we can better serve those around us.For more than 50 years, the best private schools in Orlando have been helping children grow to their fullest potential and become leaders within their communities. We offer unique and dynamic learning environments that engage students and encourage them to become confident and responsible adults. To learn more about what makes us different, contact us today.