How Do You Pray?

[HisChildForever]

I support this. From the heart and with the heart is more important than any perfectly worded tradition of prayer.

 

Well don't get me wrong, I think there's tons of beauty in the rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, novenas and the like, I just find it difficult to establish that type of prayer in my life - I almost feel like it's another thing to put on the to-do list and I don't want to experience prayer like that.

 

I pray throughout the day, I also tend to reflect on the faith like when I'm driving, but I do make it a point to pray before I go to bed.

[TheLordsSouljah]

At the risk of sounding like an ignorant bad Catholic... what are aspirations?

 

 

I don't think you do. I wasn't sure if the word would be easily understood (or if I used it right... :blush:). What I meant was just little two second prayers spread throughout the day, like when starting to study or leaving the building or something.

I think you are right CT, my understanding of aspirations is just a short little sentence... ejaculatory prayer or something. Light and Truth had a cool little lot of them in post 10. :)

[Anastasia13]

Well don't get me wrong, I think there's tons of beauty in the rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, novenas and the like, I just find it difficult to establish that type of prayer in my life - I almost feel like it's another thing to put on the to-do list and I don't want to experience prayer like that.

 

I pray throughout the day, I also tend to reflect on the faith like when I'm driving, but I do make it a point to pray before I go to bed.

 

Oh yes, I just share a similar sentiment and sometimes also have things to pray that go beyond the formal prayers that I know, and other times it's just another checkbox in life to say certain words when my heart is not in it. Prayer life should not be about saying certain words to be holy, it should be about meeting with God, talking with Him, listening to Him, letting go of our defenses that we use against the world to let Him change us to His image. If we lose sight of the purpose of prayer, we lose the value of it, but if we focus on the purpose and not force ourselves into some routine when it does not work for us, we have an even greater number of ways to grow spiritually.

[Spem in alium]

Prayers on rising, sleeping and just randomly throughout the day, Mass daily, Rosary at least once a week, usually while walking/on the train, consecrations to Our Lady of Czestochowa and the Lady of All Nations, Adoration whenever I can, just starting regular lectio divina. Of course, I try all these things and fail at them often. But they're very enriching, so I stick at it :)

 

Edit: How could I forget - consecration to Saint Joseph the Protector!

Edited June 2, 2013 by Spem in alium

[Amppax]

Well don't get me wrong, I think there's tons of beauty in the rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, novenas and the like, I just find it difficult to establish that type of prayer in my life - I almost feel like it's another thing to put on the to-do list and I don't want to experience prayer like that.

I pray throughout the day, I also tend to reflect on the faith like when I'm driving, but I do make it a point to pray before I go to bed.

That's funny for me informal prayer is really difficult, I need the structure of a formal routine, and only then am I able to pray like that. For me Lectio Divina is my informal prayer. I'm trying to meditate on the gospel for each day.

For all those that said daily mass, I'm jealous (or envious, whichever is the one that isn't sinful, I always forget).. Unfortunately I'm not able to make a daily mass currently, usually it's part of my routine. I'm also trying to get to adoration at least once a week. I also try to do the heroic minute, and a quick morning offering right when I get up, and then an examination of conscience before going to bed.

[Adoro te devote]

The rosary is my constant prayer.  Occasionally I will pray the Hours from the Monastic Diurnal.

 

I support this. From the heart and with the heart is more important than any perfectly worded tradition of prayer.

 

The exception being the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Divine Office.  The liturgical prayer of the Church is of infinitely greater value than any private prayer we bring forth whether informal ejaculations or even Our Lady's sacred Psalter.

[Anastasia13]

The exception being the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Divine Office.  The liturgical prayer of the Church is of infinitely greater value than any private prayer we bring forth whether informal ejaculations or even Our Lady's sacred Psalter.

 

Agreed whole heartedly (ok, 99% if it is a Protestantized ultra modern style, but you gotta have the eucharist, and if Armenian, the confession too).

[Lilllabettt]

That's funny for me informal prayer is really difficult, I need the structure of a formal routine, and only then am I able to pray like that. For me Lectio Divina is my informal prayer. I'm trying to meditate on the gospel for each day.

For all those that said daily mass, I'm jealous (or envious, whichever is the one that isn't sinful, I always forget).. Unfortunately I'm not able to make a daily mass currently, usually it's part of my routine. I'm also trying to get to adoration at least once a week. I also try to do the heroic minute, and a quick morning offering right when I get up, and then an examination of conscience before going to bed.

 

Jealousy is concern to keep for yourself what you already have. God for example is jealous of our worship. The Bible says He is a jealous God and will not put up with us worshiping other Gods. Envy is concern over what somebody ELSE has that you want for yourself. Our God cannot be envious because He lacks nothing. .

 

Another example:  if I have a boyfriend I might be jealous of him because I want  to keep him mine. If I don't have a boyfriend and my sister does, I might be envious of her because I wish her boyfriend was mine!

[HisChildForever]

Adoro Te Devote - what a beautiful picture of the Blessed Virgin! Do you know who the artist is?

[LittleWaySoul]

I don't think you do. I wasn't sure if the word would be easily understood (or if I used it right... :blush:). What I meant was just little two second prayers spread throughout the day, like when starting to study or leaving the building or something.

 

Ahhhh! Those are my specialty on some days ;)

[Adoro te devote]

Adoro Te Devote - what a beautiful picture of the Blessed Virgin! Do you know who the artist is?

 

I do not know. :( Though I am desperately searching even now because I wish to know.  I think this is now my most favourite painting of Our Blessed Mother.

[cappie]

Being a Capuchin I use the Franciscan pattern of prayer, it is St Clare of Assisi, St Francis’ partner in defining the Franciscan way of life, who gives us the four-part Franciscan approach to prayer in her second letter to Agnes of Prague: to gaze, to consider, to contemplate, and to imitate (20-21). a four-fold pattern that, while similar to other monastic disciplines, has differences unique to the Franciscan tradition. Monks typically did not include anything like imitation in their definitions of prayer. By highlighting the imitation of Christ who is our partner in prayer, Franciscans clearly announce that a changed life is part of prayer, and not its consequence.

 

.  The four steps are referred to as: gazing, considering, contemplating, and imitating.

• To Gaze: Similar to the discipline of reading the Scripture, St. Clare intentionally used the visually influenced term because she understood that many people of her time were illiterate, glean a great deal of the Gospel story through icons, fresco and other visual displays.  Francis practiced this a great deal, starting the first live nativity, barn animals and all.  Beyond literacy, though, the intent was to center us on the reality of the texts, reinforcing the deeply incarnational convictions of the Franciscans.

 

• To Consider: Again paralleling the monastic discipline of meditation, Clare framed it is terms that the common people could understand.  Here she appealed to the imagination, to invite us into the text as though we were physically present.  Again, the incarnational emphasis is central to the process, as it was for Francis too.

 

• To Contemplate: Explicitly using the term common to other monastics.  Not to be confused with consideration/meditation, this was the mystical discipline in which we seek to be present with the God who is eternally present with us.  It was a prayer of silence, of emptying oneself to all but the Spirit of Christ within us.  Clare knew that if we truly entered into the Gospels through gazing and consideration, begin to encounter the intimate presence of God in and around us.

 

• To Imitate: This fourth step is what sets the Franciscan pattern of prayer apart.  While many others have emphasized imitation of Christ, most believed that such behaviour was the fruit of prayer.  Francis and Clare knew that the imitation of Christ was, itself, the culmination of prayer.  For many, prayer was meant to bring them into a state of spiritual ecstasy or peace or love in God’s presence.  However, the Franciscan tradition understood that we encounter the presence of Christ most genuinely when we live His truth with our own lives.  After all, we are the Body of Christ, the incarnate presence, united and empowered by the very present Spirit of God within us.

I have found this pattern of prayer helpful. 

 

 

Edited June 2, 2013 by cappie

[Oremoose]

How I pray...I pace (I walk back and forth sometimes in a big circle or just a straight line) idk why I just connect better with the big guy that way...

 

What I pray...

In the Mornin'...

 

I try Daily meditation ( idk what the fancy name is for it)

A simple prayer of daily dedication so that even if i cant keep a continued conversation with him during the day.At least my heart beats are acts of Love,Thanksgiving, Adoration and Reparation.

 

Then: grace before meals:

 

Then the typical prayers before bed with the Family.

 

Mass on Sunday, Rosaries when Mary kicks me on the butt to pray it and the Divine Mercy Chaplet After a hard fall.

[cmaD2006]

When I'm having a decent prayer life, my prayer consists of:

a) suscipe in the morning (when I remember, although it's supposed to be daily)

b) meditation/contemplation time.  Using scripture OR

     praying "where I'm at" ... i.e. journaling what is going on inside of me  OR

     if I can't pray I just sit there.  I don't go into a formal prayer (i.e. I won't do the rosary, etc.) at this time.

     (note -- I end my meditation/contemplation time with a review of what happened in prayer in my journal)

c) quick 5 minute review at the end of the day to see what significant thing happened and how God was there.

 

I will say a quick thought of prayer in the car.  When driving long distances (> a few hours) I usually listen to a series of talks.

 

I try to go to Mass 4 times a week.  Confession weekly (usually).

 

I have an hour of adoration weekly.  At adoration I usually do my daily prayer time.

 

I usually don't do the rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet on a regular basis.

 

Finally I do have this habit of getting into an informal prayer (i.e. when I'm at home by myself or in the office or in my car) every so often.  I sometimes lift someone up in prayer very quickly (usually when I'm told to pray for someone).  Or if a situation occurs that gets me upset, or concerned.  Or something happens that makes me very happy.  Again it's a quick lifting of the soul up in prayer, that may be for a second or two, or for a few minutes (depends on where I'm at).  It's a sense of God's presence during the day, be it while working, or driving, or talking on the phone with someone, etc.

 

(I forgot to mention -- I usually pray at home.  I have a prayer room, but I've been recently adverse to using it.  I usually pray now in my living room, in my favorite armchair that I use to watch TV.   Kitty cat has gotten used to my praying, so she just joins me by laying on the back of the chair while I pray, unless she feels like playing with the ribbon on my journal at which point my prayer gets interrupted!)

Edited June 2, 2013 by cmariadiaz

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Daily:

Office of Readings, Lauds, Midday prayer, Vespers, Mass, Compline, and informal prayer when it hits me or I remember to pray.

 

Weekly:

Confession, rosary, DMC

 

Monthly: 

Consecration to Jesus through Mary and spiritual direction