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April 3, 2017The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this about prayer, “The elevation of the mind and heart to God in praise of his glory; a petition made to God for some desired good, or in thanksgiving for a good received or in intercession for others before God. Through prayer the Christian experiences a communion with God through Christ in the Church. (CCC 2559-2565).”
The first form of prayer we will explore is blessing and adoration. Blessing God is simply giving thanks for the gifts He has gratuitously given to us. It is the encounter of the human heart with the divine in graciously receiving His gifts. The foremost gift that God has given to us is His Only Son. God, descended to His creation, so that we would have the opportunity to ascend to Him in both our prayer and with our souls. Adoration is, in all humility, exalting God by His creatures. An attitude acknowledging that we are the creature and He is the creator.
Prayer of petition, is a turning back to God. Turning back to God requires contrition, a contrite heart. In that turning back to Him we “ask, beseech, plead, invoke, entreat, cry out, even ‘struggle in prayer.’” (CCC 2629) Paul, in his letter to the Romans sees Christian petition as a continual renewal: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.” (Rom. 8:22-23) “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” (Rom. 8:26)
Prayer of intercession, is to pray as Jesus did. To intercede on the behalf of others, just as Jesus does for us, especially sinners. As our intercessor, He is able to “save those who draw close to God through him.” In intercessory prayer, “he who prays looks ‘not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others,’ even to the point of praying for those who do him harm.” (CCC 2635)
Prayer of thanksgiving “characterizes the prayer of the Church which, in celebrating the Eucharist, reveals and becomes more fully what she is.” (CCC 2637) “The thanksgiving of the members of the body [the Church] participates in that of their Head.” (CCC 2637) As members of the Church, the body of Christ, we are to see that in “every event and need can become an offering of thanksgiving.” (CCC 2638)
Prayer of Praise, is praising God because God is God. All forms of Christian prayer share in the prayer of praise because they are directed to our Father in heaven. Any prayer that is directed to our Father in heaven whether through Jesus, the saints, or Mary in one sense shares in praising God who is the author of all that is.
Fr. Schuster is the pastor at Church of St. Hildegard in Menoken and Sacred Heart in Wilton. If you have a question you were afraid to ask, now is the time to ask it! Simply email your question to [email protected] with the “Question Afraid to Ask” in the subject line.