Lesson 5

Developing An Authentic Prayer Life

Conceptual Authentic prayer follows the example of Jesus. Jesus’ prayer is grounded on Sacred
Understanding Scripture, is always accompanied by acts of charity and service, moved by the Holy
Spirit, Jesus’ prayer sustained Him in His journey to fulfill the mission the Father
entrusted to Him. In the same way, we are called by God to make prayer an important
part of our daily life as we journey towards God’s Kingdom. ( Remembering our Faith, p.
53, CL book)

Goals ● Recognize the importance of developing an authentic prayer life

● Respond to the call to develop an authentic prayer life and to love and serve others, as
a means to exercise one’s true freedom
● Invoke the help of the Holy Spirit in developing an authentic prayer life and how to
live in true freedom

Targeted Skills Communication Skills, Reflection Skills, Sense of Faith

Assessment Reflection Journal,

References

Lesson Proper
Opening Prayer Prayer to God the Holy Spirit
O Holy Spirit, soul of my soul,
I adore You, I love You,
I praise You, I thank You.
Enlighten, guide,
strengthen, console me.
Tell me what I ought to do
and command me to do it.
I promise to be submissive
to everything that You permit
to happen to me.

Only show me Your Holy Will

and fill me with your love
and Your grace to refuse You nothing,
no matter how hard it may be.
I abandon myself completely to You.
Strengthen my will
to carry out all my resolutions
and give me the grace of perseverance.
Give me true humility of heart.

Increase and strengthen my faith

in the real presence of Jesus
in the Holy Eucharist.
Make me an ardent adorer and lover
 of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
Strengthen my love, confidence
and devotion to our Blessed Mother.
Teach me how to pray.
Grant me the grace to pray
with an unlimited confidence
of being heard according to God’s Holy Will.

Holy Spirit, I offer You the loving Heart of Jesus

to make reparation for all
my offenses and negligences.
I consecrate myself unreservedly to You.
I place all my trust in You.
Help me to make You better known and loved
throughout the world.
Increase and strengthen my zeal for souls.
Amen.

Tuning In This is Our Life

WATCH:
Pope Francis named Person of the Year by Time Magazine

READ:
The People’s Pope: CL Book, page 46 (No book? Read it here.)
21 Reasons Pope Francis is Everyone’s Person of the Year
The People’s Pope
Pope Francis Named TIME’s 2013 Person of the Year

Think it Over:
1. How does Pope Francis show that he is a model of simplicity?

2. How does Pope Francis show that he loves everyone regardless of status or looks?

3. How does Pope Francis show that he respects other religions?

4. How does Pope Francis show that he lives his message of mercy and compassion?

5. Do you believe that Pope Francis is an authentic leader? Explain your answer.

Finding Out This is What Our Faith Teaches

WATCH:
Epic: The Temptation of Jesus [The Foundry Kids]
St. Paul Miki and Companions [St. Joseph Catholic Church Edinburg]
Who was St. Paul Miki? [Rome Reports]

READ (Online):
Matthew 4:1-11 [USCCB]
Luke 4:1, Luke 23:34, 46 [USCCB]
The Temptation of Christ [Catholic Answers]
Authentic Prayer / CFC 1480 [Cher Mercado, pp. 312-313]
How to Pray / CFC 1495 [Cher Mercado, p. 316]
The Holy Spirit moves us to pray / CFC 1482, 1670 [Cher Mercado, pp. 313, 353]

St. Paul Miki and Companions [Catholic News Agency]

 St. Paul Miki and Companions [Franciscan Media]

READ (Offline):
Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1; 23:34, 46 [Catholic Bible]
CFC 1480, 1495, 1482, 1670 [Catechism for Filipino Catholics]
Understanding our Faith [CL Book, pages 51-52] (No book? Read it here.)
St. Paul Miki [CL Book, page 53]

Sorting Out Let Us Reflect

1. Complete the following table:
Devil’s Temptation Jesus’ Response Scriptural Source of Jesus’
Response

2. What was the effect of Jesus’ responses to the devil?

3. What lessons can we get from the story of Jesus?

4. What teachings about prayer do we get from CFC?

I Live Jesus’ Message

1. How will you show that your prayer is grounded on Jesus?

2. How will you show that your prayer comes from the heart?

3. How will you show that your prayer is an expression of your submission to the will of
the Father?

4. How will you show that your prayer is related to your acts of service to your neighbor?

Going Further Imagine that the tempter from Matthew 4:1-11 comes to visit you and presents to you your own
set of temptations, relevant to our present life. How will you respond to them? Use Jesus’
answers and CFC as guides to your response to the tempter. Share your answers using the
following table:
 “If you really are a child of
God, then you can say and do
whatever you want, anytime
and anywhere, even if you
end up hurting others. Your
father in heaven will forgive
you anyway.”

“If you really are a child of

God and you believe that his
angels will protect you from
all harm, even from a deadly
virus, travel outside and go
to all the places you’ve been
wanting to go.”

“I will make your wishes and

ambitions come true if you
bow down to me and worship
me.”

Reflection In your journal, write the following under the title “Developing An Authentic Prayer Life”.
Complete the following sentences in connection with the lesson we have just finished:

● I LEARNED THAT…
● FROM NOW ON I WILL…
● I WOULD TEACH OTHERS TO...

Take a picture of your answers and paste it below:

Closing Prayer Prayerfully listen and reflect on the song:

(Click on link to watch lyric video)
HOLY DARKNESS
(Inspired by St. John of the Cross)
by John Talbot

Holy darkness, blessed night

Heaven's answer hidden from our sight
As we await you, O God of silence
We embrace your holy night

Holy darkness, blessed night

Heaven's answer hidden from our sight
As we await you, O God of silence
We embrace your holy night

I have tried you in the fires of affliction

I have taught your soul to grieve
In the barren soil of your loneliness
There I will plant my seed

Holy darkness, blessed night

Heaven's answer hidden from our sight
As we await you, O God of silence
We embrace your holy night

In the deepest hour of your darkness

I will give you wealth untold
When the silence stills your spirit
Will my riches fill your soul

Holy darkness, blessed night

Heaven's answer hidden from our sight
As we await you, O God of silence
We embrace your holy night

Holy darkness, blessed night

Heaven's answer hidden from our sight
As we await you, O God of silence
We embrace your holy night
This is Our Life
The People’s Pope

Pope Francis has been declared ‘Person of the Year’ in 2013 by

Time Magazine. Among the reasons cited for the declaration are
the following:

● He repeatedly sneaks out of the Vatican to

hang out with homeless Romans
● He is committed to ending corruption and
isn’t afraid of the Mafia
● He cares about the victims of Typhoon
Haiyan (Yolanda)
● He gave individual hugs to 100 wheelchair-bound visitors
● He’s got a sense of humor
● He will embrace you no matter what you look like
● He told Catholic leaders to stop being so swaggy and be modest
● He drives himself around in a 20-year-old Renault 4
● He’ll wash your feet even if you’re a prisoner or a woman
● He’s reaching out to other faiths

Sources: CL Book, page 46 | Excerpts from 21 Reasons Why Pope Francis is Everyone’s Person of the Year
https://www.pri.org/stories/2013-11-14/21-reasons-pope-francis-everyones-person-year
Understanding Our Faith (Abridged)
To be an AUTHENTIC PERSON means:
● to be true to one’s self and to the commitments one has made
● practising what one preaches

To be AUTHENTIC IN OUR PRAYER means:

● being true to our words
● to pray from our heart where we find our deepest longings
● should be grounded in Sacred Scriptures, Liturgy and Christian tradition
● being able to actively relate to others in the concrete human context
● being conscious of the movements of the Spirit
● to be open to our personal growth
● to persevere in the practice of virtues
● our prayer is rooted in our love for God and compassion towards others

Some prayers grounded on Liturgy and Christian tradition:

● The Creed
● Grace before and after meals
● Morning and evening prayers
● Act of Contrition
● Acts of Faith, Hope and Love

Source: CL Book, page 51