In the book The Orthodox Way, Bishop Kallistose Ware states “The Greek Fathers liken man’s encounter with God to the experience of someone walking over the mountains in the mist: he takes a step forward and suddenly finds that he is on the edge of a precipice, with no solid ground beneath his foot but only a bottomless abyss.”
The Benedictine monks of Saint Meinrad Monastery succinctly state on the back cover of their book The Tradition of Catholic Prayer “Catholics have a rich and ancient prayer tradition that informs contemporary practice….” It’s no wonder that people seek out the prayer options available within the Catholic tradition. Catholic prayer is a vibrant and varied tradition, bringing to fullness a life-giving relationship between us and God. Jesus came “that we might have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). “…prayer is not merely an exchange of words, but it engages the whole person in a relationship with God the Father, through the Son, and in the Holy Spirit” (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB).
So, how do we pray? That’s not a new question. The apostles asked, “Lord, teach us to pray.” Christ’s response was to give us The Lord’s Prayer.
There’s a faith song with a line “There’s a hunger in our hearts….” Yes, we do live with a hunger. A longing for a relationship with the divine. That happens in prayer – as well as when we serve other people.
Rather than prayer being an activity, prayer is a relationship.
There’s an explanation about prayer being a relationship that may be attributed to Fr. Mike Schmidt (i.e., “Bible in a year” podcast). The explanation goes something like this: Prayer is a two-way communication, like a phone call. You wouldn’t call someone, tell them something, then hang up without giving the other person an opportunity to respond. Prayer should be the same way. When we pray, it should be a two-way communication in which we communicate to God and allow God to be tangibly present to us in response.
So, how can we pray? Really, this question asks “how can we have a relationship with God?” Ultimately, there are as many ways to pray are there are people.
Want to know more about how to pray? Attend our periodic prayer faith-sharing group (Zoom). Our next sessions will be announced here…..
Read what we have to say about the healing power of prayer.
Our favorite Catholic pray-ers:
- Teresa of Avila, (16th-century Spanish mystic, Doctor of the Church, Carmelite nun, reformer of the Carmelite religious order, saint)
- John of the Cross (16th-century Spanish mystic, Doctor of the Church, Carmelite monk and priest, co-reformer of the Carmelite religious order, saint)
- Edith Stein, Carmelite nun, saint
- Fr Thomas Keating, founder of Contemplative Outreach
Books we recommend:
Clinging: The Experience of Prayer (Emilie Griffin)
The Tradition of Catholic Prayer (The Monks of Meinrad Monastery)
You are a beloved child of God!
