St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church
3131 El Dorado Blvd, Houston, TX 77059
(281) 286-7729
Prayer and Spiritual Life
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"Prayer is, at root, simply paying attention to God." -- Ralph Martin, The Fulfillment of All Desire
What is Prayer?
Definitions, while not exhaustive, can go a long way in helping us understand something. While there are many dimensions to prayer, a few simple definitions can help us get started (from Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary):
Prayer (in general)
Prayer is the voluntary response to the awareness of God's presence. This response may be an acknowledgment of God's greatness and of a person's total dependence on Him (adoration); or gratitude for His benefits to oneself and others (thanksgiving); or sorrow for sins committed and begging for mercy (contrition/expiation); or asking for graces needed (petition/intercession); or affection for God, who is all good (love).
Vocal Prayer - using the words of others
This form of prayer is a "conversation" with God, or the angels and saints, and is formed in words or equivalent symbols of expression. More technically, vocal prayer involves the use of some set formulas, since it is assumed that even when a person prays mentally he necessarily employs some form of at least internal speech. So that in practice the distinction between mental and vocal prayer is more a matter of emphasis, whether one's own unrehearsed sentiments predominate (mental prayer) or a person rather employs verbal expressions that are not, at the time, the immediate product of communication with God (vocal prayer). (Etym. Latin vocalis, speaking, talking; from vox, voice.)
Mental Prayer - using your own words
This is the form of prayer in which the sentiments expressed are one's own and not those of another person, and the expression of these sentiments is mainly, if not entirely, interior and not externalized. Mental prayer is accomplished by internal acts of the mind and affections and is either simple meditation or contemplation. As meditation, it is a loving and discursive (reflective) consideration of religious truths or some mystery of faith. As contemplation, it is a loving and intuitive (immediately perceptive) consideration and admiration of the same truths or mysteries of faith. In mental prayer the three powers of the soul are engaged: the memory, which offers the mind material for meditation or contemplation; the intellect, which ponders or directly perceives the meaning of some religious truth and its implications for practice; and the will, which freely expresses its sentiments of faith, trust, and love, and (as needed) makes good resolutions based on what the memory and intellect have made known to the will.
Meditative Prayer
This is reflective prayer. It is that form of mental prayer in which the mind, in God's presence, thinks about God and divine things. While the affections may also be active, the emphasis in meditation is on the role of the intellect. Hence, this is also called discursive mental prayer. The objects of meditation are mainly three: the mysteries of faith; a person's better knowledge of what God wants him or her to do; and the divine will, to know how God wants to be served by the one who is meditating. (Etym. Latin meditatio, a thinking over.)
Contemplative Prayer
In general, this is the form of mental prayer in which the affective sentiments of the will predominate, as distinct from discursive reflections of the mind. Or again, it is that prayer which looks at God by contemplating and adoring His attributes more than by asking him for favors or thanking him for graces received.
Contemplation
This is the enjoyable admiration of perceived truth (St. Augustine), the elevation of the mind resting in God (St. Bernard), the simple intuition of divine truth that produces love (St. Thomas). (Etym. Latin contemplatio, simple gazing of the mind at manifest truth; from con-, with + templum, open space for observation [by augurs]: contemplari, to observe, consider.)
Getting Started in Prayer
This great article at Beginning Catholic presents a simple, basic introduction to prayer and how to get started. Below are more resources:
- Here is an online compilation of Catholic vocal prayers.
- Want a book of vocal prayers? Check out this Handbook of Prayers or this Manual of Prayers.
- To begin the practice of meditation, you can check out In Conversation With God, by Francis Fernandez-Carvajal, which is based on the daily Mass readings and follows the course of the liturgical year.
- Take a free mini-course on prayer.
- Learn the basics of Mental Prayer with the Q & A Guide to Mental Prayer, by Connie Rossini.
- Check out the Spiritual Direction Series of books, all of which are either edited or personally recommended by Dan Burke.
- One of the best single books on prayer: "Personal Prayer: A Guide for Receiving the Father's Love," by Fr. Thomas Acklin, OSB, and Fr. Boniface Hicks, OSB.
- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI wrote about the "way of beauty" and its importance as a way of prayer.
- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's collected catecheses on prayer.
- Visit Paulatim to learn more about SPIRITUAL READING, MENTAL PRAYER, and ROOTING OUT YOUR PREDOMINANT DEFECT. "Know what the Saints knew. Do what the Saints did."
Devotions
Devotions are manifestations of our profound love of God, rooted in worship and service to his Holy Name. As Catholics, it is our readiness to give honor and glory to God, whether in public or private prayer, or by performing some act of God’s will, that exercises our own spirituality. Through prayer, our devotions reaffirm our total commitment to our Lord, Jesus Christ. And in return, we hope to obtain favors that only He can provide through his infinite mercy and blessings.
Check out this comprehensive selection of Catholic devotions, which are designed to help Catholics grow in their faith and love of God. Try different ones and make them part of your daily devotion along your spiritual journey. Categories include: prayers, novenas, litanies, the Rosary, the Holy Spirit, Divine Mercy, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Stations of the Cross, and Fatima.
Liturgy of the Hours
The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office, is part of the official public worship of the Church, i.e. the liturgy. Thus, it is not a private devotion, but a way of prayer in which you join the rest of the Universal Church! (The liturgy also includes the celebration of the seven sacraments, the high point of which is the Mass.)
So, what is the Liturgy of the Hours?
Briefly put, it is a way to engage in daily vocal and mental prayer (see above) based on a four-week cycle of psalms, hymns, prayers, and biblical and spiritual readings formulated by the Church. Each day is broken down into various times for prayer, for example, morning prayer, mid-day prayer, evening prayer, night prayer, etc., in order to "sanctify the hours" of the day.
To learn more:
- A short overview of the Liturgy of the Hours
- A layman's guide to the Liturgy of the Hours (video)
- Another explanation by Fr. Jeremy Driscoll, OSB (video)
- A brief history of the Liturgy of the Hours
- Some thematic reflections on the Liturgy of the Hours
- Here is a video tutorial for using the iBreviary app to pray the Liturgy of the Hours.
The best way to learn to pray the Liturgy of the Hours--which, in the beginning, may seem a bit intimidating--is simply to jump in and do it! It's OK to make mistakes!
And probably the easiest way to begin is to use the iBreviary app (in the last bulletin point, above), and then just select Morning Prayer, or whatever, and follow the instructions.
You can also use the widget below to pray right here on this webpage! (The widget contains not just the Liturgy of the Hours, but the daily Mass readings, as well as a whole library of vocal prayers. Click on the "More" button to change the language or date.):
Lectio Divina
The Church “forcefully and specially exhorts all the Christian faithful ... to learn ‘the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ’ (Phil 3:8) by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures…. Let them remember, however, that prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture, so that a dialogue takes place between God and man. For ‘we speak to him when we pray; we listen to him when we read the divine oracles.'” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2653)The spiritual writers, paraphrasing Matthew 7:7, summarize in this way the dispositions of the heart nourished by the word of God in prayer: “Seek in reading and you will find in meditating; knock in mental prayer and it will be opened to you by contemplation.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2654)
These four steps cited in the Catechism section on prayer–reading, meditating, mental prayer, and contemplation–form the four steps of what is called lectio divina (which literally means “divine reading”). It is an ancient process of praying with Sacred Scripture. In an address commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Vatican II document on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum), Pope Benedict XVI said regarding lectio divina, “If it is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church – I am convinced of it – a new spiritual springtime.”
In brief, the four steps of lectio divina are:
- Reading (lectio) — close reading of Scripture with attentiveness of soul (not study or skimming)
- Meditation (meditatio) — the mind searches out the knowledge of hidden truth in Scripture
- Prayer (oratio) — the lifting of the heart to God in response to what has been found in meditation
- Contemplation (contemplatio) — God raises the soul to Himself; tastes the joys of communion with Him
To understand what these four steps mean, and how to put it into practice, you can read Dr. Tim Gray’s explanation of lectio divina.
Another option is to watch Dr. Tim Gray explain the process of lectio divina below:
Spiritual Direction
The difference between climbing Mount Everest by yourself, or climbing it with a trained and experienced guide, is like the difference between trying to live an active and devout life as a Christian by yourself, or doing it under the guidance of a Spiritual Director. In the end, the difference can be a matter of life or death.
Every Christian who is serious about living out his faith should consider finding a Spiritual Director. Not sure where to start? Check out SpiritualDirection.com. This site has fantastic resources, in line with the Tradition of the Catholic Church, and can even help you take that first step in finding a Spiritual Director. Check it out today!
Other Resources
Good Catholic
Good Catholic is a multi-media digital content platform designed to: Draw you closer to God; Deepen your love and understanding of the Catholic faith; Put your faith into action.
Unbound
Unbound Ministry is an approach to deliverance and healing prayer developed by Neal Lozano. The focus of the Unbound model is on an individual, deeply listening to his or her story and heart. Unbound is a safe, loving, effective prayer model that helps people to respond to the good news of the gospel. Unbound applies the truth to our lives by using five basic responses called the Five Keys.
St. Michael Center for Spiritual Renewal
This Catholic organization prays with people who are spiritually suffering and in need of healing and deliverance. Their website offers many resources.
updated 3.21.24/jwk