Prayer
178 numbers
- 2731 II. Humble Vigilance of Heart Another difficulty, especially for those who sincerely want to pray, is dryness. Dryness belongs to contemplative prayer when the heart is separated from God, with no taste for thoughts, memories, and feelings, …
- 2732 II. Humble Vigilance of Heart The most common yet most hidden temptation is our lack of faith. It expresses itself less by declared incredulity than by our actual preferences. When we begin to pray, a thousand labors …
- 2733 II. Humble Vigilance of Heart Another temptation, to which presumption opens the gate, is acedia. the spiritual writers understand by this a form of depression due to lax ascetical practice, decreasing vigilance, carelessness of heart. "The spirit …
- 2734 III. Filial Trust Filial trust is tested - it proves itself - in tribulation. 22 The principal difficulty concerns the prayer of petition, for oneself or for others in intercession. Some even stop praying because …
- 2735 III. Filial Trust In the first place, we ought to be astonished by this fact: when we praise God or give him thanks for his benefits in general, we are not particularly concerned whether or …
- 2736 III. Filial Trust Are we convinced that "we do not know how to pray as we ought"? 23 Are we asking God for "what is good for us"? Our Father knows what we need before …
- 2737 III. Filial Trust "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." 26 If we ask with a divided heart, we are "adulterers"; 27 God cannot answer us, …
- 2738 God wills that our desire should be exercised in prayer, that we may be able to receive what he is prepared to give. 30 The revelation of prayer in the economy of salvation teaches us that faith rests on God's action in history. Our filial trust is enkindled by his supreme act: the Passion and Resurrection …
- 2739 God wills that our desire should be exercised in prayer, that we may be able to receive what he is prepared to give. 30 For St. Paul, this trust is bold, founded on the prayer of the Spirit in us and on the faithful love of the Father who has given us his only Son. 31 …
- 2740 God wills that our desire should be exercised in prayer, that we may be able to receive what he is prepared to give. 30 The prayer of Jesus makes Christian prayer an efficacious petition. He is its model, he prays in us and with us. Since the heart of the Son seeks only what pleases the …
- 2741 God wills that our desire should be exercised in prayer, that we may be able to receive what he is prepared to give. 30 Jesus also prays for us - in our place and on our behalf. All our petitions were gathered up, once for all, in his cry on the Cross and, in his Resurrection, …
- 2742 IV. Perservering in Love "Pray constantly . . . always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father." 33 St. Paul adds, "Pray at all times in …
- 2743 IV. Perservering in Love It is always possible to pray: the time of the Christian is that of the risen Christ who is with us always, no matter what tempests may arise. 36 Our time is …
- 2744 It is possible to offer fervent prayer even while walking in public or strolling alone, or seated in your shop, . . . while buying or selling, . . . or even while cooking. 37 Prayer is a vital necessity. Proof from the contrary is no less convincing: if we do not allow the Spirit to lead us, we fall back into the slavery of sin. 38 …
- 2745 Those who pray are certainly saved; those who do not pray are certainly damned 40 Prayer and Christian life are inseparable, for they concern the same love and the same renunciation, proceeding from love; the same filial and loving conformity with the Father's plan of love; the …
- 2746 THE PRAYER OF THE HOUR OF JESUS When "his hour" came, Jesus prayed to the Father. 43 His prayer, the longest transmitted by the Gospel, embraces the whole economy of creation and salvation, as well as his death and …
- 2747 THE PRAYER OF THE HOUR OF JESUS Christian Tradition rightly calls this prayer the "priestly" prayer of Jesus. It is the prayer of our high priest, inseparable from his sacrifice, from his passing over (Passover) to the Father to …
- 2748 THE PRAYER OF THE HOUR OF JESUS In this Paschal and sacrificial prayer, everything is recapitulated in Christ: 45 God and the world; the Word and the flesh; eternal life and time; the love that hands itself over and …
- 2749 THE PRAYER OF THE HOUR OF JESUS Jesus fulfilled the work of the Father completely; his prayer, like his sacrifice, extends until the end of time. the prayer of this hour fills the end-times and carries them toward their …
- 2750 THE PRAYER OF THE HOUR OF JESUS By entering into the holy name of the Lord Jesus we can accept, from within, the prayer he teaches us: "Our Father!" His priestly prayer fulfills, from within, the great petitions of …
- 2751 THE PRAYER OF THE HOUR OF JESUS Finally, in this prayer Jesus reveals and gives to us the "knowledge," inseparably one, of the Father and of the Son, 51 which is the very mystery of the life of prayer.
- 2752 IN BRIEF Prayer presupposes an effort, a fight against ourselves and the wiles of the Tempter. the battle of prayer is inseparable from the necessary "spiritual battle" to act habitually according to the Spirit …
- 2753 IN BRIEF In the battle of prayer we must confront erroneous conceptions of prayer, various currents of thought, and our own experience of failure. We must respond with humility, trust, and perseverance to these …
- 2754 IN BRIEF The principal difficulties in the practice of prayer are distraction and dryness. the remedy lies in faith, conversion, and vigilance of heart.
- 2755 IN BRIEF Two frequent temptations threaten prayer: lack of faith and acedia - a form of depression stemming from lax ascetical practice that leads to discouragement.
- 2756 IN BRIEF Filial trust is put to the test when we feel that our prayer is not always heard. the Gospel invites us to ask ourselves about the conformity of our prayer to the …
- 2757 IN BRIEF "Pray constantly" (1 Thess 5:17). It is always possible to pray. It is even a vital necessity. Prayer and Christian life are inseparable.
- 2758 IN BRIEF The prayer of the hour of Jesus, rightly called the "priestly prayer" (cf Jn 17), sums up the whole economy of creation and salvation. It fulfills the great petitions of the Our …