1. "How do I pray?" This question is frequently asked to those who minister to the faithful. To know how to pray, one must understand the meaning of praying. What does it mean to pray? The dictionary defines it as addressing God, making a fervent request, beseeching and imploring. The New Roget's Thesaurus defines praying as invoking, supplicating, communicating with God, worshipping, begging, adjuring and pleading. It further associates prayer with devotions, services, chapel, entreaty, supplication and petition. Truly, all of these, plus more, answer the question "How do I pray?"
WHEN APPROACHING GOD
2. When a person goes to a florist to buy a flower, he selects the most beautiful flower that he can find, one that emits a pleasant fragrance, one that is blooming, that is rich in colourful petals, that is free of defects, that is appealing to the eyes, etc... Symbolically speaking, when a person presents a prayer petition to God, it is like presenting that most beautiful flower in exchange for a worldly or spiritual favour that is being requested. The greater the beauty of the flower, the greater the likelihood that the petitioner shall obtain the favour that he is seeking from God. If the petitioner gives God a flower that is covered with dirt, has a number of defects and half of the petals are missing, surely this would be an insult to God. God would turn His back to the petitioner and ignore the unworthy prayer request.
DISPOSITION
3. As previously indicated through the flower example, when approaching God, it is necessary to be properly disposed. What follows is a number of desirable qualities that are pleasing to the eyes of God. Having the right disposition improves one's chance of obtaining God's blessings.
4. The qualities that are necessary in a successful prayer petition are equal to the petals that are found on the flower that is being presented to God. If some of the qualities are missing, it means that during the prayer petition, God will be offered a defective flower.
5. As a general rule, when it will benefit the spiritual growth of a believer, the Lord God will answer his prayer petition. But again, the believer must be properly disposed. In other cases, the grace of God may touch the heart of individuals before they have achieved such a disposition in order to lead them towards a proper disposition. The timing for achieving the right disposition depends entirely on how the grace of God works in each individual person.
CONVERSION OF HEART
6. The first petal which is absolutely necessary, is a conversion of heart [Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2608] prior to approaching God in prayer. The individual must have a sincere desire to change his life from the worldly ways to the spiritual ways.
HUMILITY
7. There is a need to always approach God in a humble manner. A prayer said in humility is worth more than all the boastful prayers. When appropriate, one should kneel in an act of reverence, recognizing his sinfulness. Humility adds another petal to the flower.
8. "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." [St. John Damascene, Defide orth. 3, 24: PG 94,1089C] But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? [Ps 130:1] He who humbles himself will be exalted; [Cf. Lk 18:9-14] humility is the foundation of prayer, Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," [Rom 8:26] are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God." [St. Augustine, Sermo 56, 6, 9: PL 38, 381] [2613, 2763] [C.C.C. # 2559]
SIMPLICITY OF WORDS
9. When praying, do so with the simplicity of a child. Express simple words that come from the heart. Jesus said, "When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words." [C.C.C. # 2608; Mt. 6:7] A few sincere words from the heart are more pleasing to God than a large number of repeated devotions, prayers or words.
SPIRITUAL NEEDS
10. A common error of many who petition God is to ask for worldly things, fame, love, pleasures and wealth. Their prayer petitions are for worldly things, their requests totally ignoring their spiritual needs. A balanced prayer includes both, one's spiritual and worldly needs. "What will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?" [Mt. 16:26] One day, all physical gains shall come to an end; spiritual gains shall last an eternity. A prayer petition that includes spiritual needs adds another petal to the flower that is presented to God.
PERSEVERANCE
11. When you pray for a need that relates to your spiritual growth, such as a holy marriage, present your petition without ceasing. Persevere, not just for a day, but for weeks and for months until such time as you have received what your heart truly desires. "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." [Mt. 7:7-8]
FASTING
12. When Nehemiah prayed for his people, he said, "When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven." [Neh. 1:4] Before beginning His ministry, Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. [Mt. 4:2] The prophet Anna, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher never left the temple where Jesus was presented as the Divine Infant. She fasted and prayed night and day. [Lk. 2:37] In the Acts of the Apostles, we read that when the first Christians were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit told them that Barnabas and Saul were being commissioned to do the Lord's work. [Acts 13:2-3] In many instances, fasting, over and above praying, has obtained blessings that otherwise would not have been received from God. Fasting represents another petal that belongs to the flower.
13. Prior to fasting, the faithful should consult their family physician to ensure that this will not have an adverse effect on their health, especially when it concerns the very young, the elders, the sick, those who are physically handicapped and those on medication.
SACRIFICES
14. Performing a sacrifice is another form of pleasing prayer in the eyes of God. In the days of the Old Testament, when the people of the Jewish nation sought the favour of the Lord God, as a form of sacrifice, they turned to fasting, wore sackcloths and poured ashes over their heads. Nowadays, sacrifices may consist of fasting from food, from addictive habits, making a greater effort to abstain from a certain sin, giving more generously to the Church or another worthy cause, and similar actions.
15. A sacrifice only becomes a sacrifice when the person experiences a sense of deprivation (it hurts). As an example, holding back dessert while increasing the portion of one's meal is not a sacrifice. Going without an entire meal while being hungry is a sacrifice. Giving one dollar to a worthy cause is not a sacrifice; giving one hundred dollar is a greater sacrifice that would deprive the person of other possible worldly benefits such as smoking, drinking, drugs, a trip, clothing, jewelry, etc... Each meaningful sacrifice adds a petal to the flower that is presented to God.
SOUND FAITH
16. When appealing to God for a favour, it is necessary to have a sound faith. In other words, one's faith must be balanced. Those who believe that God will answer their prayers because they were baptized and married in the Catholic Church, but who never go to Church on Sunday, nor support their local Church, do not have a sound faith. Their faith is artificial; they are Catholics in a name only.
17. Faith without actions is dead. Jesus gave us the Sacraments of Confession and the Holy Eucharist for our sanctification. Spiritual growth is gained through one's association with the Body of Christ, the Church. It is not gained through one's personal opinion of what faith should be, such excluding worshipping with other Catholics.
THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE
18. Jesus said, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the
kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit." [Jn. 3:5]
Before ascending into Heaven, Jesus commissioned His disciples. He
said, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the
whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be
saved; but the one who does not believe (and is not baptized) will
be condemned." [Mk. 16:15-16]
19. In the days of the Old Testament, who did God favour? He
favoured one people, the Jewish nation. Whom does God favour
today? He favours one people, the Church that His beloved Son
Jesus has instituted on earth. It is the One, Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic Church.
20. Without Baptism, there is no living hope of ever entering the
Kingdom of God. Without the Sacrament of Baptism, you are only a
creation of God; with the Sacrament of Baptism, you are a child of
God. [Rom. 8:15] Those who seek to have their prayers answered,
they should first seek to receive the Sacrament of Baptism.
21. The Sacrament of Baptism entitles the believer to call upon His
Father, Abba, [Rom. 8:15] in order to present Him with a flower
worthy of giving to God.
[Note: The previous references to the Sacrament of Baptism
includes Baptism by Blood and Baptism by Desire. While Jesus has
instituted the Sacraments of the Catholic Church as an absolute
necessity to maintain one's righteousness and as an assurance of
the free gift of salvation, God is not bound by His Sacraments. He
can and does make exceptions under certain circumstances. "The
Lord himself affirmed that Baptism is necessary for salvation. He
also commanded his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations
and to baptize them. Baptism is necessary for salvation for those
to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the
possibility of asking for this sacrament. The Church does not know
of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal
beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission
she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized
are "reborn of water and the Spirit." God has bound salvation to
the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his
sacraments." (C.C.C. # 1257)]
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
22. The authority that comes with the Sacrament of Confirmation
represents two petals on the flower that is being presented to God.
"Baptism, the Eucharist, and the sacrament of Confirmation together
constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation," whose unity
must be safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the
reception of the sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the
completion of baptismal grace. [Cf. Roman Ritual, Rite of
Confirmation (OC), Introduction 1.] For 'by the sacrament of
Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church
and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence
they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to
‘spread’ and ‘defend’ the faith by word and deed.' [LG 11; Cf. OC,
Introduction 2] (C.C.C. # 1285)"
23. He who has received the authority through the Sacrament of
Confirmation, but he does not ‘spread’ and ‘defend’ the Catholic
faith, his flower lacks two petals.
LIVING ONE'S FAITH
24. Prior to ‘spreading’ and ‘defending’ one's faith, it is
necessary to practice it. This is absolutely necessary prior to
approaching God in prayer. Practising one's faith consists of
doing good works [Jas. 2:17-18], obeying the commandments, tithing
[Lk. 6:38], going to Church on Sunday, [Canon Law # 1245; C.C.C. #
2181] helping the poor, etc...
FAITHFUL TO THE CHURCH TEACHING
25. When one claims to be a Catholic, not only must he practice his
faith, spread and defend it, he must also accept all of the
teachings of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. He who
opposes the Church teaching on abortion, birth control, same sex
marriage, etc... cannot, and does not obey the true God who guides
the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church in its
teachings.
26. He who spreads, defends, practices, and accepts all of the
teachings of the Catholic Church, he gains four petals on the
flower that is presented to God in a prayer petition. Does your
flower have all of these four petals?
THE SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION
27. Jesus told Simon, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this
rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not
prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of
heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and
whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
[Mt. 16:19-20]
28. In the above Bible passage, two important factors are
emphasized. First of all, it affirms that it is necessary for
Catholic to receive the Sacrament of Confession in order to have
their sins forgiven.
29. Secondly, by giving the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter
who was the first Pope of the only Church that Jesus instituted on
earth, our Lord was authorizing the administration of the Sacrament
of Confession through apostolic succession. In other words, Peter
was given the authority to hand down his power of forgiveness
through the Sacrament of Confession to all those who would succeed
him, that being past, present and future Bishops and priests of the
Catholic Church.
30. The Sacrament of Confession embellishes the flower. It takes
away every possible flaws that can be found on any of the
petals.
31. May I also point out that Jesus also said, "For if you forgive
others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive
you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses." [Mt. 6:14-15] (C.C.C. # 2608) And
finally, He said that you must not forgive others seven times of
their trespasses, but seventy-seven times. [Mt. 18:22]
32. There is no in-between when it comes to forgiveness, either you
forgive or you do not forgive. If you cannot find it in your heart
to forgive, the Sacrament of Confession cannot help you. For the
promise of Jesus to be binding in the Sacrament of Confession, the
sinners must show a sincere regret for his sins.
THE SACRAMENT OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST
33. Regarding the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, the Catechism of
the Catholic Church teaches us: "All gather together. Christians
come together in one place for the Eucharistic assembly. At its
head is Christ himself, the principal agent of the Eucharist. He is
high priest of the New Covenant; it is he himself who presides
invisibly over every Eucharistic celebration. It is in representing
him that the bishop or priest acting in the person of Christ the
head (in persona Christi capitis) presides over the assembly,
speaks after the readings, receives the offerings, and says the
Eucharistic Prayer. All have their own active parts to play in the
celebration, each in his own way: readers, those who bring up the
offerings, those who give communion, and the whole people whose
"Amen" manifests their participation. (C.C.C. # 1140, 1348,
1548)
34. The Holy Mass, at which time the Sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist is distributed, is a gathering of Jesus, Who is present
but invisible, and of the faithful. They come together to worship
the Lord God and to receive His Real Presence in the form of the
Consecrated Host.
35. To receive the Eucharist while in a state of grace and good
standing with the Holy Catholic Church is symbolic of the Lord
Jesus accepting the perfect flower that is being presented to Him.
As the Eucharist unites Jesus and the believer as one, the symbolic
flower unites Jesus and the petitioner as one.
36. Regarding those who receive the Eucharist while they are not in
a state of grace, Saint Paul teaches us, "Whoever, therefore, eats
the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will
be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine
yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and
drink judgment against themselves. For this reason many of you are
weak and ill, and some have died." [1 Cor. 11:27-30]
37. Jesus commanded us to repeat His actions and words (Last
Supper, the Holy Mass, the distribution of the Holy Eucharist)
until He comes. (C.C.C. # 1341) "From the beginning the Church has
been faithful to the Lord's command. Of the Church of Jerusalem it
is written: 'They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.... Day by
day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their
homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts. [Acts
2:42, 46]'" (C.C.C. # 1342)
38. "It was above all on "the first day of the week," Sunday, the
day of Jesus' resurrection, that the Christians met "to break
bread." [Acts 20:7] From that time on down to our own day the
celebration of the Eucharist has been continued so that today we
encounter it everywhere in the Church with the same fundamental
structure. It remains the centre of the Church's life." (C.C.C. #
1166, 1343, 2177)
39. "Thus from celebration to celebration, as they proclaim the
Paschal mystery of Jesus "until he comes," the pilgrim People of
God advances, "following the narrow way of the cross," [AG 1; cf.
1 Cor 11:26] toward the heavenly banquet, when all the elect will
be seated at the table of the kingdom. [1404]" (C.C.C. #
1344)
THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE
40. Christ instituted the Sacrament of Marriage. (C.C.C. # 1210)
"The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the
married state has been established by the Creator and endowed by
him with its own proper laws.... God himself is the author of
marriage." [GS 48 º one] (C.C.C. 1603)
41. According to the law of God, the Sacrament of Marriage cannot
be dissolved. (C.C.C. # 1615) The marriage unity between a man and
a woman was designed to be permanent while both spouses lived on
earth.
42. According to the law that is in force in the Roman Catholic
Church, for a mixed marriage to be valid, it requires the express
permission of the governing authority. [Cf. CIC, can. 1124] "In
case of disparity of cult an express dispensation from this
impediment is required for the validity of the marriage. [Cf. CIC,
can. 1086] This permission or dispensation presupposes that both
parties know and do not exclude the essential ends and properties
of marriage; and furthermore that the Catholic party confirms the
obligations, which have been made known to the non-Catholic party,
of preserving his or her own faith and ensuring the baptism and
education of the children in the Catholic Church. [Cf. CIC, can.
1125]" (C.C.C. # 1635)
43. A Sacramental Marriage that is administered according to the
requirements of the Church is as another petal on the flower
presented to God during a prayer petition. That petal is lost when
a person either lives in a common-law relationship, marries outside
the Catholic Church, marries before a Justice of the Peace, or
lives in a same sex relationship. To marry outside the Catholic
Church means to renounce the Sacramental Marriage and the Catholic
faith itself. Such a person can no longer receive the Sacrament of
Communion until such time as the situation has been
corrected.
44. He who lives in mortal sin, such as in a common-law
relationship, cannot expect God to answer his prayers. Regarding
divorce, God said in the Old Testament, "For I hate divorce... So
take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless." [Mal. 2:16]
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
THANKSGIVING
45. When Jesus heard ten lepers calling out to Him, after healing
them, He sent them to show themselves to the priests as was the
Jewish custom when a leper's medical condition had changed. Only
one, a Samaritan, returned to thank Jesus and praise God when he
saw that he had been healed. Jesus asked him, "Were not ten made
clean." [Lk. 17:11-19] Only one of ten showed appreciation to the
Lord Jesus for manifesting his love and glory.
46. The Holy Bible states, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus for you." [1 Thess. 5:16-18]
47. Unfortunately, the Sacred Words of Jesus and the inspired Words
of God often go to deaf ears. Nowadays, few give thanks at meals.
And few give thanks to God for the blessings that they have
received as a result of their prayers. Has society become so
disrespectful that many believe that God owes them whatever they
ask? Those who cannot find it in their heart to give thanks to the
Lord God, they lack a large petal on their flower.
PRAISING AND GLORIFYING GOD
48. "Say to God, 'How awesome are your deeds! Because of your
great power, your enemies cringe before you. All the earth
worships you; they sing praises to you, sing praises to your
name.'" [Ps. 66:3]
49. Jesus blessed the world with a beautiful prayer that is most
pleasing to the Heavenly Father, the "Lord's Prayer." Jesus said,
pray then in this way:
"Our Father in Heaven,
hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one." [Mt. 6:9-13]
50. The Lord's prayer is rich and complete in itself. It teaches
you how to praise the Heavenly Father. It teaches submission to the
Will of God. It shines in Divine love that is reflected by the
soul's forgiveness of others and God's mercy for such a soul. It
asks God for His protection against temptations.
51. "Very early on," in the early days of the Christian Church,
"liturgical usage concluded the Lord's Prayer with a doxology. In
the Didache, we find, 'For yours are the power and the glory for
ever.' [Didache 8, 2: SCh 248, 174.] (C.C.C. # 2760)
52. In this conclusion, the Lord's Prayer ends by glorifying the
Almighty Father. No prayer is greater than this perfect prayer
that was taught by Jesus. Those who praise the Lord God, they
enjoy an additional petal on their flower!
SEEKING THE KINGDOM
53. Other than many of the saints, very few believers have fully
understood the meaning of trusting in Divine Providence. Everyone
wants to control his own life. Jesus said to not worry about what
you will eat, drink or wear. For it is the Gentiles (nonbelievers)
who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father
knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the
Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be
given to you as well. [Mt. 6:31-33] (C.C.C. # 2608)
54. Jesus is pleased with those who seek His Kingdom first, placing
their entire trust in Him to provide their needs while they move
forward by the power of the Holy Spirit as instruments of the Lord.
Such believers trust in the Lord to provide all things, be it their
spouse, suitable employment, the opportunity to spread and defend
the Gospel, all according to the Divine Will. Such a quality is
worthy of another flower petal.
CALLING AND LISTENING TO THE LORD
55. How would you feel if someone was using you, always asking
favours from you? How would you feel if that person never called
you to really get to know you, nor ever listened to you? That
person only expected that his demands would be fulfilled!
Sometimes, this is how Jesus feels.
56. To enjoy a holy relationship with God, it is necessary to call
on Him at times, just as a child calls on a parent. God is your
Father and you, as a baptized believer, are entitled to call upon
Him to talk to Him and to listen to Him. Yes, to listen to Him.
There is a time to talk and there is a time to listen. If you do
all the talking, when will you ever hear God speaking to you in
your heart? When will you ever hear the inner voice of the Holy
Spirit who seeks to guide you in all things? Five, ten, fifteen
minutes of silence, these are necessary at times in order to hear
how the Divine Will of God applies to you.
57. When you learn to listen to the Lord, you begin to experience
what the two disciples of Jesus experienced on the road to Aims.
Quoting from the Holy Scriptures, these two disciples said, “Were
not our hearts burning within us while He was talking to us on the
road, while he was opening the Scriptures to us?” [Lk. 24:32]
Through this form of communication with the Lord Jesus is received
the gift of the Word of Knowledge [one Cor. 12:8] whereas the eyes
of the believer are opened to Church teachings that would otherwise
remain mysterious.
58. Here we understand the Words of Jesus when He said, “I thank
you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden
these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed
them to infants... All things have been handed over to me by my
Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one
knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses
to reveal Him.” [Mt.10:25-27]
ADORATION
59. In general, to adore God means to worship He Who is Divine. It
means to revere Him, to venerate Him, to show great love and
honour. It means to spend time before the Real Presence of the
Lord God in the Church, either in front of the Exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament or the Sacred Tabernacle where Jesus dwells. To
adore Jesus is to visit Him in His House, His Church, the Catholic
Church, the Holy Temple.
60. To visit Jesus in His Church is the first step towards the
greatest form of adoration. To be on one’s knees, having one’s
eyes focussed on the Real Presence of the Lord Jesus is the second
step towards the greatest form of adoration. During such
adoration, by the grace of God, the believer is soaked in the
Divine love of Jesus. Adoration can and should become so rich and
intense that it surpasses the dimension of time and space. Frozen
in time, the believer reaches the threshold (the entrance/the
doorway) of the spiritual world, Heaven, the spiritual Kingdom of
God. Frozen in time, the ultimate state of adoration becomes a
state of ecstasy, an uninterrupted existence during which the
believer is totally focussed on the supernatural, having lost all
awareness of his worldly surroundings.
61. Adoration fulfills the Sacred Words of Jesus, “The hour is
coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to
worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship
in spirit and truth.” [Jn. 4:23-4] When the believer is elevated
to the threshold of Heaven during adoration, while he is in this
world, he is no longer of this world. He is worshipping God in
spirit.
62. Adoration differs from receiving the Sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist. When the believer receives the Sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist, he enjoys a physical communion (union) with the Real
Presence of Jesus in the Consecrated Host. When a believer enjoys
the fullness of adoration, his spirit is in communion at a
spiritual level in the Real Presence of the Blessed Trinity, the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
63. In the first instance, it is symbolic of the believer
presenting a flower to Jesus on a physical level during the
Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. In the second instance, it is
symbolic of the believer presenting a perfect flower to God on a
spiritual level. Each presentation has its merits, one on the
physical level, the other on the spiritual level.
MEDITATION
64. Meditation is another valuable form of prayers. In the silence
of the home or Church environment, it consists of contemplating,
pondering, on the mysteries of God. The believer may meditate on
a multitude of subjects such as the creation, the Blessed Trinity,
why God created him/her, the establishment of the Church, the
Blessed Virgin Mary, the Divine Will, etc... Daily meditation is
food to the spiritual life of the believer. Those who meditate on
a regular basis, they have an additional petal that remains
attached to their flower.
READING THE WORD OF GOD
65. Another form of prayer consists of reading the Word of God.
When you read the Word of God (the Holy Bible), you open the door
to inspirations from the Holy Spirit, permitting Him to speak to
you in your heart. From inspirations, you gain spiritual
knowledge, understanding and wisdom that benefits both, your
spiritual and your worldly growth.
SUFFERING
66. When offered up to God, suffering becomes a form of prayer.
Suffering, although very painful at time, has the benefit of
drawing people to God if they are receptive to this grace. Some
people go their entire lives without praying until suddenly, they
are involved in an accident or experience an illness, sometimes
fatal. Then, and then only, do they turn to God.
67. While God does not wish suffering upon anyone, as living being
in the physical world, we are called to die. And with aging often
comes suffering. To many, suffering is their last opportunity to
turn to God. If they close the door to God’s grace, they risk
being eternally lost.
68. When a suffering soul offers up its pain to God, this is
similar to having another petal on their flower. Suffering can be
offered up to God and accepted in one’s life so that the grace of
God may touch other souls who otherwise would be lost. This is
like saying to God, “Here Lord, I am giving you $100.00. Please
give $10.00 to 10 different souls in order for them to look up to
you.” No one knows exactly how many souls can benefit by offering
up one’s suffering. But we do know from the lives of some of the
Saints who were in daily communion with God that one’s suffering
does benefit other souls.
69. We can curse our sufferings or we can offer them up to God to
save souls. The Holy Bible teaches us that those who lead many to
righteousness (save souls), shall shine like stars forever and
ever.” [Dan. 12:3] This is the reward that awaits those who have
failed to save souls by preaching and defending their faith, but
who, as a final hope, offered up their sufferings.
PRAYING FOR OTHERS
70. When praying, we should not be selfish. We should pray for the
others before praying for ourselves. St Paul taught, "My dearly
beloved, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
thanksgiving be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in
high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in
all godliness and dignity. This is right and is acceptable in the
sight of God our Saviour, who desires everyone to be saved and to
come to the knowledge of the truth." [1 Tim. 2:1-4]
71. We must always petition God for the growth of the Church, the
Body of Christ [2 Thess 3:1-2], for the sanctification of our
religious and political leaders, and for religious vocations.
(C.C.C. # 2613) [Lk. 18:1-8, 1 Tim. 2:1-4] We must intercede for
those who are too sick to pray, for those who are discouraged, the
poor, the widows, the orphans, the prisoners, the abandoned,
etc...
72. Jesus told us to love our enemies, to pray for those who
persecute us. (C.C.C. # 2608) [Mt 5:44-45] He also maintained that
before we pray, we must reconcile with our brothers. (C.C.C. #
2608) [Mt. 5:23-24, 6:14-15] If we cannot see Christ in our
brothers and sisters who are Temples of the Holy Spirit through
their baptism, how can we pray to God? By rejecting someone in who
God dwells, we reject God Himself. Surely, in such a case, our
prayers will not be answered.
73. One’s inability to forgive another person is the greatest
obstacle to his sanctification. Such a behaviour echoes a hardened
heart.
BELIEVING IN JESUS
74. The Holy Bible, the Catholic Church and its Catechism all teach
us that we must pray to Jesus alone. Why? Because there is one
Mediator between God and humankind, Christ Jesus, himself human,
who gave himself a ransom for all. (C.C.C. # 2614) [Jn. 14:13-4,
1 Tim. 2:5] Why? Because Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.
[Jn. 14:6]
75. Jesus taught His followers, “If you remain in me and my words
remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you
shall have it.” [Jn. 15:7] “When you pray and ask for something,
believe that you have received it, and you will be given whatever
you ask for.” [Mk. 11:24] That messages was intended for all those
who would accept Jesus as their Saviour.
76. When Jesus said, “If you remain in me and my words remain in
you,” He was saying, if you can present to me the perfect blooming
flower, “then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall
have it.”
FAITH
77. “To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be
certain of the things we cannot see.” [Heb. 11:1] If we do not
believe we will get what we ask for, how can we expect to receive
it? How often do the faithful pray, adding, “If it be the Will of
God.” This is their way of rationalizing that they will not get
the favour they ask because they have no faith.
78. When Jesus went to His hometown at Nazareth, He was rejected.
Accordingly, “Because they did not have faith, Jesus did not
perform many miracles there.” [Mt. 13:58; Mk. 6:1-6; Lk. 4:16-30]
If you do not believe that you will be blessed with what you ask,
you will not receive it!
79. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not
doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but
even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the
sea,’ it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith,
you will receive.’” [Mt.22:21-2]
80. St. James says in the Holy Bible, “But ask in faith, never
doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven
and tossed by the wind.”[Jas. 1:6] And if the need be, pray for
faith; for faith in Jesus is worth another petal on your flower.
PRIVATE PRAYERS
81.. One thing Jesus could not stand was the hypocrites, those who
prayed in public so everyone would see how holy they were. There
was no holiness whatsoever in them. And when they prayed, they
considered themselves holier than the ones beside them. Because of
their lack of humility, their prayers were rejected.
82. On this subject, Jesus said, And whenever you pray, do not be
like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the
synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by
others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But
whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to
your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret
will reward you.” [Mt. 6:5-6]
83. Private prayers may include any of the forms of prayers
mentioned in this writing, or devotions such as the Rosary,
Litanies, Novenas, reading the Holy Bible, interceding for others,
etc... It is not the number of prayers that counts, but what comes
from the heart.
PUBLIC PRAYERS
84. While private prayers have their place in the prayer life,
there is also a necessity for public prayers. Attending the Holy
Mass is a perfect example of public prayers. When you worship
together, you are participating in public prayers. Jesus said,
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among
them.” [Mt. 18:20]
85. When you pray in unity with the mystical Body of Christ, you
have the privilege of asking the assistance of the Blessed Virgin
Mary, including all the heavenly saints and angels. You are never
alone! When you continuously pray in public, you enjoy a permanent
petal on your flower.
SINGING
86. Singing is a form of prayer that has been practised since the
early days of the Catholic Church. In the Holy Bible, we read,
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to
God, and the prisoners were listening to them." [Acts 16:25]
Elsewhere, we read, "... and with gratitude in your hearts sing
psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God." [Col. 3:16]
87. When the angel announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she
would give birth to the Messiah, she sang the Magnificat to God.
[Lk. 1:46-55]
PLAYING MUSIC
88. Singing, accompanied by music is a form of prayer that dates
back to the days of the Old Testament. In it we read, "Your solemn
processions are seen, O God, the processions of my God, my King,
into the sanctuary - the singers in front, the musicians last,
between them girls playing tambourines." [Ps. 68:24-5] Singing and
playing music is equal to two additional petals on one’s flower
that is being presented to God.
ACTS OF LOVE
89. "Faith without works is dead." [Jas. 2:26] Works, the public
displaying of Christian love towards others is a form of prayer.
When you help the widows, care for the sick, visit the prisoners,
assist the elderly, these are all acts of love towards others.
Such acts embellish your flower.
90. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control, these are fruits of the Holy Spirit.
[Gal 5:22-3] "Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious
or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own
way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in
wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love
never ends." [1 Cor. 13:4-8]
91. When comparing faith, hope and love to each other, of these
three, the greatest is love. [1 Cor. 13:13]
PRAYING WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT
92. Did you know that the Holy Spirit has been given to us so that
He may pray through us, especially when we are left speechless in
times of need? "The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not
know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with
sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows
what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for
the saints according to the will of God." [Rom. 8:26-7]
93. When all seems hopeless, total despair, it is sufficient to
say, "Holy Spirit, You know what is within my heart. Please,
intercede on my behalf before the Lord. Thank you Holy Spirit."
The praying soul should then remain still and quiet for awhile,
showing gratitude to the Holy Spirit Who is interceding on his
behalf. Allowing the Holy Spirit to pray through you entitles you
to another petal on the flower.
WITNESSING
94. Witnessing as to how God answers prayers and changes lives
glorifies the Lord, giving thanks for the past blessings that were
received. As such, it is a form of prayer. At the same time, it
plants seeds or lights sparks. Consequently, some souls are
converted to the faith; others, their faith is re-ignited.
95. Those who witness, they inherit another petal to their flower
because they clearly show that they are not ashamed of Jesus. As
for the others, Jesus said, "Those who are ashamed of me and of my
words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his
glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." [Lk.
9:26; Mk. 8:38]
CONDITIONAL PRAYERS
96. Have you ever heard someone say, "If God blesses me with this
need, I promise to never sin again." While this is a conditional
prayer, it is an unrealistic one because we are all sinners and no
one has the capability to stop sinning. Therefore, a prayer as
this one is fruitless. It will never be answered.
97. History has proven that conditional prayers have been answered
when they were properly directed to God. What kind of prayers are
these? Take the case of a person who is dying of cancer, given two
months to live. The person promises to God that if she obtains a
special favour, if she is healed or given an extension to life, she
will write a book about the love of God in order to glorify Him and
make Him known to others. God hears her prayer and she is
healed.
98. One has to realize that this conditional promise will demand
much time to research and write the book, over and above having to
invest money for its publishing. This is the nature of the
sacrifice that the person is prepared to make in order to obtain
the special favour.
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PRAYING
6 QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN PRAYING
99. When praying, to ensure that your prayer is not selfish, ask
yourself the following six questions. If they are all properly
answered, your heart being in the right place, you gain another
petal on your flower.
99.1. If answered, will this prayer glorify God?
99.2. If answered, will this prayer lead to your
sanctification?
99.3. Will others be hurt by this answered prayer?
99.4. Will you be mastered by this answered prayer? Will the
answered prayer master the soul such as when winning a million
dollar and becoming under the control of money?
99.5. Do you really need this answered prayer?
99.6. Can you do without this answered prayer?
5 REASONS WHY WE SHOULD PRAY
100. There are five important reasons as to why we should
pray:
100.1. God is the Creator and giver of all things.
100.2. God is worthy of prayer.
100.3. Prayer is the means by which the soul communicates with
God.
100.4. Jesus taught the necessity to pray.
100.5. God answers prayers.
WHEN SHOULD WE PRAY?
101. The Holy Bible teaches us that we should pray without ceasing,
always giving thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
for us. [1 Thes. 5:17-8]
WHERE SHOULD WE PRAY?
102. The Holy Bible teaches that you should pray everywhere,
lifting up your hands in holiness, without doubting or insincere
thoughts. [1 Tim. 2:8]
103. Does praying require that we attend a church? Not
necessarily. God is everywhere and there are sanctifying benefits
to worshipping in different locations. When we pray in the Church,
we pray in the physical presence of Jesus who is in the Holy
Tabernacle. During the celebration of the Mass, we have the
opportunity to receive the physical presence of Jesus in the
Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. When we pray outside the Church,
we are in the spiritual presence of Jesus who dwells within
us.
HOW SHOULD WE PRAY?
104. Sincere prayer is offered with a humble heart in complete
obedience to God. "If my people who are called by my name humble
themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal
their land." [2 Chr. 7:14]
105. What posture should you take when you pray? Praying on one's
knees is an established Christian practice. "Then Jesus withdrew
from them about stone's thrown, knelt down, and prayed." [Lk.
22:41] In the Old Testament, Nehemiah prayed before the King while
standing up. [Neh. 2:4]
106. The posture that should be taken at the moment of prayer will
vary depending on how your heart feels, how it has been called by
God to pray. If you are laying in bed while preparing to retire
for the night and feels a need to talk to God, you can do so while
laying down. The importance of the posture is secondary in
comparison to the importance of maintaining a daily communication
with God, be it while taking a walk, sitting down, relaxing or
reflecting upon God during work. As your relationship grows in
God, the Holy Spirit will teach you, telling you what posture you
should take in reverence for God's almightiness.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE PRAY?
107. "You should pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer
and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in
supplication for all the saints." [Eph. 6:18]
108. When one has God in his heart, he uses every opportunity to
pray to God in order to maintain ongoing spiritual strength. "Seek
the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually." [1 Chr.
16:11]
109. The proper number of times per day to converse with Jesus
cannot be measured. This would be like asking, "How many times
should I speak to my spouse during the day?" There will be moments
when God will inspire you to pray (God speaking to you) and moments
when God's burning love within your own heart will move you to pray
on your own. Praying then becomes an ongoing sharing of love. The
frequency of praying can then be compared to the amount of time
spouses speak to each other during the day.
110. Considering the fact that not all souls have achieved this
level of sanctification, the Bible provides guidelines as to how
often a soul should pray. Daniel prayed three times a day. Dan.
6:10] One Bible passage mentions praying in the morning. "O Lord,
in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to
you, and watch." [Ps. 5:3]
111. Another Bible passages mentions praying three times a day.
"Evening and morning and at noon, I utter my complaint and moan,
and he will hear my voice." [Ps. 55:17]
112. When prayer is only done twice a day, it is recommended that
it be done in the morning and in the evening. The morning prayer
is an opportunity to thank God for the new day and to ask for the
needs of the day. The evening prayer is an opportunity to thank
God for the needs that were received during the day, taking a few
moments to reflect upon the day and finally asking God for
protection during the night.
THE FULLNESS OF THE PRAYER LIFE
113. First, by the grace of God, you receive the Word "of" God.
God speaks to you in your heart.
114. Secondly, you walk "with" God. You converse daily with God in
the same way that you would maintain a conversation with another
person.
115. Thirdly, you walk "for" God. This involves sharing with
others the joy that you have found in Jesus for the glory of God.
116. These three actions represent the fullness of the prayer life.
You receive God's love through the Word. You grow in love through
your conversation with God. And you flourish by sharing the Word
of God with others.
CONCLUSION
117. By following the above guideline, you should be able to grow
in your spiritual life. Accordingly, you will begin to see the
hand of God at work in your life. You will see some prayers
answered according to your spiritual needs as God determines what
is best for you. May the Holy Spirit guide you from here on in
your spiritual growth in the Most Holy Name of Jesus for the glory
of the Heavenly Father.
118. And may your future presentations of a flower to God be
perfected through the newly gained knowledge that you have obtained
on how you should pray.
This completes the beautiful course "How To Pray." I pray
that this spiritual tool has greatly enriched your spiritual life so
you may continue to grow in Jesus.
The Catholic Doors Ministry encourages you to continue in your
personal studies so that you may continue to grow in the knowledge
and understanding of the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church.
To COMPLETE the Exam for this course, please click HERE (EXAM)