Chapter Two Prayer

Gaudete Sunday
 Opening Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and
enkindle in them the fire of Your love.
V. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray. O God, by the light of the Holy Spirit, You

have taught the hearts of Your faithful. In the same Spirit
help us to know what is truly right and always to rejoice in
Your consolation. We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
 First Joyful Mystery The Annunciation

The Third Joyful Mystery—The Nativity of Christ

And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a

decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world
should be enrolled. And it came to pass, that when they
were there, her days were accomplished, that she should
be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and
wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a
manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:1, 6-7
 Prayer

Successful Prayer
Jesus on Prayer
Jesus Answers Every Prayer
Called to Prayer
Expressions of Prayer
Forms of Prayer
Impediments to Prayer
Psalms
Catholic Prayers
Prayer Plan for the Day
 What makes prayer successful?
Successful prayer requires a “change of heart”, a desire to see the will of
others and the will of God accomplished instead of our own.

“To pray is not to…withdraw to our own private corner of happiness.

When we pray properly we undergo a process of inner purification
which opens us up to God and thus to our fellow human beings as well.
In prayer, we must learn what we can truly ask of God - what is worthy
of God. We must learn that we cannot pray against others, that we
cannot ask for the superficial and comfortable things that we desire at
this moment - that meager, misplaced hope that leads us away from God
- and we must learn to purify our desires and our hopes.

- Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi, #33

 Jesus on Prayer
Urgent Prayer

“I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of
their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence. ‘And I tell you, ask and you will
receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be
opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one
who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be
opened.

If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy
Spirit to those who ask him?’”
Luke 11:8-10, 13
 Jesus on Prayer
Pray Without Ceasing
“There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor
respected man. And a widow in that town used to come to him and
say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a
long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While
it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision
for her lest she finally come and strike me.’

The Lord said, ‘Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will
not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him
day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will
see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of
Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’”
Luke 18:2-8
 Jesus on Prayer
Pray With Humility

“Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee,
and the other a publican. The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with
himself: ‘O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of
men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. I
fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the
publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes
towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: ‘O God, be
merciful to me a sinner.’

I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather
than the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be
humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.”

Luke 18:10-14
Jesus Answers Every Prayer

Ask the Father in Jesus’ Name

Sign of the Cross
Ask for Things Needed for Salvation
No ATM Prayers
Pray Confidently as Jesus Did
Be in the State of Grace when Praying
But most of all, pray that God’s will be done!
 Called to Prayer

Sunday Mass
Morning Prayer
Evening Prayers
Before and After Meals
In Time of Need
Liturgy of the Hours
Daily Mass
 Expressions of Prayer

Vocal Prayer
Meditation
Contemplation
This is not “Centering Prayer” Must Be Avoided
 Forms of Prayer
Adoration
Before the Tabernacle
Exposition
Thanksgiving
Silently after Communion
Contrition
Nightly after Examination of Conscience
Petition
For Spiritual Strength and Wisdom
 Impediments to Prayer

Dryness
Noise
Over-tasking
Blow Away Impediments with:
Faith
Use Scripture
Imitate the Saints
Patience and perseverance
 Psalms

Numbering Septuagint and English

Types
Praying the Psalms
 Psalms Numbering

Same Numbering Ps 1-10

English Numbering Splits Ps 10 into 10 and 11
English after 10 = Septuagint +1
Septuagint Splits 146 into 146 and 147
Same Numbering Ps 148
 Psalm Types
Psalms of Praise
8, 19, 29, 33, 10[0,103,104], 11[1,3,4,7], 13[5-6], 145-150
Psalms of Lament
Community 12, 14, 44, 5[3,8], 60, 7[4,9], 8[0,3,5,9], 9[0,4],
106, 12[3,6], 137
Individual 3-7,1, [3,7], 2[2,5-8], 3[1,5,6,8,9],4[0,2,3], 51
5[2,4-7,9], 6[1,3,4,9], 7[0,1,7], 8[6,8], 10[2,9], 120, 130, 14[0-3]
Praying the Psalms of Thanksgiving
Individual 9, 1[0,1,6], 23, 3[0,2,4], 41, 62, 9[1,2], 116, 121,
13[1,8]
Community 6[5-8], 75, 107, 11[5,8], 12[4,5,9]
 Praying the Psalms

Psalms have the power to raise men's minds to God and to evoke in
them holy and wholesome thoughts GILH 100
Each Psalm has a literal meaning which even in our time cannot be
neglected. GILH 107
The Holy Spirit who inspired the psalmists, is always present with
His grace to those Christians who with good intention sing and
recite these songs GILH 101
The Psalms express the deepest movements of the soul in words
that are designed to be prayed in common.... When prayed in
private, alone the Psalms by their very nature join us to the whole
Body of Christ The School of Prayer, p43
 Structure of the Psalms
Parallelism
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses:
but we will call upon the name of the Lord our God. Ps 20:8
Unless the Lord build the house,
they labor in vain that build it. Ps 127:1
Israel: The Church
Forces of Nature: Creation
Covenant: Christ in the new covenant
Exodus: Our spiritual journey
The King: Christ
Exile: the Church Militant
The Temple: Christ the new temple His Presence
Mt Zion, Jerusalem: The Church on Earth and in Heaven
 Catholic Prayers
Sign of the Cross Angelus
Our Father Hail Holy Queen
Hail Mary Blessing before Meals
Glory Be Grace after Meals
Apostles' Creed Prayer to St. Michael
Act of Contrition Eternal Rest
Morning Offering
 Catholic Prayers
Sign of the Cross Angelus
Our Father Hail Holy Queen
Hail Mary Blessing before Meals
Glory Be Grace after Meals
Apostles' Creed Prayer to St. Michael
Act of Contrition Eternal Rest
Morning Offering Short Ejaculations