Welcome!

Christian Prayer

Session 1: Prayer in the Christian Life

Our Journey Through the Catechism…

IV. Christian Prayer

How can I renew a spirit of prayer in my daily life, in my home, and in my community?

Session Schedule

• Opening Prayer• Paired Activity• Talk #1: God’s Universal call to Prayer• Standing Activity • Talk #2: Source and Nature of Prayer• Small Group Activity• Closing Prayer

Opening Prayer: “Hail Mary”

“Hail Mary, full of grace.”

“The Lord is with thee.”

“Blessed art thou among women.”

“Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”

“Holy Mary, Mother of God.”

“Pray for us sinners.”

“Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”

Mary’s Song

Paired Activity: Pair, Share, Compare

• What are some of your favorite ways to pray?

• What are some challenges you face in your prayer life?

• In what ways are you striving to deepen your prayer life?

Personalizing the Hail Mary (10x)

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed are thou among women,and blessed in the fruit of

thy womb, Jesus.Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for ______________,Now and at the hour of death. Amen.

Talk # 1: God’s Universal Call to Prayer

• “Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” (CCC, n. 2559, citing St. John Damascene)

• “In prayer the faithful God‘s initiative of love always comes first; our own first step is always a response. As God gradually reveals himself and reveals man to himself, prayer appears as a reciprocal call, a covenant drama. Through words and actions, this drama engages the heart. It unfolds throughout the whole history of salvation." (CCC, n. 2567)

Prayer and Scripture

• “The Church has always venerated the Scriptures as she venerates the Lord’s Body.” (CCC, n. 103)

• In the Old Testament, prayer is a trusting response to God’s call:

-Abraham, Moses, David-The example of Hannah-Psalms

• In the New Testament, Jesus reveals his “filial” prayer (the prayer of a son) by referring to his Father as “Abba”

New Testament: Examples of Prayer- Christ himself prays:

“I must be in my Father’s house” (Lk 2:49)

- Jesus’ parables on prayer teach the importance of knocking, persisting, and having humility

- Pentecost: The Church was born in prayer, lived in prayer, and thrived in prayer

Basic Forms of Prayer: Taught by the Holy Spirit for the Church

- Adoration: acknowledges we are creatures in the presence of our Creator

- Petition: recognizes our dependence on God for all of our needs

- Intercession: addresses the needs of others

- Thanksgiving: expresses gratitude to God for all the gifts we have received

- Praise : recognizes that God is God

USCCB: Prayer: faith life/adoration

Prayer Gestures

Standing: expressing reverence, as well as vigilance and readiness; the original gesture of praise for God involved standing with one’s hands outstretched.

Orans position: “praying” with hands extended and raised, as a sign of pleading or supplication.

Sitting: listening interiorly to what is happening; pondering the Word in one’s heart, and meditating on it.

Prayer Gestures

Kneeling: making oneself small in the presence of God’s greatness; recognizing one’s dependence on God’s grace.

Prostrating: adoring God.

Folding the hands: overcoming distraction, “recollecting oneself” and uniting oneself; this is the original gesture of petition.

Standing Activity: Composing a Prayer

GuidelinesInvocation: Call upon God

Adoration: Acknowledge the greatness of God Petition: Ask God for something

Intercession: Pray for others

Thanksgiving: Thank God for his gifts andfor his many blessings

Praise: Praise God for his greatness and holiness Closing: Conclude the prayer in the name of

Jesus Christ, and end with “Amen”

If time allows, include appropriate prayer gestures: folding hands, raising arms, sitting, standing, etc.

GloriaGlory to God in the highest,and on earth peace to people

of good will.

We praise you,we bless you,we adore you,we glorify you,we give you thanks

for your great glory,Lord God, heavenly King,O God, almighty Father.

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,Lord God, Lamb of God,

Son of the Father,

Gloriayou take away the sins of the world,

have mercy on us;you take away the sins of the world,

receive our prayer;you are seated at the right hand

of the Father,have mercy on us.

For you alone are the Holy One,you alone are the Lord,you alone are the Most High,Jesus Christ,with the Holy Spirit,in the glory of God the Father,Amen.

Talk #2: The Source and Nature of Prayer

- “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thes 5:17)

- What’s your daily prayer plan?

- Christian Prayer is Trinitarian: To the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit

- Prayer is fundamentally Marian: A wholehearted response to God’s initiative (“Thy will be done”)

The Daily OfferingO Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, reparation for sin, and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month. Amen.

Guides for Prayer- Scripture is God’s Word in

human words: meditate on the Sunday Gospel or daily readings

- Saints have left a heritage of prayer by the example of their lives and the transmission of their writings.

- Parents are the first teachers of prayer.

- The faith community should provide lifelong training in the art of prayer.

Modes or Forms of PrayerMaking the sign of the cross over our minds, lips, and hearts—symbolizes the three types of prayer:

-Vocal Prayer: raising one’s voice to express personal prayers

-Meditative Prayer: Pondering the will of God and his plan for our lives

-Contemplative Prayer: Listening silently and resting in God’s love (“heart to heart”)

The “Work” of Prayer & “Spiritual Warfare”

• 'The Battle of Prayer' (CCC, nos. 2725-45)

• Acedia (sloth or laziness)

• Distractions and dryness

• Beyond individualism and an “independent spirit”

•“Prayer is the soul of discipleship and can strengthen us for a life of mission…”

St. Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle

Prayer Activity: From Meditation into Contemplation

“1 Minute Meditation” or “Breathing Prayer”:

• While slowly breathing in, say in your mind: “Jesus”…

• While exhaling, say in your mind one of the following prayers:

"I trust in you"; “Remember me"; “Have mercy on me"; or “Fill me with your presence”

From Meditation to Contemplation: • Embracing 4-5 minutes of silence

How can I renew a spirit of prayer in my daily life, in my home, and in my community?

What is a new way I might try to pray?

How might I face one of the challenges in my prayer life?

In what ways can I deepen my prayer life?

Follow-up Reflection and Resources

2) Recommended follow-up: US/CCA, Chapters 35: “God Calls us to Pray”

Catholicism, Episode IX:“The Fire of His Love: Prayer and

the Life of the Spirit”

1) Session Evaluation & Feedback

3) For Catechists & Catholic School Teachers:“Record of Formation,” including:

required reflection & documentation

Closing Prayer: The AngelusL: The Angel of the Lord declared

unto Mary. R: And she conceived of the Holy

Spirit. All: Hail Mary…

L: Behold the handmaid of the Lord. R: Be it done unto me according to

thy word.All: Hail Mary…

L: And the Word was made Flesh. R: And dwelt among us. All: Hail Mary…

The AngelusL: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. R: That we may be made worthy of

the promises of Christ.

L: Let us pray.

All: Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that we--to whom the Incarnation of Christ, your Son, was made known by the message of an Angel--may be brought by his Passion and Cross to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.