Prayer: being tuned in to God and responding to his presence in your life "Talking & listening to God" Ways to pray: Silent: internal Vocal: using spoken words Communal: praying with a group Meditative: using our minds and imaginations Spontaneous: random, any time
Forms of prayer: Praise/Adoration: praising God Thanksgiving: thanking God for his blessings Sorrow/Contrition: asking for forgiveness Intercession: for the needs of others Petition: asking for help for our own needs Liturgical: said with others during the mass Adoration Almighty, true and incomparable God, You are present in all things, yet in no way limited by them. You remain unaffected by place, untouched by time, unperturbed by years, and undeceived by words. You are not subject to birth and in no need of protection. You are beyond all corruption, above all change, immutable by nature. You live in unapproachable light and are invisible, yet You are known to all those who seek You with hope and love. You are the God of Israel, and of all who hope in Christ. Amen.
Thanksgiving From the depths of my heart I thank You, Dear Lord, For Your infinite kindness in coming to me. How good You are to me! With Your most holy Mother and all the angels, I praise Your mercy and generosity toward me, A poor sinner. I thank You for nourishing my soul With Your Sacred Body and Precious Blood. I will try to show my gratitude to You In the Sacrament of Your love, By obedience to Your holy commandments, By fidelity to my duties, By kindness to my neighbor And by an earnest endeavor To become more like You in my daily conduct. Contrition My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy
Intercession Jesus prayed for Peter Luke 22:32 says, "But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him. Luke 23:34 says, "Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.' And they divided up his clothes by casting lots." Jesus prayed for His disciples and for Believers throughout eternity in John 17. Petition Give me Yourself, O my God, give Yourself to me. Behold I love You, and if my love is too weak a thing, grant me to love You more strongly. I cannot measure my love to know how much it falls short of being sufficient, but let my soul hasten to Your embrace and never be turned away until it is hiddeen in the secret shelter of Your presence. This only do I know, that it is not good for me when You are not with me, when You are only outside me. I want You in my very self. All the plenty in the world which is not my God is utter want. Amen.
Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth. Liturgical Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father. Amen. Traditional devotions of the Church: Rosary: five decades (or tens of Hail Marys with an Our Father between each ten), while at each of these decades we recall one of the mysteries of our Redemption (Glorious, Joyful, Sorrowful, Luminous) Stations of the Cross: prayers depicting the Passion of Christ; prayed during Lent
Benediction: singing hymns and praying before the Blessed Sacrament Eucharistic Adoration: prayer before the Blessed Sacrament Blessing with Ashes: burning palms from last year's Palm Sunday to distribute at Ash Wednesday mass Blessing of Throats: on Feast of St. Blaise; 2 candles are crossed in front of the throat while the priest says a prayer Blessing of Palms: prayer said over the palms used for Palm Sunday celebration Novenas: a nine days' private or public devotion to obtain special graces