BASIC AND PERSONAL PRAYER

(Biblical Passage) Read the Gospel of St. John 17: 20-26 (The Prayer of Jesus)

What does the Church teach?

Catechism of the Catholic Church, in the session on Christian prayer, presents to us importance
of understanding the human heart and its relationship to prayer in the words of Therese of
Lisieux. For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a
cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy (CCC 2558).
As Christians, we believe that prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God the
requesting of Good things from God. 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? He who humbles himself
will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer, only when we humbly acknowledge that
we do not know how to pray as we ought, are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. Man
is a beggar before God (CCC 2559).
Whether prayer is expressed in words or gestures, it is the whole man who prays. But in
naming the source of prayer, Scripture speaks sometimes of the soul or the spirit, but most
often of the heart. According to Scripture, it is the heart that prays. If our heart is far from God,
the words of the prayer are in prayer (CCC 2562).
As Christian, we strive to have that is full of love and God’s message. The heart is the
dwelling-place of God. The heart is our hidden center, beyond the grasp of our reason and of
the others; only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully. The heart is
the place of decision. It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of
encounter, because as image of God in relation. Iti is the place of covenant (CCC 2563).
For us Christian, prayer is a very essential in our lives. It helps us to look at now and to the
future. Like in the Gospel of John, Jesus is praying not only for the people around Him, but
also for His future followers including us. Christian prayer is a covenant relationship between
God and man in Christ, it is the action of God and of Man, springing forth from both the Holy
Spirit and ourselves, wholly directed to the Father, in union with the human will of the Son of
God made man (CCC 2564).
In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of the children of God with their Father
who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and the with the Holy Spirit. the grace
of the Kingdom is “the union of the entire holy and royal Trinity with the whole human spirit.”
Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in
communion with him. This communion of life is always possible because, through Baptism, we
have been united with Christ and extends throughout the Church, which is His body. Its
dimensions are those of Christ’s love (CCC 2565).
1557. What is personal Christian prayer?
Christian prayer is our personal faith response to God, that is: • a loving
relationship with God, our all-loving Father, • through Jesus Christ, the Son, • in the Holy
Spirit. Prayer is “intimate converse with God who loves us.”

1558. What are the basic types of prayer?

All prayer is grounded on the interrelation of two realities: who God is and who we
are. Based on this relationship, PRAYER is usually divided into five different types:
adoration, thanksgiving, petition, contrition and offering.

1559. How do we learn “how to pray”?

To pray well is really a grace of the Holy Spirit who teaches us how to pray: • from
his interior inspiration, • through his inspired Scripture, especially the Gospel teaching
and the example of Christ, • from the teaching of the Church, and • the witness and
teaching of the saints.

1560. What did Jesus teach about prayer?

Jesus taught his disciples how to pray by his own example of communion with his
Father. In his teaching he stressed: • interior sincerity of the heart, • love in action, even
of one’s enemies, and • the importance of the Holy Spirit as Guide and Inspirer

Types of prayer

1. Adoration – . Adoration is generally considered the most noble form of prayer, a kind of
prostration of the whole being before God. ... Adoration takes on its fullest meaning in
the presence of the transcendental God who reveals himself to human beings in the
religions of revelation (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam).
This prayer acknowledges God for what He is. It does so by showing the love, respect and
admiration we have for him.  Go to any church on a Sunday morning and you’ll be sure to
witness the praising and worshiping at the beginning of most services.

This is the part of the prayer, invoking the presence of the God in our prayer.
Ex. Almighty and Ever-living God, creator of everything exists in this world.
2. Thanksgiving - This is when we express gratitude for having food, shelter, family, friends,
employment, and health is valued by all philosophies. This type of prayer can be seen
exercising in the morning when one wakes, during meals when one eats, or at night when
one sleeps.

This is the part of the prayer, that we acknowledge and give gratitude to God for the
blessing that we received.
Ex. We give you thanks God our Father, for all the blessings that you showered upon us,
especially the give gift of life, friends, family, environment, peace and love.
3. Petition - This prayer is exercised when we are not concerned with our own needs but
rather the needs of others.  Intercession causes us to internalize God’s word and exercise his
power to change that for which we ask for.

This part of prayer, after we recognized and acknowledge God in our life, this is the time
that we can ask something from God. Mao ni ang paborito sa tanan. Kay pagmag-ampo na
sige lang tag pangayo .. (supplication)

Ex. Lord keeps us safe every day in our life, especially this time of pandemic,
Lord gives us strength to continue to face our problems.
Lord please give us solution in our financial problems.

4. Contrition - we acknowledge our sins, ask God for forgiveness, and express our desire
to repent. Our sins are an offense against God, Who is perfect goodness and love. ... And
we acknowledge that we cannot avoid sin on our own—we need God's grace to live as He
wishes us to live

This part of prayer is the time we ask forgiveness of all our sins.
Ex. Lord, I humble down myself asking forgiveness for all sins. To those persons that I have
hurt healed them, and heal me in my spiritual wounds. And forgive those commit sins to their
brothers and sisters and to you.

5. Offering – this part, it is the time we offer everything our prayers to God. We usually end
our prayer with this words: we grants this/ we offer this/ we asked this – prayer through
our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God forever and ever.Amen.