Prayer

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Prayer:

Prayer is defined as raising one's mind and heart to God, or the requesting of good things from God.  In prayer we can speak to God and also listen for what he may tell us.  Different forms of prayer include praise, thanksgiving, and petition.  We praise the almighty God or give him thanks for all  we have received.  We petition God for the needs of ourselves, or others, or for the forgiveness of sin.

 

The Psalms constitute the masterwork of prayer in the Old Testament.  They are suitable for men of every condition and time.  Jesus gives us  The Lord's Prayer as the perfect model of prayer in the New Testament.   Often done in solitude and in secret the prayer of Jesus involves a loving adherence to the will of  the Father and an absolute confidence in being heard.  Further, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray with a purified heart, and with lively and persevering faith.

 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "The name of Jesus is at the heart of Christian prayer.  All liturgical prayers conclude with the words 'through our Lord Jesus Christ'.  The Hail Mary reaches its high point in the words 'blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus'.  The Eastern Church prayer of the heart, the Jesus Prayer, says, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'  Many Christians, such as St. Joan of Arc, have died with the one word  'Jesus' on their lips."

 

In Matthew 7: 7-11 Jesus says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock,  and it shall be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened.  Or what man is there among you, who, if his son asks him for a loaf, will hand him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will hand him a serpent?  Therefore, if you, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"    In 1 Thessalonians 5: 17-18 St. Paul says, " Pray without ceasing.  In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus regarding you all.

 

Over three centuries ago there was a lay brother who was a cook at the Discalced Carmelite monastery in Paris.  He was given the name Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection.   Brother Lawrence wrote very little and little of that survived.  Abbe de Beaufort put together some of his letters and wrote down what he could remember from his conversations  with Brother Lawrence.  Brother Lawrence's thoughts have influence generations of people, and he continues  even today to point the way toward the practice of the presence of God.  Brother Lawrence said that we should settle ourselves firmly in God's presence by constantly talking to Him, and that we should be ashamed when we let our thoughts of trivial and silly things break into the conversation.  That we should feed our souls by thinking of God, and that this devotion to God would give us great joy.   I encourage you to  read The Practice of the Presence of God.

 

So, keep praying.  God is listening.  God love you!