HOW TO PRAY​



1. "How do I pray?" This question is frequently asked to those who minister to the faithful. To know how to pray, one must understand the meaning of praying. What does it mean to pray? The dictionary defines it as addressing God, making a fervent request, beseeching and imploring. The New Roget's Thesaurus defines praying as invoking, supplicating, communicating with God, worshiping, begging, adjuring and pleading. It further associates prayer with devotions, services, chapel, entreaty, supplication and petition. Truly, all of these, plus more, answer the question "How do I pray?"



WHEN APPROACHING GOD



2. When a person goes to a florist to buy a flower, he selects the most beautiful flower that he can find, one that emits a pleasant fragrance, one that is blooming, that is rich in colorful petals, that is free of defects, that is appealing to the eyes, etc... Symbolically speaking, when a person presents a prayer petition to God, it is like presenting that most beautiful flower in exchange for a worldly or spiritual favor that is being requested. The greater the beauty of the flower, the greater the likelihood that the petitioner shall obtain the favor that he is seeking from God. If the petitioner gives God a flower that is covered with dirt, has a number of defects and half of the petals are missing, surely this would be an insult to God. God would turn His back to the petitioner and ignore the unworthy prayer request.



DISPOSITION



3. As previously indicated through the flower example, when approaching God, it is necessary to be properly disposed. What follows is a number of desirable qualities that are pleasing to the eyes of God. Having the right disposition improves one's chance of obtaining God's blessings.



4. The qualities that are necessary in a successful prayer petition are equal to the petals that are found on the flower that is being presented to God. If some of the qualities are missing, it means that during the prayer petition, God will be offered a defective flower.



5. As a general rule, when it will benefit the spiritual growth of a believer, the Lord God will answer his prayer petition. But again, the believer must be properly disposed. In other cases, the grace of God may touch the heart of individuals before they have achieved such a disposition in order to lead them towards a proper disposition. The timing for achieving the right disposition depends entirely on how the grace of God works in each individual person.



CONVERSION OF HEART



6. The first petal which is absolutely necessary, is a conversion of heart [Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2608] prior to approaching God in prayer. The individual must have a sincere desire to change his life from the worldly ways to the spiritual ways.



HUMILITY



7. There is a need to always approach God in a humble manner. A prayer said in humility is worth more than all the boastful prayers. When appropriate, one should kneel in an act of reverence, recognizing his sinfulness. Humility adds another petal to the flower.



8. "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." [St. John Damascene, Defide orth. 3, 24: PG 94,1089C] But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? [Ps 130:1] He who humbles himself will be exalted; [Cf. Lk 18:9-14] humility is the foundation of prayer, Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," [Rom 8:26] are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God." [St. Augustine, Sermo 56, 6, 9: PL 38, 381] [2613, 2763] [C.C.C. # 2559]



SIMPLICITY OF WORDS



9. When praying, do so with the simplicity of a child. Express simple words that come from the heart. Jesus said, "When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words." [C.C.C. # 2608; Mt. 6:7] A few sincere words from the heart are more pleasing to God than a large number of repeated devotions, prayers or words.



SPIRITUAL NEEDS



10. A common error of many who petition God is to ask for worldly things, fame, love, pleasures and wealth. Their prayer petitions are for worldly things, their requests totally ignoring their spiritual needs. A balanced prayer includes both, one's spiritual and worldly needs. "What will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?" [Mt. 16:26] One day, all physical gains shall come to an end; spiritual gains shall last an eternity. A prayer petition that includes spiritual needs adds another petal to the flower that is presented to God.



PERSEVERANCE



11. When you pray for a need that relates to your spiritual growth, such as a holy marriage, present your petition without ceasing. Persevere, not just for a day, but for weeks and for months until such time as you have received what your heart truly desires. "Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." [Mt. 7:7-8]



FASTING



12. When Nehemiah prayed for his people, he said, "When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven." [Neh. 1:4] Before beginning His ministry, Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. [Mt. 4:2] The prophet Anna, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher never left the temple where Jesus was presented as the Divine Infant. She fasted and prayed night and day. [Lk. 2:37] In the Acts of the Apostles, we read that when the first Christians were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit told them that Barnabas and Saul were being commissioned to do the Lord's work. [Acts 13:2-3] In many instances, fasting, over and above praying, has obtained blessings that otherwise would not have been received from God. Fasting represents another petal that belongs to the flower.



13. Prior to fasting, the faithful should consult their family physician to ensure that this will not have an adverse effect on their health, especially when it concerns the very young, the elders, the sick, those who are physically handicapped and those on medication.



SACRIFICES



14. Performing a sacrifice is another form of pleasing prayer in the eyes of God. In the days of the Old Testament, when the people of the Jewish nation sought the favor of the Lord God, as a form of sacrifice, they turned to fasting, wore sackcloths and poured ashes over their heads. Nowadays, sacrifices may consist of fasting from food, from addictive habits, making a greater effort to abstain from a certain sin, giving more generously to the Church or another worthy cause, and similar actions.



15. A sacrifice only becomes a sacrifice when the person experiences a sense of deprivation (it hurts). As an example, holding back dessert while increasing the portion of one's meal is not a sacrifice. Going without an entire meal while being hungry is a sacrifice. Giving one dollar to a worthy cause is not a sacrifice; giving one hundred dollar is a greater sacrifice that would deprive the person of other possible worldly benefits such as smoking, drinking, drugs, a trip, clothing, jewelry, etc... Each meaningful sacrifice adds a petal to the flower that is presented to God.



SOUND FAITH



16. When appealing to God for a favor, it is necessary to have a sound faith. In other words, one's faith must be balanced. Those who believe that God will answer their prayers because they were baptized and married in the Catholic Church, but who never go to Church on Sunday, nor support their local Church, do not have a sound faith. Their faith is artificial; they are Catholics in a name only.

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17. Faith without actions is dead. Jesus gave us the Sacraments of Confession and the Holy Eucharist for our sanctification. Spiritual growth is gained through one's association with the Body of Christ, the Church. It is not gained through one's personal opinion of what faith should be, such excluding worshiping with other Catholics.