Prayer Study Guide

Louis Evely's quote

"Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you. The one who seeks, finds. The one who knocks, enters"

St. Therese's Quote

"For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition + of love, embracing both trial and joy"

St. Ignatius of Loyola Quote

"Pray as if everything depends on you + work as if everything depends on God"

St. Theresa of Avila's quote

"Prayer is a conversation with a friend"

St. John Damascene's Quote

"Prayer is a raising of one's mind + heart to God or requesting of good things from God"

Fr. Larry Richard's quote

"You don't forget to eat, you wouldn't forget to pray"

What do we learn about prayer from Jesus?

- Find a place to pray alone - Pray in community - Pray before any big decision - We need prayer to live

Behavior in prayer

Be yourself

Best book for prayer

Bible

4 Conditions for Intercession

Commission, Intercession, Prayer, Rosary

3 Elements of an appointment w/ God

Early in the morning, in solitude, with God

2 Most powerful forms of Intercession

Eucharist and Rosary

Repentance Scripture System

James 4 System

Model of Prayer

Jesus

5 Things to Bring to Prayer *ESSAY*

Morning, in solitude, with God, with a prayer journal, and Bible.

2 Obstacles to Prayer

Not believing that God is listening to you, not thinking that He will answer your prayers

2 Ways to know God is speaking to you

Phrases pop out, consistency

Best place for prayer

Solitude

How is a prayer a response to God?

We are responding to what he did for us

Redemptive Suffering

paschal mystery • for every suffering, there is a resurrection • for every sickness, there is a cure

3/5 of Prayer Fingers *ESSAY*

• *Thanksgiving* : Give thanks to the Lord for the things in your life that bring you joy • *Praise* : adore and let God give you his love and the gift of grace • *Confession* : confess sins/mistakes to God and ask for his forgiveness

Vocal Prayer

• Saying words out loud or in head. • Traditional Prayers: Our father, Hail Mary • Pray from the Heart

How are we made for prayer?

• baptism makes us adopted child of God • we are held in existence by God's love • happiness is found in God, not in material things • call to pray: 1) a call to love, 2) to follow its will, 3) experience his love • through prayer, the Holy Spirit increases life of Christ within us to deal w/ whatever comes our way

Meditation

• engages thought, imagination and emotion • we can meditate on scripture, tradition, lives of saints, images, rosary • two types of meditation - ignatian prayer - think of image and imagine yourself in it with Jesus - lectio divina - pick a line of scripture and focus on words

Humility

• foundation of prayer • we recognize that we are His children + are dependent on Him for all of our needs

Rosary

• given to church by St. Dominic who had a vision of Mary • asked for rosary to be prayed • rosary beads: 5 sets of 10 beads w/ an "Our Father" bead in the middle

How we know God hears + answers our prayers

• he answers every prayer, but sometimes answers in ways we don't want/expect, or gives us something • NO: when God answers a prayer not in the way we want/expect, He gives us grace to accept his will. We just need to receive his grace + answer • God's will is always for the good of the soul • given God's infinite love, He always has the best in mind for us

Contemplation

• highest form of prayer • closest we can get to God • meditation leads to contemplation • fixed on Christ alone • gift + grace from God

Our Father

• most perfect prayer b/c Jesus taught it • guides us on how to pray • church uses "Our Father" as guide to teach us how to pray

Prayer + Covenant

• prayer is a place where covenant relationship happens • prayer happens in heart. heart is where God dwells + where we meet him

How God speaks to us

• scripture • our thoughts • through others • lyrics • silence; a small, gentle voice

Highest form of prayer

• we are praying in union w/ Christ himself in paschal mystery • @ beginning of mass, we can pray for an intention by saying "I lift up this mass for....." then, mass' intention will be dedicated to your intention