INTRODUCTION TO PRAYER
Experiencing Prayer - Taking the first steps
A wonderful moment in the development of any child is when they can take their first steps and gain a new lease of life and independence. As we experience the gift of prayer we are beginning a journey where we can discover a new freedom and a new understanding of who we are before God.
In our spiritual lives we can so often fall over or just sit down and forget to walk. We often need to get up and begin again, almost like taking our first steps to freedom. These little exercises are here to help you take those steps and find freedom to pray once again.
Why do I need to pray?
The answer to that question is quite simple: Jesus the Son of God prays and he commands his disciples to do the same. Throughout his ministry Jesus expressed his unique relationship with the Father in prayer. He wants us to have such a relationship with him, so that he can lead us to the Father and know the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
To be a Christian is to be a person who prays through and with and in Christ. Yet prayer can so often trouble us. We find it difficult, it is not always comforting, we get distracted and sometimes we don’t even know what to do.
If you find yourself in this situation, don’t worry for it is a good place to begin and discover the difference that prayer can truly make to your life of faith.
How do I begin?
A good starting place is to remember that when we pray we are communicating with God and God in a most special way communicates with us. To pray, we use the natural gifts of our minds and hearts, lifting them into an awareness of the presence of God who constantly surrounds us and wishes to unfold us into his life giving presence.
Stop and be still
It's very hard to be attentive to another person when you are rushing around. At such times whilst communication can take place, its not always of the quality that nourishes and sustains us. It can be a bit on the surface. For prayer to take root in us, we need to stop and be still even if it’s only for a few minutes. Try and be quiet and turn off the noise distractions that are around you. Kneel or sit comfortably, close your eyes, or focus on a religious image such as a cross or icon. In this moment make your presence known to the Lord and ask him to grant you the desire to pray and enter into this time of prayer.
Giving thanks and praise
At the beginning of your prayer, take a little thanks to give praise and thanks to God. It might be for the gift of a new day, the experience of creation, family and friends. Whatever it is, offer this as a prayer from the heart. There are wonderful prayers in the scriptures that can help us enter into such prayer.
“My soul give praise to the Lord,
all my being bless his holy name.
My soul give praise to the Lord,
and never forget all his blessings.”
(Psalm 102)
Cast all your worries onto God - He is looking after you
In prayer we should share with God the story of our lives and the things that we need most. It may be that of interceding for someone we love or for a need in our own lives. Such prayer shows our dependency upon God for life, for guidance and direction. We are not islands or people who are mastering our own success, but can only live live with love and a sense of justice if we come before God and walk humbly with him. In the prayer of intercession, we are not simply knocking on the door of God’s heart to receive his gifts, but rather we are asking him to expand our hearts to be ready to receive the gifts he wishes to bestow on us and those for whom we pray.
But I am a sinner!
Yes, thats right you are, alongside the rest of the human race! Sin leaves us with a feeling of unworthiness before God. We know in word and action and in failure we have turned away from the Lord and from the needs of others. Our minds become awash with thoughts of God condemning us, being unworthy to ask for what we need and thinking it is impossible be in a relationship with God or even think he is interested in me and my life. Such fear overcomes us when we forget to remember the great mercy of God and the life and teaching of Jesus which is about ending this rift between God and ourselves by Jesus’ life, death and glorious resurrection. Mercy is the free gift of the Lord. We should do well to remember the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in the Temple. The one who goes home righteous with God is the publican who knows he is a sinner, and confesses his sin, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)
Living a life of faith and prayer means that we must ask the Lord to lift the burdens of our weakness. Yes, we may well have to battle for the rest of our lives to deal with them, but we take comfort and fresh strength that seeking the forgiveness of the Lord and recognising our need for healing and forgiveness removes those barriers we create. This gift is given to us in a special way in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but we can pray for this healing and forgiveness at any moment in our lives and especially when we are aware of our unworthiness to come before God. in prayer. The Jesus Prayer is a most wonderful way to express this in our prayer and also at different times in our daily lives.
“Lord Jesus Christ, be merciful to me a sinner.”
Let God speak
When we have the courage to enter into prayer, God responds to us in varied and different ways. The Holy spirit alive and at work in us can fill us with courage and strength, it can console and also help us discern and know what God is asking of us. Sometimes we are helped by the words of a familiar prayer such as the phrases of the Our Father or by a reading from the gospel or another passage of scripture. Whatever it is, God takes these moments to speak into our hearts, but first we must give a little bit of time so that he can do this and we can be conscious of his presence and communication with us.
Taking time for silence is an important part of this prayer. When we are silent n prayer, our silence can meet God’s silence and in that silence we become united in a special and wonderful way. Yes, we may become distracted, but we can always pull ourselves back from that. Sometimes the distractions are also prompts of things we need to bring to God in prayer. They are important to. At the end of the day, the most important thing we can do is give a little time.
Some things to consider
In our spiritual lives we can so often fall over or just sit down and forget to walk. We often need to get up and begin again, almost like taking our first steps to freedom. These little exercises are here to help you take those steps and find freedom to pray once again.
Why do I need to pray?
The answer to that question is quite simple: Jesus the Son of God prays and he commands his disciples to do the same. Throughout his ministry Jesus expressed his unique relationship with the Father in prayer. He wants us to have such a relationship with him, so that he can lead us to the Father and know the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
To be a Christian is to be a person who prays through and with and in Christ. Yet prayer can so often trouble us. We find it difficult, it is not always comforting, we get distracted and sometimes we don’t even know what to do.
If you find yourself in this situation, don’t worry for it is a good place to begin and discover the difference that prayer can truly make to your life of faith.
How do I begin?
A good starting place is to remember that when we pray we are communicating with God and God in a most special way communicates with us. To pray, we use the natural gifts of our minds and hearts, lifting them into an awareness of the presence of God who constantly surrounds us and wishes to unfold us into his life giving presence.
Stop and be still
It's very hard to be attentive to another person when you are rushing around. At such times whilst communication can take place, its not always of the quality that nourishes and sustains us. It can be a bit on the surface. For prayer to take root in us, we need to stop and be still even if it’s only for a few minutes. Try and be quiet and turn off the noise distractions that are around you. Kneel or sit comfortably, close your eyes, or focus on a religious image such as a cross or icon. In this moment make your presence known to the Lord and ask him to grant you the desire to pray and enter into this time of prayer.
Giving thanks and praise
At the beginning of your prayer, take a little thanks to give praise and thanks to God. It might be for the gift of a new day, the experience of creation, family and friends. Whatever it is, offer this as a prayer from the heart. There are wonderful prayers in the scriptures that can help us enter into such prayer.
“My soul give praise to the Lord,
all my being bless his holy name.
My soul give praise to the Lord,
and never forget all his blessings.”
(Psalm 102)
Cast all your worries onto God - He is looking after you
In prayer we should share with God the story of our lives and the things that we need most. It may be that of interceding for someone we love or for a need in our own lives. Such prayer shows our dependency upon God for life, for guidance and direction. We are not islands or people who are mastering our own success, but can only live live with love and a sense of justice if we come before God and walk humbly with him. In the prayer of intercession, we are not simply knocking on the door of God’s heart to receive his gifts, but rather we are asking him to expand our hearts to be ready to receive the gifts he wishes to bestow on us and those for whom we pray.
But I am a sinner!
Yes, thats right you are, alongside the rest of the human race! Sin leaves us with a feeling of unworthiness before God. We know in word and action and in failure we have turned away from the Lord and from the needs of others. Our minds become awash with thoughts of God condemning us, being unworthy to ask for what we need and thinking it is impossible be in a relationship with God or even think he is interested in me and my life. Such fear overcomes us when we forget to remember the great mercy of God and the life and teaching of Jesus which is about ending this rift between God and ourselves by Jesus’ life, death and glorious resurrection. Mercy is the free gift of the Lord. We should do well to remember the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in the Temple. The one who goes home righteous with God is the publican who knows he is a sinner, and confesses his sin, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)
Living a life of faith and prayer means that we must ask the Lord to lift the burdens of our weakness. Yes, we may well have to battle for the rest of our lives to deal with them, but we take comfort and fresh strength that seeking the forgiveness of the Lord and recognising our need for healing and forgiveness removes those barriers we create. This gift is given to us in a special way in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, but we can pray for this healing and forgiveness at any moment in our lives and especially when we are aware of our unworthiness to come before God. in prayer. The Jesus Prayer is a most wonderful way to express this in our prayer and also at different times in our daily lives.
“Lord Jesus Christ, be merciful to me a sinner.”
Let God speak
When we have the courage to enter into prayer, God responds to us in varied and different ways. The Holy spirit alive and at work in us can fill us with courage and strength, it can console and also help us discern and know what God is asking of us. Sometimes we are helped by the words of a familiar prayer such as the phrases of the Our Father or by a reading from the gospel or another passage of scripture. Whatever it is, God takes these moments to speak into our hearts, but first we must give a little bit of time so that he can do this and we can be conscious of his presence and communication with us.
Taking time for silence is an important part of this prayer. When we are silent n prayer, our silence can meet God’s silence and in that silence we become united in a special and wonderful way. Yes, we may become distracted, but we can always pull ourselves back from that. Sometimes the distractions are also prompts of things we need to bring to God in prayer. They are important to. At the end of the day, the most important thing we can do is give a little time.
Some things to consider
- Find a time when you are going to pray
- Find a comfortable place
- Be quiet and still
- Give thanks and praise to God
- Make known your needs
- Seek God’s mercy - he loves you
- Be silent and still - let God speak