Does God Care?

[picchick]

Does God care how we pray to Him?

Does God care how we offer Him praise aside from the Mass?

Will our prayers not be answered if they do not have the proper form?


Just wondering...

[Groo the Wanderer]

God cares that His children reach out to him in whatever way they are able. There are so many forms of prayer: Liturgy, devotions, formal prayer, meditation, contemplation, adoration, reading the Word, offering to Him our mundane and daily tasks....

Yes, our prayers must have a certain form...they should spring forth from the soul in response to God's call to us. As long as our prayers are real, God hears us and He answers.

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='picchick' post='1868600' date='May 16 2009, 02:21 AM']Does God care how we pray to Him?

Does God care how we offer Him praise aside from the Mass?

Will our prayers not be answered if they do not have the proper form?


Just wondering...[/quote]
The Church has always held that how we worship God is important, and in fact not just important, but vital to our salvation. After all the word "orthodox" means "right praise" or "right worship."

Nadab and Abihu found out what happens when one brings "strange fire" into the temple of the Lord.

[kafka]

well, i dont like the debate table. Just let me know if you want my opinion or rather Rahner's opinion since I am immersed in his thougt at this time. .

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='picchick' post='1868600' date='May 16 2009, 05:21 AM']Does God care how we pray to Him?

Does God care how we offer Him praise aside from the Mass?

Will our prayers not be answered if they do not have the proper form?


Just wondering...[/quote]
I don't think the form matters as much as the intent of the prayer.

[Slappo]

Lex orandi lex credendi anyone?

The law of prayer is the law of belief.

Prayer should have [b]some[/b] sort of order to it and by that I don't mean "15 minutes bible reading, 10 minutes meditation, 20 minutes rosary," but in the sense of order as opposed to chaos. There should be things present in prayer such as reverence, especially in front of the blessed sacrament, posture does make a difference in prayer and there should be reverent postures when formally praying (as opposed to what St. Josemaria would call short ejaculations or affections towards God).

We ought not go into an adoration chapel and pray while doing stretches for running, or handstands, cartwheels, etc.

Pretty much anything in the realm of common sense is okay though... There are definitely reccomendations such as kneeling that come from Fulton Sheen following the traditions of Scripture.

[CatherineM]

I was thinking about the person in the front of the church in his finery, and the one hiding in the back with holes in his pants and no money in his pockets. I've been both at various times in my life, and I know I needed God both times, but seemed to reach out more from the back.

I saw clips of Farrah Fawcet's documentary on TV last night, and saw her crossing herself before going into an MRI machine, and clutching a rosary another time. I didn't know she was Catholic, but it certainly reminded me how much easier it is to reach out in prayer when you are afraid. When things are going good, it's easier to forget.

[Resurrexi]

"THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF PRAYER: THE PRAYER OF THE JUST

What, then, is the best manner and the most exalted degree of prayer? It is that which is made use of by the pious and the just. Resting on the solid foundation of the true faith, they rise successively from one degree of prayer and virtue to another, until, at length, they reach that height of perfection, whence they can contemplate the infinite power, goodness, and wisdom of God; where, too, they are animated with the assured hope of obtaining not only those blessings which they desire in this life, but also those unutterable rewards which God has pledged Himself to grant to him who piously and religiously implores His assistance.

Soaring, as it were, to heaven, on these two wings, the soul approaches, in fervent desire, the Divinity; adores with supreme praise and thanksgiving Him from whom she has received such inestimable blessings; and, like an only child, animated with singular piety and profound veneration, trustfully tells her most beloved Father all her wants.

This sort of prayer the Sacred Scriptures express by the words pouring out. In his sight, says the Prophet, I pour out my prayer, but before him I declare my trouble.24 This means that he who comes to pray should conceal or omit nothing, but pour out all, flying with confidence into the bosom of God, his most loving Father. To this the Sacred Scriptures exhort us in these words: Pour out thy heart before him,25 cast thy care upon the Lord.26 This is that degree of prayer to which St. Augustine alludes when he says in that book, entitled Enchiridion: What faith believes, that hope and charity implore.27

THE SECOND DEGREE OF PRAYER: THE PRAYER OF SINNERS

Another degree of prayer is that of those who are weighed down by the guilt of mortal sin, but who strive, with what is called dead faith, to raise themselves from their condition and to ascend to God. But, in consequence of their languid state and the extreme weakness of their faith, they cannot raise themselves from the earth. Recognizing their crimes and stung with remorse of conscience, they bow themselves down with humility, and, far as they are removed from God, implore of Him with penitential sorrow, the pardon of their sins and the peace of reconciliation.

The prayers of such persons are not rejected by God, but are heard by Him. Nay, in His mercy, He generously invites such as these to have recourse to Him, saying: Come to me, all you that labour, and are heavily laden, and I will refresh you.28 Of this class was the publican, who, though he did not dare to raise his eyes towards heaven, left the Temple, as (our Lord) declares, more justified than the Pharisee.29

THE THIRD DEGREE OF PRAYER: THE PRAYER OF UNBELIEVERS

A third degree of prayer is that which is offered by those who have not as yet been illumined with the light of faith; but who, when the divine goodness illumines in their souls the feeble natural light, are strongly moved to the desire and pursuit of truth and most earnestly pray for a knowledge of it.

If they persevere in such dispositions, God, in His mercy, will not neglect their earnest endeavors, as we see verified by the example of Cornelius the centurion.30 The doors of the divine mercy are closed against none who sincerely ask for mercy.

THE LOWEST DEGREE OF PRAYER: THE PRAYER OF THE IMPENITENT

The last degree is that of those who not only do not repent of their sins and enormities, but, adding crime to crime, dare frequently to ask pardon of God for those sins, in which they are resolved to continue. With such dispositions they would not presume to ask pardon from their fellow-man.

The prayer of such sinners is not heard by God. It is recorded of Antiochus: Then this wicked man prayed to the Lord, of whom he was not to obtain mercy.31 Whoever lives in this deplorable condition should be vehemently exhorted to wean himself from all affection to sin, and to return to God in good earnest and from the heart." (The Catechism of the Council of Trent)

[CatherineM]

My Catechism doesn't say anything about some people's prayers not being worth as much as others'. It was copyrighted in 1994, so maybe I need to pick up a new one.

[Slappo]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1868696' date='May 16 2009, 08:34 AM']My Catechism doesn't say anything about some people's prayers not being worth as much as others'. It was copyrighted in 1994, so maybe I need to pick up a new one.[/quote]

Or an old one... ressurexi was citing the Catechism of [b]Trent[/b]

Those are the degree's of prayer and have to do with your disposition to grace though, not the manner in which you pray.

If you are in mortal sin you are not disposed to as much grace by the state of your soul. If you are not willing to repent then your prayer cannot be filled with love as love calls one to repentance...

[KnightofChrist]

That same Catechism says nothing about the Church forbidding Catholics to be Free Masons. But that doesn't mean the Church now says it's ok to be one. Point is just because the '94 Catechism is silent where the Trent Catechism is not does not mean it has been overruled or thrown out.

[MissyP89]

If it comes from your heart, and is reverent, respectful, and not meant to draw attention to yourself but give glory to God, I'd say go for it.

[KnightofChrist]

Yes He does clearly care how we pray to Him. How we pray to Him makes a difference as to what state of grace we are in at that moment. Post 8 from Trent, should be part of our guide is to what type of reverent and respectful prayers we should be making to God.

[kafka]

God hears all sincere and humble prayers even if the prayer is imperfect, if it is sincere and humble He will eventually answer it, in a more perfect, and perhaps surprising way.

Jesus Christ taught us not to multiply words and make these elaborate prayers:

[Matthew]
{6:7} And when praying, do not choose many words, as the pagans do. For they think that by their excess of words they might be heeded.
{6:8} Therefore, do not choose to imitate them. For your Father knows what your needs may be, even before you ask him.

a good example of this is this article. A person was healed by a simple and sincere prayer to Cardinal Newman:

[url="http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/19315806/detail.html"]http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/19315806/detail.html[/url]


I guess I mentioned Rahner above, yet Conte comes to my mind. He has some interesting view of prayer:


God and You

If you are obedient to God, then God will be obedient to you. For in so far as you obey the commandments of God and the teachings of the Church, God will answer your holy prayers and give you what you ask of Him. The Virgin Mary was entirely obedient to God throughout every moment of her existence. Therefore, God gave the Virgin Mary everything she asked of Him. God was obedient to Mary because she was obedient to Him.

Therefore, O children of God, be obedient to God and He will be obedient to you.
[url="http://www.catholicplanet.com/MHT/obedience-Trinity.htm"]http://www.catholicplanet.com/MHT/obedience-Trinity.htm[/url]

[KnightofChrist]

Also, not that you can not, and certainly not that you should not. But one must be careful when 'praying from the heart', after all it can not be forgotten that "the heart is perverse above all things." (Jeremiah 17:9)

Again this is only a warning, I am no way saying you can not 'pray from the heart.' We must be careful however that what we are praying from the heart should be what we are praying.