Life of prayer

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Life of prayer
MELCHIOR DOZE, Jean-Marie Jesus Healing the
Leper 1864 Musee des Beaux-Arts Nimes, France

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Compendium of the Catechism

• 567. What times are more suitable for prayer?
• 2697-26982720
• Any time is suitable for prayer but the Church
  proposes to the faithful certain rhythms of
  praying intended to nourish continual prayer
  morning and evening prayer, prayer before and
  after meals, the Liturgy of the Hours, Sunday
  Eucharist, the Rosary, and feasts of the
  liturgical year.

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Introduction

• St John Vianney recounts a peculiar case of
  prayer
• A farmer used to visit the Church of Ars, in
  France, on his way to and from work. Leaving his
  hoe and bundle at the door, he used to come in
  and kneel for some time before the Tabernacle.
  The Saint had been watching him and realized
  that, although his eyes were fixed on the
  Tabernacle he did not move his lips. One day the
  Saint asked the farmer
• - Jean, what do you tell the Lord?
• And Jean replied
• - I dont tell him anything I look at him and he
  looks at me.
• What a marvellous story to show us how easy it is
  to pray!

GREUZE, Jean Baptiste Morning Prayer Musee
Cognacq-Jay, Paris France
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Main ideas
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1. Jesus invites us to pray always

• Man is a privileged yet needy creature. We depend
  on God, who fulfils our needs, and we pray to
  him, telling him our needs.
• Jesus continuously turned to his Father. St Luke
  recalls when he told them a parable about the
  need to pray constantly and never lose heart"
  (Luke 181).
• Jesus, with his example and exhortations, wants
  us to understand the need for prayer.

BRUEGHEL, Jan the elder (1568-1625) Christ
Preaching At The Seaport Oil on panel 10 3/8 x 14
inches (26.4 x 35.7 cm) Private collection
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2. When to pray

• God does not make us wait he is the one who
  waits for us.
• We can always pray to God, but it is a good habit
  to set aside special times for prayer
• when getting up and going to bed
• when visiting the Blessed Sacrament
• after receiving Holy Communion
• before beginning ones daily work...
• The Mass is the moment of highest praise and
  thanksgiving to God, of petition for forgiveness
  of our sins, and of placing in Gods hands our
  needs.

ELMORE, Alfred W. Supplication c.1850 Harris
Museum and Art Gallery Preston, Lancashire, UK
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3. Ways to pray

• There are endless ways to pray because God guides
  each one of us personally. Nevertheless,
  Christian tradition distinguishes the following
  principal kinds of prayer
• Vocal prayer. Prayer during which we pronounce
  the words, such as when saying the Our Father or
  the Hail Mary.
• Mental prayer. We call it mental prayer because
  talking with God requires active engagement of
  the mind. Thought, imagination, feelings and
  desires all intervene.

VON UHDE, Fritz Christ with the
Peasants c.1887-88 Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France
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4. Attributes of prayer

• Prayer well done is
• Pious We have to pray like children, because
  before God that is what we are.
• Humble We are in constant need of God, and all
  the more so since we are sinners.
• Confident God loves us as a Father trusting
  him, we know he will give us what is best.
• Persevering Pray time and time again, tirelessly
  and without ever becoming discouraged.
• At times we may feel that God does not grant us
  what we pray. Maybe we do not pray well, or we do
  not behave well, or we ask for inappropriate
  things.

DEAN, Graham Prayer 1981 Private Collection
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5. The value of prayer

• As we get used to praying we unite ourselves more
  and more to God, we understand better his plans
  for us and for others.
• Through prayer we are strengthened in our
  struggle to conquer evil and do good, and to face
  the difficulties of life with serenity and joy.

GRANET, Francois-Marius Choir of Capuchin Friars,
Rome Leeds Museums and Galleries (City Art
Gallery) U.K.
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Resolutions for Christian life
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Resolutions to move forward

• Turn to God in every circumstance in joy and
  sorrow, in abundance and in need.
• Set aside a few minutes every day for mental
  prayer.
• Strive to say our vocal prayers with piety and
  trust.