PRAYER

IN THE CHRISTIAN
LIFE
Topic 6
 ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD
● The term PRAYER comes from the Latin
verb “PRECARI” which means “to entreat
or to beg.”
● In Hebrew, “PALAL” literally means “to
mediate or intercede.” In NT, the
equivalent term in Greek is “EUCHOMAI”
which simply means “to pray”.
 PRAYER IN THE BIBLE
● God desires us “to pray on all occasions with
all kinds of prayers and requests.” (Ephesians 6:18)

● Why do we pray?
- We turn to prayer because it is the most
personal way to experience God, to encounter
Him and to grow in knowledge of Him.
 PRAYER: DEFINED

- personal faith-relating to God. (cf. NCDP 321).

Christian Prayer
•Is a loving, conscious, personal relationship with God,
our all-loving, good Father, who has adopted us through
His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit.
 CHRISTIAN PRAYER

•It is the Holy Spirit who brings us into this life of

communion and fellowship with the Father and
with the Son, Jesus Christ.
•Authentic Christian prayer is always --
Trinitarian since, it is through Christ that “we
have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph.
2:18)
-
Catechism on Prayer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp2yMPams1Q

Prayer in Christian Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duEsEBM2MOI

 CHRISTIAN PRAYER
Authentic Christian Prayer should be :
1.Grounded on the Scriptures and the great
prayer of Christian traditions
2. Actively related to others and to real daily life
3. Open to silence
4. Dynamic
 CHRISTIAN PRAYER
Christian Prayer is essentially :
1.Conscious personal communion with God our Father, through
Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit
2. Prayer in the name of Jesus
3. Ecclesial
4. Eucharist- centered
5. Related to neighbor
6. Eschatological
7. An expression of Faith
 PRAYER is a Relationship
● God is the one who initiates, man in his being
human has to be receptive as his response.

● It is God who first does the initiative: to reveal

Himself, to come to us, to seek out of us,
because of His Condescending & Unconditional
Love to us. Therefore, it always remains as a
.
GIFT “gratuitous act ”
 PRAYER is a Relationship
Thomas Merton
“Prayer is a question of a vocation, not a role. It involves us in
response to personal call. It is God who calls us to pray, so prayer is simply
a response to God’s call.”

●
“Is a personal encounter with God in love which is centered
on one’s personal relationship with the Lord.” As an
encounter with God, it involves an interaction between the
(Man) PRAY-ER and God. which entails mutual “listening
and responding” As a relationship, it has to be maintained
by constant communication. Thus, the very nature of Prayer
is dialogical.
 Expressions of Prayer
1.Vocal Prayer- prayers that we pray out loud (Our Father,
Hail Mary,
2.Meditation -beautiful opportunity to focus our minds and
imaginations with God. We may use Sacred Scriptures ,prayer
books, religious images
3.Contemplative Prayer- focused in silent union with God,
allowing the Holy Spirit working in the depths of our soul, mind
and imaginations. Rest quietly in God’s presence.
KINDS of Prayer (Basic types)
 HOW TO PRAY?
● Jesus taught: “Praying always and not losing
heart.” (Lk. 18:1)

● St. Paul : “Never cease praying, render constant thanks;

such is God’s will for you in Jesus”.(1Thes.5:17f)

● Prayer is a grace of God. “We don’t know how to pray as

we ought; but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us”
(Romans 8:26
 HOW TO PRAY?
● Jesus – is both the perfect model and teacher of prayer.
● Sermon on the mount – Jesus instructed his followers to
“Pray for your persecutor” (Mt.6:5ff)
● Lord’s Prayer – best prayer that Jesus’ teaches to his
followers.
● Holy Spirit – Christ’s greatest gift to all his followers--
● -Holy Sprit is the interior animating force , source of their
whole Christian Life.
 NATURE OF PRAYER?
● Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2559.
“Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the
requesting of good things from God.”

● This definition taught us three things:

1. God is far beyond our ordinary experience;
2. prayer entails effort on our part;
3. prayer involves both the mind and the heart - the
understanding and the feelings and will of man
 PRAYER/SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
● Refers to any spiritual practice dedicated towards
increasing one’s personal spirituality.

● Purpose of the Exercises

- is the development of discernment, the ability to
discern between the good and evil spirits.
-Discernment is the ability to obtain sharp perceptions or to
judge well (or the activity of so doing). In the case of judgment,
discernment can be psychological or moral in nature.
 PRAYER/SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
1. Conscience Examen (St. Ignatius of Loyola)
•Ignatius of Loyola’s “Conscience Examen” is an opportunity
for daily reflective prayer. It invites us to find the movement of
God in all the people and all the events in our life. “Finding God
in all things”.
● The Daily Examen is a technique of prayerful reflection on the
events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and
discern his direction for us. The Examen is an ancient practice
in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our
whole experience
 PRAYER/SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
2. Lectio Divina (divine reading)
● is away of becoming immersed in the scriptures very personally.
● this Christian form of Lectio Divina was first introduced by St. Gregory
of Nyssa (c 330-395).
● introduced by St. Benedict of Nursia (c 480-547), founder of the
Benedictine Order.

● Lectio Divina is a way of developing closer relationship with God by

reflecting prayerfully on his Words. The chosen spiritual text is read
four times (4x), giving an opportunity to think deeply about it and
respond thoughtfully.