CHRISTIAN LIVING/

VALUES EDUCATION

7Mr. Matthew Benedict P. Cortez

 PRAYER TO THE
HOLY SPIRIT

All:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the
hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle in them the
fire of Your Love.
L: Send forth Your Spirit
and they shall be created.

R: and You shall renew the

face of the earth.
Let us pray:

O, God, Who has taught

the hearts of Your faithful
by the light of the Holy
Spirit,
 grant that
by the gift of the same
Spirit, we may always be
truly wise and ever rejoice
in His Consolation,
through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
 Mary,
Seat of Wisdom

- pray for us.

Being in Communion with the Father
OBJECTIVES:
LEARN: Define the expressions of prayer;

LOVE: Keep a weekly journal of one’s prayer habit.

LIVE: Increase and appreciate devotion for Centering

prayer.
Page 41
1. What did the father tell his
daughter?

2. How did the child answer?

3. What is the use of words in

prayer?
1. How can you develop a meaningful prayer life?

2. If words are not necessary in prayer, why do we

use novenas or formulated intercessory prayers
during moments of prayer?
1. What was the request of the widow from the judge?

2. Why did it take a long time before the judge took action?

3. When someone keeps on asking something

from you, what is your immediate reaction?
How about when you badly need something,
what do you usually do?

4. What is the message of the parable?

 There are three (3) expressions of prayer in
the tradition of the Church: (1) vocal, (2)
meditative, and (3) contemplative. In any of
these expressions the heart’s composure is
sought for. The Word of God, which is rich
and active, touches the deepest recesses of the
heart and makes God’s dwelling in the soul
felt in all three expressions of prayer.
I. Individual (private) and Communal
(small-group) Prayer
1. Vocal Prayer (oratio). Vocal prayer imitates the
teaching of Jesus on how to pray when His
disciples asked Him how to pray. The following
are some examples of vocal prayer:
a. Formal or Formula Prayers – Lord’s
Prayer, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Rosary,
Novenas, among others
I. Individual (private) and Communal
(small-group) Prayer

b. Spontaneous Prayer – speaking freely to

God as a close friend

c. Intercessory Prayer – praying in behalf of

others, or asking the saints to pray for us
I. Individual (private) and Communal
(small-group) Prayer
2. Mental Prayer (meditatio). Meditation is an
exercise of the person’s mental capacity—a prayer
that engages the thought, imagination, emotion,
and desire. The following are some examples of
meditation:
a. Reading – Bible texts or other spiritual
writings
I. Individual (private) and Communal
(small-group) Prayer
b. Meditating – reflecting on the meaning of
texts

c. Imagining – putting yourself “into the

scene” of the Bible event you want to
meditate upon
I. Individual (private) and Communal
(small-group) Prayer

3. Contemplative Prayer (contemplatio).

Contemplative prayer is simply “gazing” at God
in prayer. It is praying with one’s attention fixed
on the Word of God—a quiet love. The following
are some examples of contemplative prayer:
I. Individual (private) and Communal
(small-group) Prayer
a. Centering prayer – repeating words or
phrases (like a mantra); e.g. Abba, Jesus, God
is Love; or the Jesus Prayer, “Lord Jesus
Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on
me, a sinner.”

b. Mystical prayer – spiritual awareness,

wordless adoration, a prayer of the heart.
II. Liturgical Prayer (official, public)

1. Eucharist or Mass – the source and summit of

Christian life, other sacraments, rites, and
blessings

2. Liturgy of the Hours or Divine Office

 Jesus as the greatest intercessor
to the Father experienced how it
is to be human, while at the same
time, assume His divinity in
totality. He was devoted to His
Father in prayer. He constantly
sought His Father in solitary
places—away from the crowds to
talk to and be intimately united
with His Abba.
Jesus was empowered by the
Holy Spirit so that He was filled
with strength to do the mission of
healing, teaching, preaching,
performing miracles, and casting
out the devil from possessed
persons during His three years of
service in public ministry.
How often do
you pray?
For whom do
You pray?
 If what you have been
praying for remains unanswered,
how would you feel and
what would you do?
Glory to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now and will be forever.
Amen.