Winding down the mind at night is seldom easy. Our racing minds make lists, rehash events of the day, or bother us with endless ideas and anxieties that we could never possibly address in these moments before sleep. Worst of all is the knowledge of how good sleep is for our tired bodies, and our inability to trigger this blissful release.

Mindfulness and meditation is in vogue now, but the Church has always known its myriad benefits. In our hearts is inscribed the desire to love God, to elevate our minds to serve others, and to be connected to our larger human family. Prayer, and its simple repetition, eases the mind and invites peace to calm our chaotic lives.

St. Paul advises prayer without ceasing, and what better way to drift off to sleep than to spend the day’s final moments of consciousness with the God who made us and the saints who so deeply loved Him.