Here are 10 ways to pray when you’re on the road:
When you’re leaving the driveway: Pray to your guardian angel. A short and sweet prayer, like “Guardian angels, help us get to our destination safely!” will start your trips on the right foot, even if you feel rushed getting out the door.
When you pass a Catholic church: Say “hello” to Jesus. There are at least a dozen Catholic parishes our family passes on any given week, and making the Sign of the Cross with a greeting like “Hello Jesus! We love you, Jesus!” reminds our children to think about the Real Presence of Jesus all around them.
When you pass a cemetery: Pray for departed souls. While some families like to call out when they see VW Beetles, Jeeps, yellow cars or cows while driving, the Cowden kids point out cemeteries. Whenever we pass one, we pray, “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace, Amen.” There are three cemeteries we pass on a regular basis, some with deceased people of 200 years, and I hope we get to meet many of them in heaven.
When you pass a hospital or hear emergency sirens: Pray a Hail Mary. The story above is a perfect illustration of the power of a single Hail Mary. Don’t miss the opportunity to pray for someone who truly needs your prayers at that moment!
When you pass police with their lights on: Pray the Prayer to St. Michael. Police officers risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe. Whenever our family sees a police car with its lights on, we pray to St. Michael and the officers’ guardian angels for their protection.
When you pass construction or road workers: Pray a prayer to St. Joseph. Construction workers also have dangerous occupations, especially those working on roads and highways. Ask St. Joseph to watch over them: “St. Joseph, please watch over and protect these construction workers. Keep them safe from danger and help them finish the job well.”
When you encounter someone driving recklessly: Pray for the guidance of their guardian angels. We don’t know why they’re driving the way they are: They may have had a difficult day; they might be running late; they could be tending to an emergency; who knows! Pray that their guardian angel is holding on tight and keeps them, and others on the road, safe.
When you’re on a short commute: Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. My family likes to pray this when we’re driving at 3 p.m., the Hour of Mercy. The prayer only takes about five minutes to pray, but has eternal benefits. We usually pray for a soul who will die that day who has no one to pray for them.
When you’re on a longer commute: Pray the Holy Rosary. While slightly longer than the Divine Mercy Chaplet, it still only takes 15-30 minutes to pray, depending on whether you’re speaking the prayers or singing. If you don’t have someone in the car to keep track of the beads, I recommend praying with Mother Angelica on the EWTN app.
When you arrive at your destination: Pray a brief prayer of thanksgiving. You made it safely, praise God! Thank the Blessed Mother, the angels and saints, and our gracious Lord, who protected you from harm.
*Bonus Tip: Remember to pray for the people you encounter along the way, like those at gas stations, toll booths, store employees and so on.
St. Paul in 1 Thessalonians urges us to “pray without ceasing” (5:17), and, though he might not have explicitly meant while driving a car, I’m sure he would agree that there’s power in praying while driving, whether you’re out running errands, shuffling the kids to their activities, traveling on vacation, or simply driving your daily commute.