Prayer is the breath and heartbeat of Catholic life.
In plain language, prayer is an ongoing dialogue between the human soul and the Divine. This dialogue
fosters our relationship with
God. St. Therese of Lisieux defined prayer as "a surge of the heart . . .
a look toward heaven."[1]
The daily practice of prayer is the lifeblood of a sincere relationship with
the Creator. God is always and ever faithful and He is absolutely always able
to maintain relationship with the crown of His creation - humanity. However,
for any relationship to be wholesome it needs to be reciprocated. Anyone who
wants to enjoy a relationship with God needs to cultivate the habit of daily
prayer. We must learn to pray often and well. CCC 2558
For
prayer to be authentic, it needs to have the attitude of humility for this is
the foundation of prayer. When we pray, do we speak to God from the height of
pride and self-will or from the depth of a humble and contrite heart? In Luke
18:9-14 Christ says, "the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
God can read our hearts and minds and He cannot be deceived. Only when we can
pray with the spirit of a beggar will we know how to pray as we ought. CCC 2559
The
act of prayer does not necessarily come natural; hence, the need for deliberate
cultivation. First we must decide
to spend a certain amount of time every day to pray. It doesnÕt matter if itÕs
two minutes or ten. We must dedicate ourselves to this period of time and spend every moment in sincere
prayer. Start with a short, simple prayer such as the Our Father. A good way to
begin is by taking a moment to pray in the shower, or as you get dressed for
work. While this is not the very best it is a way to begin. Next, make sure
that you actively follow up. A moment
or two every day can grow into a minute or two. Next thing you know you might
want to spend more time in prayer. Make it a prime time appointment by entering
it into your day planner in ink and then keep that appointment. If your job
allows a fifteen-minute morning or afternoon break, you can dedicate a potion
for prayer. If your work place does not offer a quiet, private place such as a
small "wellness room", take out your beads and pray rosary while
walking around the grounds. It is not a good idea to pray rosary while driving or crossing a street.
When
I was in college, I learned about something called the KISS rule. It is a
simple acronym that means ÒKeep It Simple SweetieÓ. In relation to class and
homework, it meant if the professor asked for an 8-page paper, we should turn
in an 8-page paper - no more and no less. As a guideline to prayer it means to
be humble, honest and direct. One of the first prayers I learned was, ÒNow I
lay me down to sleep; I pray thee, Lord, my soul to keep. Guard me through the
dark of night and guide me on to morningÕs light. AmenÓ. This is an honest and
simple little prayer, easy to memorize and recite. When my mother taught me to
recite little prayers, she established a cornerstone upon which a castle of
faith could be built. My spiritual castle is an edifice that is still under
construction. God isnÕt finished with me yet. The point is to start small, keep
it simple and build on that, one prayer brick at a time.
Presence of God: Another attribute of God
through which we can know something of our Creator is omnipotence. God, our
Creator, maintains His presence to creation in a mysterious, but somehow common
way. St. Paul writes, Òin him we live and move and have our beingÓ [Acts
17:28]. The Creator is always present to creation. If we have faith in God, and
cultivate an attitude of humility and honesty with God, the next natural step
is to actively pray. The first action of prayer is to silently bring oneself into the presence of God and evoke a
keen sense of the sacred presence. Pray in your own words what is in your
heart. Another way is to begin with a familiar rote prayer such as the Our
Father or the Hail Mary. The action and practice of prayer fosters the
relationship between the discerning, searching soul and God. This presence and
relationship can take on different dimensions at different times. Sometimes it
can be like that of two friends who are present one to the other, without need
for words. At other times it takes on the more fervent nature like that of lovers
who canÕt stand to be apart. Another time this presence may take the form of a
child resting securely on the lap of a parent peacefully loving and being loved
and protected all at once. Sometimes the prayer of silence, of just resting in
the sacred presence of God, can be the best prayer of all. As it says in Ps
62:6 - ÒOnly in God be at rest.Ó God is present to the person who prays, and
the person who prays is present to God. CCC 2144
Quality:
The quality of oneÕs prayer
will be different things at different times. Prayer in the mornings, before
going to work, can often be brief and hurried. It may not seem to be very good
at all. Sometimes, at night after working all day, your prayer may feel as
wilted as your body. It can require a maximum effort just to get off a sentence
or two before sleep overcomes your will to pray. Whatever the circumstances of
our prayer, the quality of prayer is not always equivalent to the quantity. A
short, childlike prayer can be of more merit than the lengthiest recitation.
The difference resides in the level of humility and sincerity. Whatever our
prayer is, whenever you pray, the quality should always be honest, confident
and childlike. Even if your effort seems wilted or poor, pray anyway. God
notices effort. The point is, just pray and don't worry about the method.
Posture:
There are numerous positions,
or postures, one can assume for prayer. In order to discern what works best at
any given time or place, one should experiment with different forms. ItÕs a
good idea to start with something simple. Find a comfortable chair and sit in
it with both feet on the floor. Clasp your hands together on your lap, close
your eyes and bow your head just a little. In silence, breathe in and then
breathe out. Your prayer can be recited orally; you can speak to God and say
whatever is in your heart. Prayer can be offered to God mentally, without
spoken words. One can assume any bodily posture that seems appropriate. Prayer
can be offered to God while standing, with hands clasped to oneÕs breast or
simply folded at the chest. Some prefer to cross their arms at the chest in
imitation of St. Francis. We can pray with open hands upheld. If you want to
cultivate a more penitent attitude in prayer, kneel. Kneeling while at prayer
is a form of prostration. We can even pray on our knees while working in the
garden. It is a well known, and time honored form to assume for prayer. A
person who is ill can pray while lying in bed. Walking or riding can be a
casual posture for prayer. When you want to have a relaxed conversation with
God, kick back in your chair and relax your body, or pray as you walk. Whatever
posture we use, at any given time, it should be a position of reverence for the
holy and majestic presence of God.
The
bodily posture we assume for prayer can be, for some, related to the spiritual
posture of our prayer. Another, but rather extreme, position to assume is to
lay prostrate, face down, upon the floor or ground.
A few years ago there was a woman who, on the 25th
anniversary of her baptism, visited the reserved Blessed Sacrament and
prostrated herself, face down, on the chapel floor. In this way she humbly
renewed her baptismal vows. She was feeling keenly aware that day that without
God and the things of God, she had less worth than a worm. With God, and before
God, a person's life has whatever worth He assigns to it.
Challenges:
There are any numbers of
circumstances that will challenge us in our pursuit of prayer. The most common
are praying when you donÕt feel like it, taking time when you donÕt have time,
distractions and spiritual dryness. If youÕre tired, angry, frustrated,
grieving or disappointed you might not feel like praying at all. If your
emotions are running rampant because of an extreme situation it can be most difficult.
Take, for example, the sudden death of a loved one, a child suffering with a
serious illness, or a soldier in combat. Prayer can be most difficult at times
like that. It is at just such times when we need God and prayer the most. What
should you do? If you cannot pray, ask others to pray for you and for your
suffering loved one(s). Remember that life on planet earth is lived under the
shadow of the cross. Not every day will be filled with sunshine and gladness.
Some days are filled with tears and heavy sorrow. Remember that Christ could
not bear the burden of His cross either. He needed help. If Jesus needed help
to carry His cross, it shouldnÕt be a grand surprise if we need help to carry
ours. Christ did not deserve to be crucified, He certainly did not deserve
death, but He accepted it anyway and He did it through prayer. CCC 2729-2741
Read
again the creation stories in Genesis and notice that God did not create sorrow
and suffering, disease and death. This fearsome foursome came into the world through
original sin. They continue because of the systemic presence of evil. Why,
then, does God permit it? I think itÕs because the first humans to whom God
revealed Himself chose it in spite of the fact it was a very unenlightened
choice. The story of Genesis is not about enlightenment, or making informed,
intelligent choices. The story is about the issue of trust; or, more
importantly, the consequence of mistrust. This is the only insight to the
problem of suffering and evil that can be offered, poor as it is. Trying to
penetrate the mystery of suffering and the presence of evil is like trying to
see through a dark, dirty window. We can maybe glean insights but we can't
quite make out what it is.
When
difficulties in prayer present themselves, one thing we can do is take the
problem, whatever it is, and let that become our prayer. We can present our
difficulties to God through prayer. We can bring sorrow, tears, anger,
frustrations, distractions and dryness, or whatever it is, and present it to
God. We must pray as we are, whatever that happens to be at whatever the
moment. The radiant light of the Resurrection will dawn on us, and within us,
as we pray even if weÕre not aware of it. God is aware. Of everything. All the
time. DonÕt worry about it. God is big. Pray anyway. CCC 2728
Prayer Forms: Spontaneous prayer, whether silent or spoken, is the simplest and most
common prayer. Is there a student who hasnÕt uttered the prayer, ÒOh God, help
me get through this test!Ó Is there a worker who ever got out of bed on a
Monday morning and prayed, ÒOh God, itÕs Monday! I donÕt want to go to work.
Help me get through the day.Ó After a yearlong battle with unemployment and
financial hell, the prayer becomes, ÒOh God, itÕs Monday. I get to go to work!Ó
Many of us know what itÕs like to experience all of those situations. Life on
planet earth is a mixed bag. The spectrum of human experience is deep and
broad. The spontaneous prayer is a good prayer because it is honest. It leads
us to God through whatever the events of the day might be and through whatever
we might be feeling or needing.
Meditation:
This form of prayer is silent
when prayed alone. When guided in the company of others it involves a leader
and spoken words. It is akin to contemplation but can be best understood as a
spiritual quest. The meditative prayer is reflective prayer. It engages
thought, feeling, imagination and perhaps even desire. This form of prayer
should involve Scripture. One may read a favorite passage of scripture silently
or aloud. Whichever way you wish to read Scripture, do it slowly, absorbing the
meaning. Then, on the silver screen in your mind, visualize the scene and
inject yourself into the picture. As an example, read the scripture cited above
in Lu 7:36-50. Picture yourself reclining at table with Jesus. See the woman
enter, with her jar of perfume in hand. Visualize her tears falling on Jesus
dusty feet and the woman wiping away the dust and tears with her long, loose
hair. See her gazing at Jesus and Jesus gazing at her. Then, visualize yourself
in the womanÕs place. You are now the one looking at Jesus and He is looking at
you. Feel the tenderness that passes between the two of you. To contemplate
God, in the Person of Christ, is to have an intimate encounter with God. To
encounter God, is to experience a manifestation of God. The closing prayer for
this chapter is a guided scriptural meditative prayer. The leader slowly reads a passage of scripture,
pausing at intervals. The listener silently follows along while meditating on
the words, mentally visualizing the passage and absorbing the meaning. (CCC
2705-2708)
Meditative/repetitive: A
prime example is the prayer of the Rosary. It is a form of meditation that
includes repetitive recitation of rote prayers. It may be prayed alone or with
others. It incorporates Gospel stories from the lives of Jesus and Mary. All of
the major Christological events are present in the sacred Mysteries. The beads
are only used as an aid to keeping one's place in the prayer as we meditate on
the mysteries and recite the repeating Paters, Aves and Glorias. Looking at
pictures while reciting aids in the meditation. There are many other
meditative/repetitive devotionals in addition to the Rosary. The Sacred Heart
and Divine Mercy devotions, for example, incorporate chaplets and novena
prayers. Many of the Church's devotionals don't require the use of beads. Such,
for example, is the Lenten favorite Way of the Cross. CCC 2673-2679
Contemplation: Contemplation is the silent prayer of the child of God and the
forgiven sinner. There are no words, spoken or mental. Two examples are found
in Lu 7:36-50 & 19:1-10. In both stories, a repentant sinner is gazing at
Jesus and Jesus is returning the gaze. Notice the theme and conclusion of both
stories is about mercy and forgiveness. Another example is in Lu 2:19 [also Lu
2:51] we find Mary as she "kept all these things, reflecting on them in
her heart." Guided contemplation involves two or more people with one
serving as leader. The leader speaks prayerfully and the listener follows along
silently contemplating the meaning and inspiration while communing with God. This is a sweet form of
prayer for those who are called to it. (CCC 2709-2719)
Iconic Prayer: This is
completely silent whether alone or in the company of others. The first order of
business is to understand that one does not pray to an icon; but rather beyond the icon to the one depicted who is in heaven. The
purpose of an icon is to tangibly portray the presence of the one being prayed
to, inviting the seeker to gaze and ponder or reflect. It is a prayer of
relationship and of intimate, silent sharing. In this inner form of prayer, our
attention is fixed on the Lord and His attention is fixed on the one praying.
In the simple words of a peasant of Ars, ÒI look at him and he looks at me.Ó
(St. John Vianney). The next thing the seeker must do is find the right icon.
Look in churches, books or catalogs to find the icon that grabs your gaze. For
example there is a sixth-century icon called ÒChrist the Pantocrator.Ó He
blesses with one hand while clutching a Book of the Gospels in the other. There
are many versions of icons of Christ, Mary, and the saints. CCC 477, 701, 1142,
1159-62, 1197, 2131, 2158, 2663, 2674, 2691, 2705, 2715
It
is a temptation to think that praying with an icon is a crutch for those who
are not true contemplatives. That would be a mistake. Saints Teresa of Avila
and John Damascene both used, and taught others to use icons at prayer. It is a
good and honorable prayer form. Using an icon at prayer is not for everyone. If
you try it and find it uninspiring that only means this prayer form isnÕt for
you. Try an alternative prayer form instead.
The Icon of the Crucifix of Our Lord: The Crucifix of Christ has become the symbol of the Church. This icon
represents the supreme, once-for-all sacrifice of Christ on Calvary. This is
the sacrifice that is reoffered to God at every Mass. This particular icon is
the most common and there is a crucifix in every Catholic Church. Most members
of religious orders wear a crucifix on their habit either around the neck or
suspended from a waist cincture or belt. Laypeople are serenely free to do the
same if they feel so inspired. Our Lord wanted His death to be remembered and
memorialized. The use of this holy icon is one of the ways the Church achieves
this. Every time we gaze at this icon we are 'looking upon him whom they have pierced' [Jn 19:37]. CCC
1159
Praying With the Saints: The Catholic
Church has something called the Communion of Saints. We know from Scripture
there are several people who are mysteriously alive in heaven with God. First
we encounter Enoch. Scripture says, ÒEnoch walked with God, and he was no
longer here, for God took himÓ [Gen 5:24&Heb 11:5]. In Ex 3:15 we find a
declaration of God saying ÒÉthe God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of
JacobÉÓ so we know these three are alive in God. In 2 Mac 15:12-14 Judas
Maccabeus had a vision of Onias, the priest and Jeremiah, the prophet; these
two are alive in God. In the Mt 17:3 we find Elijah and Moses appearing with
Jesus, conversing with Him. In Lu 16:23 there is Lazarus. In Heb 11:4 we read,
Òalthough Abel is dead, he still speaksÓ so Abel is also apparently alive in
God. In Rev 6:9 we read about ÒÉthe spirits of those who have been martyredÓ so
these also are alive in God. From the Scriptures we know of at least ten
people, plus the martyrs, who are alive with God in heaven. When we add the
mother of Our Lord, Mary, of whom the holy Apostles taught was also assumed
into heaven there are eleven known, plus the martyrs, who are alive in God.
Remember, in Mark 12:27 Christ says, "He is not God of the dead but of
the living . . ."
There
is a great treasury of the prayers of the saints. These prayers are very
efficacious when recited by the believer. They also provide a tangible link
between the believer and the saint. The collective body of these prayers
comprises a wealth of spiritual wisdom the modern believer can learn from and
use. They provide excellent examples of spirituality that should be taken to
heart and imitated. Take for example the prayer of St. Catherine of Siena found
at the end of this chapter. This
is a prayer of petition to God for a number of virtues she has discerned that
are needed. She seems to be feeling somehow deficient. Specifically, she is
asking for understanding, diligence, wisdom, perseverance, patience and hope.
These are all good and holy virtues that all of us need too. We should take
this prayer to heart, learn from it and pray it. St Catherine was a great woman
in the Church and she is a very great saint and Doctor of the Church; her life
is worthy of imitation. So, too, are her prayers as are the examples and
prayers of all the saints. We are all called to sainthood. We don't have to
become celibate hermits, or cloistered monks or nuns, although some are called
to that lifeway. What we secular believers can do is imitate the saints where
we are and as we are. One way is by taking to heart the wisdom and spirituality
of their prayers and imitate them. Because the saints are imitators of Christ
they can lead us to Christ. CCC 1161-62, 2683-2684
Expectations: When you pray,
regardless of whatever prayer form you use, present yourself, your needs and
feelings to God in whatever state or place you happen to be. Be aware there are
a number of things we should and should not expect. Do expect to be heard.
Don't expect "signs and wonders" to happen. Mystical happenings like
visions, locutions or miracles do happen but very rarely. Be aware that God is not
a santa claus. A child of about five or six years old might pray for a pot of
gold. Upon awakening in the morning she's going to be very disappointed because
it just doesn't work that way. The child needs to grow and learn to make
reasonable prayer requests. So if Daddy is unemployed pray for his job hunt to
be successful and then let God answer that prayer in His own time and way.
Learning to be patient and flexible in your prayer habits can be difficult but
with patience, time and practice it can happen. While you're at it, cultivate
an attitude of humility, sincerity and openness in prayer. Let God be God and
He'll answer, eventually. Sometimes it happens the answer will arrive swiftly.
That situation tends to be kind of rare too but it can and does happen. Sometimes
it feels like God wants to 'think about it' for a while. It's often hard to
tell what's happening on the other end of the prayer line because we can't
perceive God with our senses.
God
is a loving Father who wants us to be happy in a state of sanctity. When we
pray for grace God loves to say 'yes' to such prayer. We should pray for grace
often. When bad things happen we can and should pray for the grace of
forbearance and strength to get through it. Often when we pray for material
things like winning a big lottery we should not expect an affirmative answer.
Perhaps having a lot of money would be bad for a person's soul. If it is
incompatible with God's will we should expect a 'no' answer. We should not want
things that don't lead to sanctity anyway. When we have trouble discerning the
difference between real needs and passing wants we should pray for the grace of
true discernment.
Correct
discernment requires maturity and patience; this is a lifelong pursuit.
Sometimes God wants us to ask Him for big things. We should occasionally ask
God for a miracle. For example, a miraculous healing. He might be disappointed
in us if we don't ask for something really big once in a while. You never know,
you just might get an affirmative answer. It's a rare occurrence but has
happened. A better prayer might be to present what is needed at the present moment and then let God answer
in His own way and time.
A
good example is the story of two friends. One little boy prayed for his own
private jet, a gazillion dollars and a beautiful friend to enjoy it with. His
friend prayed for a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk for lunch. Guess
which friend got what he asked? It's ok to dream big and even to occasionally
pray for big things. It's a far better thing to simplify. After all, no one
really needs a private jet, a gazillion dollars and a gorgeous companion. Those
are very nice things indeed but true happiness from within won't come through
that venue. A good nourishing lunch, on the other hand, is a good thing. We do
have an obligation to care for our bodily needs. The trappings of excessive
wealth are only going to feed things not associated with sanctity. If you pray
for a pot of gold and don't get it, don't be surprised. If you pray for
nourishment for your body that is definitely reasonable and God is more likely
to answer in the affirmative. If you pray for nourishment for your soul, for
spiritually good things that are compatible with God's will, you can depend on
God to say 'yes' to that. It is a far better thing to wish and pray for
spiritual wealth over material gain any day.
Perhaps
it is a much greater thing to not pray for change in one's situation or mood.
Rather, it would be better to pray for the grace to deal with the day at hand
effectively as a struggling pilgrim disciple of Christ in the present moment.
There
really are no hard and fast rules for personal prayer regarding how one should
pray. In this regard, the faithful are serenely free to experiment with the
different prayer forms until at least one is found that works best. The type of
personality you have might play a role. For example, my husband is an intuitive
person and he loves contemplative prayer. I am a utilitarian thinker and the
repetitive/meditative Rosary and Divine Mercy devotions work best for me.[2]
ItÕs
also possible that more than one prayer form works for you at different times.
You may discover the short, free style conversational prayer works best in the
mornings when youÕre busy getting ready for work and/or getting children off to
school. Later on in the day, if you get a 15-minute break at work,
contemplative prayer (or another prayer form) will work quite well. The point
is to experiment with the different prayer forms until you find the method of
prayer that works best for you and then stick with it.
EXEGESIS
POSTURE
Ex 9:29 Moses replied, ÒAs soon as I leave the city I
will extend my hands to the LORD
Lev 9:24 Fire came forth from the LORDÕs presence and
. . . all the people cried out and fell prostrate.
Josh 7:6 Joshua, together with the elders of Israel, . . . lay
prostrate before the ark of the LORD
1Kings 8:22 Solomon stood before the altar . . . and stretching forth his hands toward heaven
1Kings 18:39 Seeing this, all
the people fell prostrate and
said, ÒThe LORD is God!
2Chr 30:8 Be not obstinate, as your fathers were; extend your hands to the LORD
Ezra 9:5 Then, at the time of the evening sacrifice,
I . . . fell on my knees, stretching out my hands to the LORD
Tob 3:11 At that time, then, she spread out her hands, and facing the window,
poured out this prayer
Judith 6:18 At this the people fell prostrate and worshiped God
2Mac 3:20 all of them with hands
raised toward heaven, making supplication.
Ps 22:30 All who sleep in the earth will bow low before God; All who have gone down
into the dust will kneel
Ps 95:6 Enter, let us bow
down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD
Ps 119:25 I lie prostrate
in the dust
Mt 26:39 He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer [Jesus]
Eph 3:14 For this reason I kneel before the Father [St. Paul]
See also Ex 17:11; Num 14:5, 16:22,
20:6; Deut 9:18; 2Chr 6:29; Judith 9:1; 2Mac 10:26; Sir 50:21; Ezra 10:1
FAITH, ATTITUDE, ACTION
Num. 12:13 Then Moses cried to the LORD, ÒPlease, not this! Pray, heal her!Ó [Faith]
Lu 18:10-11, 13-14 ÒTwo
people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was
a tax collector. . . . The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer
to himself, ÒO God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity —
greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. But the
tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to
heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ÔO God, be merciful to me a sinner.Õ I
tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who
exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.Ó [Attitude]
Mark 1:35 Rising very early
before dawn, he left and went
off to a deserted place, where he prayed. [Action]
PRAYER FORMS IN THE BIBLE
Meditative
Ps 77:7 I remember. In the
night I meditate in my heart; I ponder and my spirit broods
Ps 119:148 My eyes greet the night watches as I meditate on your promise.
Repetitive
Mt 6:7
ÒIn your prayer do not rattle on like the
pagans.Ó [This saying prohibits praying to idols and false gods]
Mt 26:39 ÒMy Father, if it is possible, let this cup
pass from me
Mt 26:42 he prayed again, "My Father, if it is
not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done.Ó
Mt 26:44
prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. [Jesus repeated
his prayer three times; He was not contradicting Himself from Mt 6:7.]
Contemplative
Job 36:25 All men contemplate it; man beholds it from afar.
Ps 119:117 Strengthen me
that I may be safe, ever to contemplate your laws.
Lu 2:19 And Mary kept all
these things, reflecting
on them in her heart.
To Gaze Or Ponder
Ps 4:5 Tremble and do not
sin; upon your beds ponder
in silence.
Ps 27:4 One thing I ask of
the LORD; this I seek: . . . To gaze on the LORDÕs beauty
Ps 48:10 O God, within your temple we ponder your steadfast love.
Ps 77:7 I remember. In the
night I meditate in my heart;
I ponder and my spirit broods
Ps 119:99 I have more
understanding than all my teachers, because I ponder your decrees.
Lu 2:19 Mary kept all these
things, reflecting on them
in her heart. [Pondering the Birth
of Jesus & the events.]
Lu 2:51 his mother kept all these things in her heart. [Upon finding Him in the Temple]
Lu 7:37-38 Bringing an
alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began
to bathe his feet with her
tears. Then she wiped them with her
hair, kissed them, and anointed them
Lu 7:50 he said to the
woman, ÒYour faith has saved you; go in peace.Ó
Lu 19:4 So he ran ahead and
climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was
about to pass that way.
Lu 19:5 Jesus looked up and said to him, ÒZacchaeus, come down
Lu 19:10 For the Son of Man
has come to seek and to
save what was lost.Ó [Words to
Zacchaeus]
See also Ps 77:4; Ps
84:10; Ps 119:6,15, 27; Ps 143:5
Iconic Prayer
Num 21:9 Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and
mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who
had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze
serpent, he recovered.
John 19:37 And again another passage says: ÒThey will
look upon him whom they have pierced.Ó
[This verse refers to the prophecy of Zec 12:10. The anagogical sense points to
prayer using the icon of the Crucifix.]
Rev 22:4 They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. [To look
is to gaze]
IMITATE THE SAINTS
1Cor 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. [St. Paul]
1Th 1:6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord [St. Paul, his companions and even Christ.]
2Th 3:9 we wanted to present
ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us.
Phil 3:17 Join with others
in being imitators of me, brothers, and observe those who thus conduct
themselves according to
the model you have in us.
Heb 13:7 Consider the
outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
[The saints and martyrs]
See also 1Cor 4:16; 2Th 3:7; Eph 5:1; Heb 6:12; 3Jn
11
SCRIPTURE LOOKUP #1: POSTURE,
FAITH, ATTITUDE, ACTION
Read the exegesis and discuss these examples. When we
kneel, bow, gesture with our hands or fall prostrate, who are we imitating?
Should we imitate these examples?
SCRIPTURE LOOKUP #2: PRAYER
FORMS IN THE BIBLE
Read the exegesis and discuss these Biblical
examples. Should we imitate these examples?
SCRIPTURE LOOKUP #3: IMITATING
THE SAINTS
Read the exegesis and discuss the ways we can imitate
the saints to cultivate holiness in daily life.
A PRAYER OF ST CATHERINE OF SIENNA
Doctor of the Church
Bestow on me, O Lord God,
Understanding to know you,
Diligence to seek you,
Wisdom to find you,
A perseverance in waiting patiently for
you, and
A hope that may embrace you at the last.[3]
Amen.
GUIDED CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER
This is a guided conversational contemplative prayer. It is a
hypothetical chat the Lord might have with you. This contemplative effort may
be read by the prayer leader or may optionally be done in complete silence.
Time factor apx 15 minutes.
My
Dear Child, you don't have to know or do much in order to please me much . . .
I only ask that you love me . . . Speak to me like you would with your most
intimate friend . . . tell me what you need and how you feel . . . Do you wish
me to do something for someone? . . . Tell me who it is and what you'd like me
to do . . . Do you wish me to do something for your loved ones . . . your
neighbor . . . your coworker . . . your friend . . . I love generous hearts who
are able to forget their own needs in order to help the needs of others . . .
Speak sincerely to me about the grieving you would console . . . the sick you
would look after . . . the hungry and poor you would assist . . . the lonely
and imprisoned you would visit . . . of the suffering you would help.
Is there a fallen away soul for whom you
yearn to be returned to the right path? . . . Speak to me of that person's
needs . . . Let me see what I can do for that soul . . . Is there an absent
friend you would like to see again? . . . Pray for your friend . . . I can
bring your friend back to you if this person is not an obstacle to your
salvation . . . Throw yourself into my arms . . . I am with you always . . . I
will assist you . . . I will not abandon you . . . not for a moment.
Is there a problem in your life that you
wish to speak to me about . . . Tell me what it is . . . I am able to help . .
. If what you ask for is good for the salvation of your soul I might be
persuaded . . .
Are you afraid? . . . Are you sad? . . .
Has someone wounded you, hurt your pride? . . . Have you been mistreated? . . .
Come close to me, put your head near to my heart . . . I will console you, my
dear one . . . Ask me for a gift of grace to get you through your trouble . . .
I love to be generous when you ask for what is good for your searching soul.
Do you have some joyful news to share with
me? . . . Why don't you share it with me like a friend . . . I love to hear
good news and rejoice with you . . . did a problem get solved . . . did a check
come in the mail . . . perhaps a gesture of love from a dear one? . . . Did a
bad situation get remedied? . . . Why not show me some gratitude . . . Say to
me, "Thank you, Jesus!" . . . Gratitude brings forth new gifts
because benefactors like to be appreciated . . . All of this is my work . . . I
did all these good things for you because I love you.
What about me? . . . Do you feel attracted
to me? . . . Would you like to make a promise to me? . . . I am the searcher of
hearts . . . I can read hearts and move them without violating them . . . Human
hearts are extremely tender . . . People are so easily deceived, but God cannot
be deceived.
Are you feeling bad about something? . . .
Have you done or said something that hurt someone? . . . Have you wronged
someone? . . . Tell me honestly and sincerely what it is . . . I am ready to
assist you with all the graces needed to avoid sin on a daily basis . . . all
you need to do is ask with faith . . . I await your question.
Tell me honestly, do you firmly resolve to
avoid the things that lead you to sin? . . . Will you deny yourself that object
that hurt your soul? . . . Will you promise not to read that book or look again
at that picture that wrongly excited your imagination? . . . I despise things
that cause my dear ones to fall into sin . . . Will you avoid that person who
disturbed your peace of mind and soul? . . . Will you show some kindness to that
person who treated you unkindly? . . . Pray to me for the conversion of that
soul . . . Let me see what good that person will allow me to do.
Do you need forgiveness? . . . My heart is
an endless ocean of mercy . . . Tell me of the wrong you have done and the good
you have failed to do . . . when you visit Me in the confessional I will
joyfully forgive your sins . . . when you receive Me in the Eucharist I will
forgive the punishment due for those confessed sins . . . I love imparting
forgiveness to repentant souls . . . It's what I do best.
Now, my dear one, return to your work,
your family, your studies . . . As
much as possible, keep to the virtues of modesty, charity, and silence . . .
Love and honor my Mother . . . Come again tomorrow with an even more fervent
prayer to share with me . . . Come and unite your heart to mine . . . I wish to
give you new love, new graces and new consolations . . . In the still, silent
sanctuary of your heart I await you . . . Come visit me again . . . I am always here . . . awaiting
your presence.
[1] Manuscripts
autobiographiques, C 25r, by St. Therese of Lisieux
[2] Prayer
and Temperament (Third Edition) by Michael
& Norrisey; The Open Door Inc., Charlottsville, VA; 1984
[3] Excerpted
from At Prayer with the Saints; Copyright
‹1998;
Used with permission of Liguori Publications, Liguori MO 63057. 1-800-325-9521