Jesus' Teachings, Prayer, & Christian Life
"He (Jesus) Took the Bread. Giving Thanks Broke it. And gave it to his Disciples, saying, 'This is my Body, which is given to you.'" At Elevation time, during Catholic Mass, the priest establishes a mandate for Christian Living. Historically, at the Last Supper, Christ used bread and wine as a supreme metaphor for the rest of our lives. Jesus was in turmoil. He was aware of what was about to befall him -- namely, suffering and death. This was the last major lesson he would teach before his arrest following Judas' betrayal. Eschatologically speaking, the above set the stage for the Christian ministry of the apostles, evangelists and priests. Indeed, every Christian is called to give of him or herself for the Glory of God and the Glory of Mankind. The message at the Last Supper was powerful. People have put themselves through unimaginable horrors and even death to spread this message. Christian or Christ-Like living is a privilege. Having Christ as a beacon and an exemplar is demanding. Saints and other divine personage come closer to this light than ordinary humans. They also work as intercessors for the rest of us in our attempts to follow Christ. Though we can never hope to attain divine perfection, Christian life is a continuing endeavor. One example is: persistence in time of difficulties and making hard choices in favor of expeditious ones. This "breaking of self" can, and should, occur under the most mundane of circumstances.
Jesus' teachings mentioned at the beginning of this section are profound in their simplicity and simple in their profundity. They call Christians to be followers of Christ. Consequently, in a Trinitarian sense, Christians are also called to be followers of the Holy Spirit with the acknowledgement of God as the Almighty -- the Ultimate Entity. Faith is paramount; as is unadulterated Devotion. Absolute adherence demands continuing communication with God. Such communication is in the form of Prayer. Like any communication, prayer is governed by words or actions. One might venture to categorically state that every facet of our life from birth to eternity is one continuing prayer.
Every word in the Bible bespeaks of God's infinite love for man. The creation of the world, creation of Man and the deliverance of the Israelites are key examples of God's love for us. The best illustration of God's love is, of course, the gift of the life of Christ. There is no greater love of a Father than giving his beloved Son to die for our Salvation. The result of such love is our raison d' tre; it is what defines us; it is our Christianity. This dissertation is devoted to the celebration of our awareness of God's love for us by prayer. The Bible and prayer are synonymous because it is the primary source of inspiration to all Christians. Exhortations and calls to prayer will also be discussed.
In this labor of love, the place of prayer in our lives will be discussed. What is prayer? The simple answer is communication with God. This communication takes many modes and dynamics as in communication between humans or lower animals. Faith and devotion are prerequisites for communicating with God. Anything less renders the most heartfelt prayers into meaningless verbal ejaculations and gestures. Prayer takes different forms depending on what we wish to communicate to God -- supplication, thanksgiving, conversational, celebration, acclamation and contrition. One often hears the adage, "Faith can move mountains." Prayer becomes the channel for this faith and devotion fuels this faith. It will be necessary to understand the prevalent worldview on faith: those that believe and those that do not. The history of religion in America and the influence of prayer on the evolution of American Christianity will be discussed. For those of us who are blessed to believe the existence of God in our lives, prayer has played and continues to play an important role in our lives and of those around us. Such is the magnificence of the Power of Prayer. While natural prayer is best, there are methods that lend formality to prayer. The most powerful and complete-Lord's Prayer was, after all, Jesus' instruction when the disciples asked him how to pray. Formal prayer is especially important in community worship and in spreading the message of Christ to enforce Christian belief and bring Christ to the doorsteps of those that don't believe.
Prayer is important and necessary. Prayer heals. Prayer brings peace and happiness. Prayer has the potential to: unleash torrents of love, awaken dormant love and realize the love for God. Prayer paves the road to eternal happiness. This dissertation will relate prayer to love by highlighting its importance for spiritual well being.
WHAT IS PRAYER?
God is universal in His dealings with all His children. In the humdrum of our daily lives, humans everywhere are embroiled in the problems of petty disagreements, jealousy and spiritual pride. Each of these pushes us further away from true Christian living. We need to respond to these universal needs like Jesus did, and the Apostles and the Saints have done throughout the ages. Our focus simply needs to be to heed the call from God to be people of prayer.
Prayer should be developed as a discipline and practice. It should be woven into the very fabric of our lives -- in everything we do. This is the only way that we can move toward Christ's Kingdom. Georgia Harkness defines prayer as: "The attempt to become consciously aware of God's presence, to discover His will for our lives, to surrender our vagrant thoughts and self-centered desires to His controlling purpose, to find in Him power for living." (Harkness, 1968) Prayer is an act of devotion, as opposed to passive waiting. Prayer as an activity should engage the will and the mind.
Prayer requires faith and devotion. The importance of devotion will be discussed in the next section. Lack of discipline and flexibility in life is evident in undisciplined prayer. In prayer, man is rendered naked before God. It is this openness that lends honesty to prayer. Prayer can bring about a complete revolution of personality. Prayer is not just a one-way communication. Active prayer also means active listening to God. Prayer creates energy between God and Man that is suffused with Love. God's love surrounds us. It is abiding.
The Webster's Third International Dictionary defines prayer as "a solemn and humble approach to Divinity in word or thought, usually involving beseeching, petition, confession, praise, or thanksgiving." (Merriam-Webster, 1993)
One of the techniques of good communication uses the example of the "Johari Window." Consider a window that is divided into segments. One segment is open to the outside world. The other window opens the outside world to you. Communication with God should be exactly such a window. We are free to open our selves to talk with God and keep ourselves open to receive God's love. (Luft, 1970)
The mere spouting of words does not constitute prayer. It involves focusing every aspect of our beings towards God. We often make the mistake of concentrating too much of what we want and need -- for ourselves -- than where the focus should truly lie. On God! In prayer, the picture of life assumes perspective. God takes priority. Everything else takes its own place in the scheme of things. Asked to define prayer, the Japanese Christian Toyohiko Kagawa replied in one word: "Surrender." (Jones, 1943)
So, what is Prayer? Prayer is basically, talking with God. Expressing our hearts to God; and, spending time with God. Prayer can be exciting, powerful and fulfilling. In the opinion of one of the most articulate and eloquent Christians, St. Chrysostom -- "the anchor of those tossed on the sea, the treasure of the poor, the cure of diseases, the safeguard of health" -- is prayer. Prayer is an anchor to those whose ships are unsteady and caught in maelstroms. It is a treasury of immense wealth for him who is poor (and according to the Sermon on the Mount -- the sure path to the Kingdom of God); prayer is a balm for the wounded soul; and it is a certain preservative for one that wants spiritual sustenance. St. Laurence Justinian celebrates the fantastic effects of prayer: "It pleases God, it gets what it asks, it overcomes enemies, and it changes men."
The following affords a clue as to what the types of prayer (to be discussed later) are. Prayer appeases the anger of God. Prayer pardons those who pray with humility. Prayer obtains every grace -- despite differing opinions, many believe that God will not deny anyone anything he or she asks for. Prayer vanquishes temptations. Prayer conquers weaknesses and afflictions. Prayer gives strength. Prayer brings redemption. Solomon averred that as soon as he asked for Wisdom, it was bestowed upon him. David, similarly, was given fortitude through the Spirit of God (Psalms 118, 131). Every martyr obtained strength to resist tyrants, and overcame dangers and death through prayer. The above are all examples of this "communication" with God in the true spirit of how Prayer was intended.
St. John Chrysostom weighs in again: "He who uses this great weapon knows not death, leaves the earth, enters heaven, and lives with God. He falls not into sin; he loses affection for the earth; he makes his abode in heaven; and begins, even in this life, to enjoy the conversation of God. How then can you disquiet such a man by saying: 'How do you know that you are written in the book of life?' " St. Paul, in turn, admonishes us to support out prayers with exhortations of thanksgiving as we place our petitions before God (Philippians. 4:6). And again, St. Paul defines prayer in his missive to the Corinthians. Perhaps, in a testament to prayer not being passive, he asks that we make our prayer resound in God's ears as opposed suppress our miseries. St. Paul reminds us that God indeed is faithful; he grants succor to everyone that invokes him (I Corinthians 10:13).
Cardinal Vincent Luis Gotti (OurLadysWarriors.org, 2002), in support of St. Paul's teachings, avers that God grants grace and gives us the strength to resist temptation. His Grace asks that we approach with humility and devotion: "for we can do all things in him who strengthens us by his grace, if we humbly ask for it. We can do all things with God's help. This is granted to everyone who humbly seeks it. Thus, we have no excuse when we allow ourselves to be overcome by a temptation. We are conquered solely by our own fault, because we would not pray. By prayer all the snares and power of the devil are easily overcome." In addition, St. Augustine states that, "all hurtful things are chased away" by prayer.
It bears repeating that Prayer is talking to God with mind, heart and often with the voice. It is a response to God's invitation to seek him (Matthew 11:28). We should also recognize our primary intercessor -- The Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is, and should be, the primary component of prayer. Through Baptism we are one with Christ and his Church; therefore, all our prayers are offered with his to the Father in the Holy Spirit. In Christ we have free and confident access to God through our faith in him (Ephesians 3:12).
God calls every person to prayer. God is completely invested in a quest for human salvation. Of this we can be doubtlessly confident. To achieve this end, God wishes engage us in a personal relationship through this unique conversation. God's invitation strikes at our heart continuously although our lack of devotion continues to shut God out. One might consider the following: Even as Christians we are often lost sheep because we ask the Good Shepherd to Get Lost!! God is always around us. If we look hard enough we will find God (Acts 17:27). Paradoxically, we learn to pray best by praying. It comes naturally from our own hearts. Therefore, Prayer is an honest and open reflection of our minds, our hearts, and our entire life. The book of psalms is a source of "Prayer for all occasions." The following psalm can provide an example that may for many epitomize the voice of man crying out to God: "Give ear to my words, O Lord; give heed to my groaning. Hearken to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch" (Psalm 5:1-3).
As Christians we should consider The Lord Jesus Christ as the primary intermediary and medium in this conversation with God. Christ as a means to achieve perfect communion with God. Traditionally, prayer has been composed with the humanistic and secular preoccupations of modern Christians. Prayer as a conversation with God presupposes the divine presence in man's world and the possibility of contacting Him. Judeo-Christian tradition proclaims that God has manifested Himself to man even before Christ when he made his presence known to the Israelites. In Christ, the Father was fully revealed. Through the Christian Sacraments of the Father, the manifestation of God in human terms and the Word of the Father we find the Risen Savior. Prayer is the acknowledgement of this miracle. Christ the Lord is present in all things, "drawing them to Himself." Every believer recognizes the person of Christ in the meal of the Eucharist. Man recognizes the sacred action around the supper table that is revealed in the values of love and care, which find their ultimate meaning in Christ himself. The encounter with God through Christ forms the core of prayer.
Prayer has also been defined as a cognitive act described as reflection, awareness and attention to God. St. Thomas defined prayer as "the interpreter of desire." Prayer is always dialogic in character. An important distinction must be made between "speaking to" versus "speaking about" a divine person. Human action insofar as it is human is a non-verbal, symbolic expression of the person acting out of his freedom and love. As long as he (or she) invests his person in what is being done, there will be reflection in the activity and communication. Prayer is explicit when there is direct confrontation with the divine persons as distinct love-objects, when one goes beyond the mediations to touch the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit in some sense of immediate relationship. Therefore, prayer is a response of faith and the act of faith terminates not in the objectification but in the Reality of God Himself. Prayer is implicit whenever the believer gives himself to either celebration in a spirit of disinterested love. Implicit prayer involves sharing of the spirit of brotherhood and family communion without consciously and directly thinking of God in personal.
If prayer is conceived only in abstraction, as the relationship with the transcendent God outside the universe, and is not integrated with man's life in the world and the human community, it is no wonder that it loses its appeal for modern man. Schillebeeck writes: "Life in-and-for-the-world feeds our understanding of God, as it were; in essence, Christian religious faith means that our concrete existence is a divine promise of salvation." (Schillebeeck, 1981) If this is overlooked, then one's religious life threatens to turn, not toward the real and living God but towards God as a notion. Prayer as a meeting with God can be defined as occurring in and growing out of man's search for human values.
For a theology of prayer, the way God speaks to us is as important as His intimate being and reality. Ernest Larkin declares: "Incarnational flesh and blood must be engrafted on the skeleton of the classical definitions of prayer. Word and Sacrament, as well as human, secular values, supply the bodiliness for encounter with God. Prayer must begin with response to the Word of God that comes to man where he is, in the world." Life itself becomes a listening device. Life involves openness to God's Word. (Larkin, 1984)
DEVOTION AND FAITH IN PRAYER
Charles Finney, former president of Oberlin College, in an 1839 lecture on devotion provided a prescription for how devotion is paramount for the purity of prayer. Recognition of God as the Almighty needs to be repeated. So is recognizing God's love for all. Everything is for the Glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:17, 23) and the importance of God (Romans 6:13, Romans 14:7, 8). Finney cautions against merely going through the motions such as reading the Bible, praying, or attending meetings. While these are individual acts of devotion, they are not devotion. Finney advocates devotion to be a state of mind and heart. Such a state involves consecrating our wills, our lives and beings as a "continual offering to God." True devotion must necessarily involve supreme devotion of the will, at all times, everywhere, in everything we do, our thoughts, and feelings. (Finney, 1985)
Devotion is that state of the will in which the mind is swallowed up in God, as the object of supreme affection, in which we not only live and move in God, but for God. In other words, devotion is that state of mind in which the attention is diverted from self, and self-seeking, and is directed to God. All thoughts, and purposes, and desires, and affections, and emotions, all everything depends on devotion to Him. Devotion and true religion are identical. While praying, no matter how fervent ones wishes are, they are merely words or actions if the primary concern is centered on man rather than God.
True devotion can be identified with true love. Supreme love to an object is a state, and not a mere act of the mind. Where, therefore, there is a supreme love, devotion, or consecration to God, it must be a state -- a voluntary state of mind -- in opposition to individual acts of mind. Those who pray in God's name are in a devotional state of mind without effectively realizing it.
A common misconception is that devotion is a variable feature of our lives. That man can get more devotional on religious occasions or during moments of community of social prayer. Such misconceptions can give rise to a false sense of what devotion is -- devoid of true faith. Faith is often confused with hope or expectation of salvation. Man can be devoted without hope if the entire sense of self is consecrated to God without any thought to salvation. A further confusion arises with man confusing the expression of devotion based on varying states of emotions. Acting out a so-called communication with God is not devotion. Such acts are devoid of true spirit and are not grounded in a true acknowledgement of God's love for us.
A spirit of true devotion makes the most constant worries and the most pressing labors the means of the deepest and most constant communion with God. The more constant and pressing our duties are, if they are performed for God, the deeper and more incessant is our communion with him; for whatever is done in a spirit of devotion is communion with God. Finney assures us that those would-be Christians who do not commune with God even in ordinary situations are not truly devoted. Every situation demands devotion. Finney cautioned his listeners that any act not performed with devotion was sin. Those who ignored the omnipresence of God in all our occupations were in danger in losing the sanctified state. Devotion ensures peace of mind. They have "perfect peace whose minds are thus stayed upon God" in an attitude of constant devotion. Finney ended his sermon with a stern admonition: "Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap; for he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, and he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
Devotion and Faith go hand in hand. Yet loss of faith is part and parcel of our lives. Circumstances often cause us to temporarily (or permanently) lose faith. A setback may cause one to question the existence of God. Historically contemporary knowledge, philosophical thought, advances in science and technology and the evolution of religion have caused conflicts in the name of religion. They have caused us to question the how and why of religion. They have caused us to straitjacket God into a set of thoughts and dimensions that are within human grasp. The atheists do not believe God's existence. The agnostics opt for the easy -- or lazy -- way out. But there are those others who adhere to precepts of devotion as God had preordained. These are the lucky. In fact, the most beautiful paean to Faith ever written, The Prayer to the Blessed Sacrament, contains the immortal lines in describing the Trinity in the Holy Eucharist: "Senses cannot grasp this marvel; Faith must serve to compensate." How lucky are those who can find true happiness in this profound sentiment. For the rest of humanity, life is spent grasping for the ultimate truth while it is there in God's omnipotence and omnipresence all around us in the marvels of creation.
While there is no doubt as to this Truth, it is worth discussing where philosophy and science stand on aspects of Faith. Jonathan Waller, in his online essay "God vs. God," raises very pertinent issues about the existence of God -- the ever widening divide between theists and atheists. In light of recent events, Waller maintains that these issues are very important. Mohammad Atta, in the name of God, flew a plane into a building. One of the first recognizable casualties in New York of the September 11, 2001, was Fr. Michael Judge, the chaplain of the New York Fire department. A few days before his death, Fr. Judge proclaimed the firefighters' job "a blessing from God." Atta and Judge -- two men on the same side of an argument -- both were staunch believers in the power and existence of God (Wallace, 2001).
Is God that important in our lives? Can we exist without belief in God? More importantly, will our faith in God and goodness hinge on tangible evidence of God's existence? It is important however, to recognize different arguments. God, in the opinion of many -- believers and non-believers, is (or should be) an entity that is: omnipotent (all-powerful), omnipresent (present everywhere), omniscient (all-knowing), primarily Good, and Not Wanting.
Christian believers generally use the Bible and Sacred Scriptures as evidence for God and the Messianic Prophecy -- the coming of Jesus Christ (and the existence of the Holy Trinity -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The lives and teachings of saints, and miracles or events that have no logical or scientific explanation are taken as the physical manifestation of God's work on earth -- a proof of God's existence. Since the earliest biblical books were from the 9th and 10th century, skeptics opined that the Bible was really the work of the early Christians. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (carbon dated back to almost 150 BCE) put paid to that theory (Vermes, 1997). The Scrolls capture the essence of the Bible, sometimes word for word -- especially the book of Isaiah, the prophet that most strenuously proclaimed the coming of Christ.
For atheists, the belief (or lack thereof) is simple: they want tangible evidence of God. Theists complain that the atheist sees God from man's perspective, within the bounds of the scientifically recognized laws.
Here are some of the arguments that atheists bring to the table:
David Hume's theodice problem points out inherent contradictions in the existence of God; they pertain to the evil in the world. If God is almighty and the creator of the universe, he created all the evil in the world. If God did not create evil, then he is not the Almighty. (Hume, 1998)
Another argument refers to a fundamental, immutable principle of the physics of the existence of matter in time and space -- the Heisenberg's Uncertainty principle. If time, position and the principles governing motion were fixed at the vertices of a fixed triangle, changing one and expecting the other two to remain unchanged is impossible. If the Uncertainty Principle holds good, God cannot be omnipresent. And, the cosmological argument: If God created the universe, he was physically outside the universe, i.e., outside the dimensions of space and time -- hyperspace and hyper-time; and since these concepts are non-existence in physics, God as an entity cannot exist.
The ontological argument is merely a semantic play on words: God as an entity worth worshipping has not openly communicated his position (worship "ability") as the Almighty (obviously discounting episodes in the Book of Exodus, when God is written to have communicated with Moses and the Israelites several times). If such a communication does not exist, then God is not worth worshipping -- ergo, God cannot exist.
Another philosophical argument making the rounds is Occam's Razor. William Occam, an English philosopher, hypothesized (simply put): If several options are available in the solution of a problem or the addressing of an issue, the simplest and most direct is the best. Occam's Razor is used to show that the world or nature (in which creation lies) left up to natural devices can create itself -- no God is necessary. The addition of God in the equation as the almighty creator is an added and unnecessary complication. (Mayor, 1994)
Some atheists argue that if God was the Almighty as the Bible or other religious texts put it, then nothing should be impossible. But in the physical sense, there are many things that are impossible and are proven to be so. Also, the omnipotence and omniscience of God goes contrary to the notion of free will. An all-powerful God cannot delegate free will. Since man can do whatever man wants (without prior permission), it negates the power of God as the controller of all things -- hence, God, as a theist would define, does not exist.
Another stringent argument is the one of logical positivism. God as an entity needs to be appreciated by either or all of the five senses. Not counting trances or stigmata (which skeptics and atheists struggle to find logical, scientific explanations for), none of the five senses can grasp the concept of God into any kind of solidity. Therefore, God cannot exist.
Philosophical arguments aside, Darwin's "Origin of Species" (Darwin, 1979) served as the first blow to the biblical teachings of creationism. Darwin proved, by very concrete examples, how species evolved. The work of scientists (Gregor Mendel and Hugo De Vries) on genetic variations and mutations -- microevolution -- giving rise to species different from ancestors supported Darwinian findings. The work by scientists and paleontologists -- macroevolution -- gave rise to theories of how we were born, and how near we were to pre-human hominids in structure and genetic ancestry. What these scientists could not find in physical evidence, they extrapolated -- a suspect, but not dishonest, practice.
It is then left up to the theists to try to prove the existence of God. Before delving into the theists' proof by indirect methods, namely, proving God's existence by countering arguments put forth by atheists and evolution theorists, what are the direct proofs offered by believers of God's existence?
William Paley an English theologian and philosopher pointed to a unified God (of creation) by hammering out the first step in the idea of "Intelligent Designer." Paley's argument was: if a wristwatch was found in the middle of the desert, it was reasonable to assume that it was not created by a random succession of events from material available in the desert. Living beings are even more complex; if random events could not create a wristwatch, they certainly could not have been responsible for living things. Living beings are also capable of experiencing pleasure -- sign of a benevolent creator. Such a creator cannot be found among men -- hence, God is almighty and created the universe. (Hart, 2002). All these are contrary to a unified, all powerful and eternal creator. Paley's explanation is also called the teleological theory for the existence of God (Greek: telos = end; logos = reason). In teleology, everything is created, or any project is carried out, with the final purpose being paramount, less thought being given to the mechanisms of the process.
The Intelligent Designer theory has gotten more sophisticated. Some of its proponents are Dr. Michael Behe- who proposed ordered creationism at the molecular level, and Philip E. Johnson, the self-styled leader of the Intelligence Designer movement. These theorists aver that the complexities of living beings, the mechanisms within even a single living cell, the balance of everything in nature, are unfathomable when looked at from a perspectives of evolutionists -- the number of random permutations that had to occur before it all fell into place. In other words, the natural order of things we see around and within us had to have been pre-designed. The Intelligent Designer theory from a standpoint of astronomy is known as the "anthropic principle." Astronomers Sir Edward Hoyle and Mathematician Chandra Singh, both avowed atheists, calculated the odds that the world as we see it occurring by chance are 1 in 1040,000 -- truly, a number unfathomable even by astronomical standards. South African Astronomer David Block has observed that the Universe is expanding at the right rate and balance that sustains life on planet. There is an inbuilt design factor that cares for the universe -- God the Intelligent Designer. (Dembski and Behe, 1999)
The Darwinian theories have not been entirely borne out by new discoveries by molecular biologists; the proposals of the timing of mutations in genes (the molecular clock) by Darwin do not match what the biologists observe in the Petri dishes of today's centers of higher learning (Fortey, 2001).
Besides scientific theories, believers in the existence of God, also provide counter arguments to the philosophies of the atheists and evolutionists. To David Hume's proposal of theodice problem, the Uncertainty principle, Occam's razor, questions of God's free will, God's omnipotence and omniscience, the "impossibility" question, logical positivism and other atheistic views mentioned earlier in the essay, theists and deists have one stock answer; or, several answers with one overriding theme. The deists believe that all atheistic theories fail before one single premise: the atheist straitjackets God into the limited boundaries of tangible, physical experiences.
God is beyond the senses; therefore, one does not have to hear, see or feel God. God is above the space-time continuum; the uncertainty principle or the Theodice problem does not apply to God. The deists' proof of the existence of God uses the Second Law of Thermodynamics, also known as the Law of Entropy. Entropy is the gradual or inevitable decay of any system into chaos. The human body eventually, like any system, fails. The Universe is heading towards an eventual end; therefore, it has to have had a beginning. Even if astrophysicists trace the entire universe backwards to a single point -- a singularity -- the point had to have been created sometime. There had to be a creator -- God. Actually, Occam's Razor has been used to support creationism: rather than have 1040,000 random permutations taking place to have the universe evolve, God's creative abilities seem simpler and more direct.
So where are we? Atheists find no tangible evidence they can wrap their fingers around. Deists believe that every theory put forward by the atheists and evolutionists is fraught with holes and lack of evidence. Atheists vehemently argue that just because evidence is lacking or missing does not mean a postulation is incorrect: Newtonian physics explained every physical law of macro-particles, but failed miserably when it came to microscopic ones. That does not mean that divine laws governed atomic and subatomic dynamics. Quantum mechanics explained some microscopic behaviors; the super-string theory explains others; maybe there is another theory in the wings that can explain currently elusive phenomena. Just because it has not been discovered does not mean that it can be attributed to God.
Isaac Asimov, in one his essays, gives an example to debunk creationism (but not necessarily the notion of God). As a counter to Paley's hypothesis he states that just because a car driver does not understand the mechanics of what makes a car run, does not mean the car has no engine. He further states that creationists would explain this lack of knowledge on the part of the driver as a team of horses under the hood of the car causing it to run. (Asimov, 1997)
While the deists counter atheist theories with theories of their own, they overcome the very wide chasm between indirect proof and direct evidence in one gigantic, magnificent and perhaps marvelous leap of Faith. Let's examine Faith in the existence of God. There are several religions all over the world: Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Shinto, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism. A common thread running through all religions is the triumph of good over evil. There are more believers in God's existence than there are not. Agnostics -- take the safe way out; they declare that they do not know. But both theists and atheists feel that this is a copout. While a large amount of bloodshed and wrongdoing has occurred (and continues to occur) in the name of religion, the acknowledgement of the existence of God lends positive direction to most people's lives. Community living and personal well-being are also manifestations of a belief in God. A recent article in U.S. News and World Report states that elderly people who are active practitioners of religion had lower levels of cholesterol and better overall health. Do we have direct proof of God's hand in health? No. Do we wish there was? Yes. Atheists would say, "That proves nothing." And it would provoke a smile among us believers.
In 1994, following the Rodney King verdict riots broke out all over L.A. Police could not protect citizens, and mass looting took place. Regular people from every walk of life suddenly turned into thieves. What if tomorrow, there is an all-pervading declaration? God does not exist. Sin is okay, and there should be no fear of retribution. Would we have peaceful, law- abiding societies anymore? Most people are not acquainted with the arguments of scientific discovery and philosophical thought. Yet they go about their daily lives in the belief of God's existence. Faith -- what a concept?
While the above presented a glimpse of the evolution of arguments of the strength religious philosophy it has no bearing on this dissertation. Knowing contemporary and historical worldview is necessary for all those who want to spread the message of true Christian prayer. This work is predicated on Christian belief and that foundation of faith and devotion is not open to question. Having established, therefore, the basis for prayer, devotion and faith, it is important to establish certain modes, types and dynamics of prayerful worship. Knowing the foundation on which prayer is based why do we need to categorize it? This is because Christianity calls us to community living and fellowship.
TYPES OF PRAYER
The dynamics of prayer can be identified in categories as part of super-categories. Consider a conversation between two human beings. One way to categorize conversations is based on topic. The topic of conversation is also characterized by the involved emotions. Gestures play an important role. Steven Pinker, a cognitive scientist from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in his groundbreaking book "The Language Instinct" (Pinker, 1998) in a manner that allows us to understand each other even if we spoke ungrammatical English as opposed to Standard English. Pinker's research shows that two people who knew no language were deserted on an island would eventually develop a new language complete with an established syntax and a reproducible vocabulary. Even more astounding is that two hearing impaired people from different countries would be able to discern "accents" even in sign language. If only conversation with God was an instinct. The overriding theme of the previous pages has been the recognition of the importance of true devotion and faith as the basis for prayer.
Like a human conversation, a prayer can take different forms: subject, gestures and emotions with each of the categories being cross related. St. Teresa's understanding of prayer as human communication with God (Morello, 1995) comes closest to mutual human communication. She starts with Mental Prayer. From a human standpoint, this should not be confused with telepathy -- but thought and internalization. Mental prayer is like an intimate sharing between friends. Mental prayer is in friendship. God initiates the friendship. Personal prayer is a response to a love already shown us by the God who is revealed to us. The approach to prayer is as one approaching someone whose love is assured. The person praying returns this call to love. A perfect example of such a sharing of love's bounty comes from Jesus Christ who is the center of the Teresian system. The Gospel of St. John inspired the above. St. John's gospel was different from the other evangelists in that his gospel was rooted in God's Love. John teaches us to pray not to win God's favor and love. God has already loved us through Christ. It is up to us then to answer this love. Thus prayer is an aspect of the life of grace: To receive the love of God for the self and returns it in two ways: by loving God directly and by loving our brothers and sisters in God and for God. Mental prayer is a gift received for personal transformation and then channeled back to God. According to Teresa, prayer is a loving exchange with Christ.
Akin to a voice conversation, Teresa mentions the second type of prayer -- vocal prayer. Vocal prayer is a prefabricated set of words and sentiments. Teresa asks that we repeat the words with understanding and attentiveness. Teresa avers that mental prayer is the highest form of prayer and a vocal prayer that comes from the heart approaches the devotion of true love-bound mental prayer.
The third type of prayer is Meditation. Teresa uses the word meditation interchangeably for several prayerful activities. According to Teresa, meditation is the prayer of effort. Once again approaching mental prayer, in meditation is an effort to think about and love the Lord. Teresa equates meditation as contemplation and reflection. She goes on to determine that imagination, reasoning and will at prayer as meditative activities. Teresa calls the active prayer of recollection an excellent kind of meditation. It is a style of meditation that locates the presence of God within the self and centers all reflection and affection on God there. According to Teresa, meditation is a borderline state midway between meditation and the first really strong contemplative experience. When one is given a less powerful form of contemplation in the passive prayer of recollection, he or she may gently continue to recite vocal prayers, repeat a biblical word, or quietly reflect, as a method of maintaining receptivity and responsiveness to the infusion.
Based on subject prayers can be categorized into:
Prayer of Thanksgiving: Giving thanks to God for all things in your life. We are commanded to give thanks in all circumstances. Being thankful is being grateful for protection, sustenance and blessing. More importantly, we are eternally grateful for the gift of his Son. Praise and thanksgiving are powerful weapons to the believer. It destroys the hold of Satan and lack of belief that often holds sway over our life. Praise and thanksgiving in effect disarm the two most deadly weapons in our approach to divinity. These two things can manifest in many different ways. Examples of prayers of Thanksgiving and Praise are: Psalm 100, Acts 16:16-34, Psalm 149:4-9, 1 Thessalonians 5:15-19. Praise and worship brings us into the presence of God. When we praise God in the fog of seemingly negative situations, we are affirming our faith in Him. This pleases God and helps our faith.
Prayers of Petition and Supplication: These are need-based prayers. We pray asking for the things we need in our life: Our daily bread, our need to survive, a roof over our heads, and means to sustenance -- employment are among several examples. Petitions are usually self-orientated, presenting our personal needs to our Heavenly Father. Petitions are accompanied by an intrinsic (declared or undeclared) trust that God will provide. Supplication means to petition or entreat someone for something. Passionate zeal and hunger fuels the prayer of supplication. Supplication comes in when Jesus wants us to share his riches.
Prevailing Prayer: Fervent, consistent, insistent and incessant prayer until a breakthrough takes place is called prevailing prayer. This prayer can takes place for ones self or as an intercession for others. In the latter case, prevailing prayer is accompanied by a strengthening selflessness. It becomes a class of the next category of prayer.
Prayer of Intercession: Love on its knees in prayer for others is an intercessory prayer -- pleading on behalf of the needs of someone else. Intercessory prayers are special kinds of prayers. They include all the above-mentioned prayers -- except, for the sake of others. Very often Saints are media that we invoke. Catholics often seek recourse to the Blessed Virgin Mary since the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. To intercede means to plead or mediate on behalf of another person. Jesus is interceding for us (Hebrews 7: 25) so is the Holy Spirit praying for us and through us as we pray in the spirit (Romans 8: 26-27). When we take it upon ourselves to pray earnestly for other people, we enter into the realm of intercession. To enter into intercession we must have a heart that really loves the Lord and cares about the things God cares about.
Prayer of faith: The prayer of faith is rooted in our confidence on God's Word. The woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9:20-21) knew that touching Jesus would get her healed. Her faith gave her the strength to press through the crowd. When one is sure that what one is praying for is God's will for you, the prayer of faith can be employed. The lack of forgiveness (Mark 11: 25) and doubt (James 1: 5-8) are the two greatest hindrances to the prayer of faith. Where the prayer of supplication is seeking God's will, the prayer of faith is to know God's will, praying it and receiving it from Him. (Mark 11:12-14, Mark 11: 20-25, Luke 7: 1-10, James 5: 13-18, Matthew 9: 18-26)
Prayer of agreement: The prayer of agreement is when two or more people come together and agree with one another inspired by the Word of God that something specific will be done. God has given power and authority to the Church and when we stand together in unity we can see more of God's power released (Matthew 28: 16-20). Unity is standing together with one purpose, sharing a joint vision and trusting God's Word to be fulfilled. We need to appreciate the power of unity if we are to see God's power released. (Genesis 11: 1-9, Matthew 18: 19-20, Exodus 17: 8-13, Psalm 133: 1-3, Acts 4:23, Hebrews 10: 24-25) During prayer, different kinds of prayer can be intermingled. What may start as a prayer of faith can soon develop into a prayer of supplication. There is no reason why we cannot apply any of the above types of prayers to all the situations that face us. If any of the above types of prayers are not present in our life, then we should seek God's counsel about it -- also through prayer. We need to ask Him to fill us with more of His love and make our prayer lives richer.
In his book "Prayer," Richard Foster takes the above categories of prayer and sub-categorizes them. Foster identifies prayers of transformation, calling them inward prayers. Transformation involves simple prayers from the heart, prayers of the forsaken and tears for those in pain, prayers of relinquishment when in trouble, prayers of formation during the molding of personality, and prayers of convenience equated to obedience. The second type of prayer involves attempts to be one in communion and establish intimacy with God. These include worship and adoration, prayer in celebration on the Sabbath, the attending of community worship and liturgy, every breath we take and every beating of our heart that proclaims God's glory. Also included in prayers of intimacy, is praying through scripture and time spend in contemplation. The third type of prayers is outward prayers or prayers of ministry. These include mundane or ordinary prayers, petitions, intercessions, prayers for healing and suffering and prayers of authority. (Foster, 1992)
In addition, Foster also includes prayers to the Holy Spirit in times of weakness and a careful perusal of the Psalms. The most important prayer, in fact, the prayer that begins and ends all prayers is the Lord's Prayer. While there are several instances of Christ's private prayer (discussed and illustrated later in this work), the Lord's Prayer is the first public prayer. It was also the example of prayer that Jesus Christ used to teach his apostles how to prayer. The legacy of this prayer is glorious. At the same time it is also tragic. The Lord's Prayer is glorious because this prayer is the basis for the apostles' ministry. It established our eschatological leanings. On the other hand, the legacy is tragic but it was necessary: James the brother of Jesus, and James the son of Zebedee were killed by mobs in Jerusalem; Matthew was slain on a sword in Ethiopia; Philip was hanged in Phrygia; Bartholomew flayed alive in Armenia; Andrew crucified in Achaia; Thomas was run through with a lance in East India; Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows; a cross went up in Persia for Simon the zealot; and in Rome the old apostle Peter was, at his own request, crucified head downward - because he did not think himself worthy to die in the same position as his Lord. Matthias was beheaded. Only John escaped a torturous death, and he died a lonely man in exile. About Judas Iscariot we already know. (PrayerFoundation.org, 2002)
Luke 11:1-4 "Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2 So He said to them, When you pray, say: 1 Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done; On earth as it is in heaven. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."
Martin Luther put the Lord's Prayer in perspective "No one can excuse himself by saying he doesn't know how to pray or what to pray for." St. Thomas Aquinas agreed: "The Lord's Prayer is most perfect." Because, as Augustine said, "if we pray rightly and fittingly, we can say nothing else but what is contained in this prayer of our Lord." And St. Louis de Monfort: "The Our Father contains all the duties we owe to God, the acts of all the virtues and the petitions for all our spiritual and corporal needs."
The Lord's Prayer has been translated into 1221 languages and dialects. The Didache (Niederwimmer and Attridge, 1998) gives the text of the Lord's Prayer as: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done as in heaven so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debt, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil: for thine is the power, and the glory, forever. "This document is probably contemporary with the gospels (around 80 AD) and states that the prayer should be said three times a day.
In support of St. Augustine, we can now proceed to dissect the Lord's Prayer and see it as a combination of several types of prayers discussed in this section:
This dissertation thus far has emphasized the necessity to show true devotion. Everything is pointed towards recognizing the Glory of God. Therefore this prayer is addressed to Our Father, who art in heaven,
The next step is immediately a proclamation of worship praise and reverence
Hallowed be thy name,
Hallowed" means "respected," "revered," "honored," "held in high esteem."
Though not immediately obvious the next phrase is a plea to confession. In biblical usage, the word "confession" means to establish oneself in agreement with the will and Word of God.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
The next step is the beginning of a petition. The prayer begins by asking
Give us
In a way, this is an intercessory prayer because the petition is not self-centered but also includes others
Give us (not 'me')
One prays for the solution not the problem. There is no dwelling on the problems that afflict the soul. The person praying does not dwell on the fact that he or she is hungry. The person declares the ultimate trust in God knowing that the prayers will be answered. The prayer is also about something specific. Bread provides the sustenance and nourishment for the soul. It strengthens the faith the people have in the Lord. The tribulations of the Israelites were assuaged when God gave them manna (bread from heaven).
Give us... bread (not 'I'm hungry')
Jesus' prayer includes an admonition to pray for today and not for some undefined petition in the future
Give us this day our daily bread, and This is then followed immediately by an acknowledgement of sinfulness and the lower role in the scheme of creation.
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
The following phrase also includes an indirect petition for protection and succor
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
The Lord's Prayer ends appropriately with the recognition of what our reason for existing is -- the glory of God.
For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
It is not difficult to see therefore that the Lord's Prayer is comprehensive. It not only sets the stage for Christianity, but also includes different types of prayer in the phraseology. The Lord's Prayer does not include a prayer of thanksgiving. And although it is specifically addressed to the Father it also implicitly includes the Blessed Trinity.
Just as a conversation can be rendered more effective with voice modulations and pitch control and variation, our body language plays an important role. Hand gestures help, as does making eye contact. Politicians occasionally communicate by direct eye contact and the occasional wink. It is as if they are taking the listener into a confidence that cannot be infiltrated by those around him. President Ronald Reagan was known as "the great communicator." President Bill Clinton on the other hand habitually late for meetings and functions would "work a crowd" in a manner that would cause them to forget the inconvenience that he had caused. One cannot imagine the hearing impaired communicate if their hands were somehow rendered inert. Body language is an important part of prayer. Raising of hands, kneeling, and lying prostrate on the floor are not usually issues. Some pray with eyes closed and some with eyes open; some raise their chins, others lower their chins. Clapping, dancing, falling in the Spirit, unrestrained laughing, and roaring are not as widely accepted, however, and special caution should be used by those accustomed to them. At the same time, spiritual travail in prayer, at times with "groanings, which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26), may be expected. Inordinate gestures can be forgiven if the person praying is believed to be entranced.
One of the great mysteries of devotion and powers of the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. The first biblical reference to this is during the feast of the Pentecost when the earliest believers got together. A mass confirmation (sacrament) ensued. The Holy Spirit with tongues of fire touched each of those gathered. They could speak in tongues -- demonstrating fluency and grasp of languages with which they had no prior contact. In evangelical situations to this day, this mystery is repeated time and again as a supreme testament to the faith (1 Corinthians 14:39).
HOW TO PRAY
Over the centuries people have developed various approaches to prayer. But all of them have had certain elements in common. With a reminder for devotion, there are methods and procedures that will ensure the full power of a prayerful life:
Moments of silence and repose are paramount. We need to remove ourselves from the daily hustle. Same holds true for the chaos from within and without. Withdrawal into silence is important to gain a true understanding of prayer. Sometimes one can find silence in the midst of daily activity. (Luke 6:12)
With everything in the world constantly changing and transient, our lives could be considered as a journey even if we do not move from place to place. On occasions it helps to stop and gain perspective. We should endeavor to find such a place of repose away from the bustle of the daily grind (Matthew 6: 6-8).
When one has withdrawn from noise without and within, and is in a place where one can relax, it is then that we can focus our mind's eyes on deeper realities. Focusing on the wonders of God's creation is a good start. From the visually obvious one might consider moving to wonder at the mysteries of. There is beauty in the ability to see past things as objects to a deeper reality. (2 Kings 6: 15-17)
Being enveloped in silence allows us to hear the cry of people's suffering -- as Christ did: We hear lots of things but usually we have not learned to really listen. If we can pay sufficient attention to the words, we hear we can notice the underlying message. To notice the underlying message, we can meet the suffering in another. (Exodus 3: 7-8)
In prayer we need to reach out with our minds, hearts and hands. Jesus used touch to heal. In all our relationships the sense of touch remains very important throughout life. Sensitive people are constantly aware of how their words and actions may hurt other people, and how their gentleness and respect will heal and encourage. (Mark 5: 27-34)
And very importantly in prayer we respond to the Word of life: As Christians we believe that God has made himself known fully as a God of love. God himself speaks in Sacred Scripture. We can learn to interpret our world in a new way by reading and reflecting on God's word. (Luke. 4: 16-21)
Through prayer, God has become visible to us in Jesus Christ. He has become a person we can talk to, a close friend and a companion -- a dear father. The nearness of God in Jesus provides new meaning to life. When we touch other people around us, we do so with even greater love and respect because we remember what we do to them we do to Christ. In this way we open ourselves fully to Christ's Spirit so that he can transform us and how we live. (John. 14: 19-21)
Fr. Ed. Hays, in his "Prayers for the Domestic Church" (Hays, 1979) points to a universality of prayer. He talks about the importance to personal and private prayer. This prayer may take various forms but usually involves some kind of daily discipline. These daily prayer times are an individual's expression of a personal relationship with God. These prayers can invoke the different types mentioned in this section thus far: devotion, gratitude, personal piety, petitions and thanksgiving. Universally, the sacred times are sunrise and sunset; morning and evening are the traditional time periods when persons seek a communion with the Mystery of God that dwell within.
Private prayer should be measured by quality and not quantity. Ideally, some of this time should be reserved for silent prayer or medication. Fr Hays advices "We can begin with five or ten minutes of silence and with practice increase this period to fifteen or twenty minutes." He supports a pragmatic approach based on when one is at his most physically, mentally and emotionally ready to pray. He compares readiness for prayer with daily ablutions as we go about getting ready for the day. He advocates setting a block of time for prayer. Hindus in India are taught to worship the Sun God. It is called Surya Namaskar (worship of the sun). (URDAY.com, 2002) It involves just few minutes of yogic exercises with the rising Sun. Hindus swear by the spiritual and physical well-being this routine brings. A rigid discipline of prayer in familiar surroundings at a certain time of day helps to surround the heart with support when we come to our private devotion. This pattern makes it easier to quiet us; makes it easier to enter into prayer.
While as Christians we might argue the object of this devotion, we cannot argue the disciple and rigor that goes along with setting a specific time to be with God. Fr. Hays advocates coming to daily prayer as "a blend, a beautiful blend, of body, mind and spirit." While it is possible to pray anywhere and in any posture, the posture must first and foremost permit us to stay alert where our bodies are free from stress.
Physical acts in prayer might involve a deep bow. This act demonstrates our surrender to the will of God. Even though the mind is the most important in prayer, Fr. Hays advocates the entire being to be absorbed in prayer. The prayer of our body may include the use of our hands, eyes, ears, or feet as instruments of devotion. The greater the involvement of every fiber of our beings "mind, heart, imagination, memory, senses, as well as dreams, disappointments, sorrows and joys" the more wholesome and holy will be our prayer.
In a comparison between private and community worship, the former is more important because it allows us to be one in our nakedness before God without the fear of how someone else might perceive us. Individual prayer is the most honest prayer. Only when every individual in a community setting prays with true faith and devotion according to the will of God can communal worship realize its true power. From a social standpoint, communal prayer is essential. A lot of good can come from it. Also, because it is supported by a variety of social and ritual structures, communal prayer is easier to sustain than personal prayer. Social service activities, healing, administering to the sick are examples of manifestations of communal prayer and worship. However, in such situations there is a danger of self-centeredness overcoming the attitude that it should happen for the glory of God. Individual prayer should be just that: individual and personal. All true prayer leads us always to the heart of the hidden God, who is praying in all creation and in all persons. But it is difficult to approach God as the Divine Beloved in public prayer. We need opportunities for private prayer that can express our devotion and affection for God. Private prayer, when it is truly a communion with God, will always lead us into communal prayer. When we come to times of communal prayer, with our family or with the parish, our personal prayers will nourish and enrich that communal expression.
All true prayer leads us outward from the center of ourselves. All true prayer leads to social justice and apostolic labor. But without personal prayer, social action is hollow. Without a meditative heart, social reform can easily become self-glorifying instead of an act that gives glory to God. The coming of the Kingdom must begin with a heart that is praying always and always reforming.
One interesting strategy worth mentioning is to combine the different types of prayer into a structure. If involves setting aside a different day for a different type of prayer. Importantly, the person praying must not hesitate to vary this schedule for spontaneous prayer or to increase the amount or prayer, or to pray for something else.
On MONDAY - Family
Pray for both immediate and extended family members
For both their physical and spiritual well-being
On TUESDAY - Church
For members in the local congregation
For Christians and congregations throughout the world
On WEDNESDAY - Community
For community leaders
For your neighbors
On THURSDAY - Nation
For elected officials
For efforts to bring peace and righteousness
On FRIDAY - World
For world peace
For nations that are "closed" to the gospel
On SATURDAY - Afflicted
For the poor, homeless, jobless
For those in prison
For those who are sick
For widows, single mothers, fatherless children
PRAYER AND THE BIBLE
Naturally every Christian -- even those that do not actively listen, enjoys the great privilege of prayer that brings us ever closer to God. As mentioned previously, God is always reaching out to us. The privilege of prayer allows us to approach God.
Prayers of petitions ask God for:
Forgiveness for sins (John 1:9)
Peace to counter against the continual anxiety that life causes us to suffer (Philippians 4:6-7)
For strength from God through His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:14-16)
St. Paul frequently exhorted Christians that in order to pray fruitfully we had to be diligent
Praying with an attitude of supplication (Ephesians 6:18)
Praying earnestly in thanksgiving and being vigilant (Colossians 4:2)
Praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Jesus foresaw the same. He cautioned not to be slack with prayer (Luke 18:1). Due diligence had to be given. Throughout Jesus' human existence, through sermons, teachings, admonishments and examples, he identified characteristics of acceptable prayer. Most of these have already been covered in previous sections but there is no better validation than to identify what we have learned so far through examples in the life of Jesus.
Jesus assured us that whatever we asked of God in true faith and devotion we would receive (Matthew 21:22)
We must have faith in God, and in His ability to answer (Hebrew 11:6)
There was a good likelihood that prayer that did not go hand in hand with faith any would not be answered (James 1:5-8)
On the other hand, Jesus asked us to seek God's help if we felt our faith weakening. Recourse to the Word of God would always have an answer (Romans 10:17).
Jesus asks that we offer prayers in the spirit of humility.
He used the example of the self-righteous Pharisee and the contrite publican (Luke 18:9-14).
He reminds is that "The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit" (Psalm 34:18)
And James uses what Christ taught to reinforce the notion of humility "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6)
Jesus also tells us that like faith and devotion Christians should be mindful of God's will in the payer. The self-centeredness should be banished and emphasis should be placed on God.
God answers prayer that is offered "according to His will" (John 5:14).
Jesus provided the example for us in His prayers at Gethsemane (Luke 22:42)
Too often, prayers are unanswered because they are more concerned with our will, rather than God's will. (James 4:3)
Jesus reminds us of our righteousness in the presence of God. He asks that we approach God with that righteous confidence.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil (Peter 3:12).
The prayers of the righteous person are effective (James 5:16-18).
But those continuing in sin He will not hear. (Proverbs 28:9; Isaiah 59:1-2)
To be righteous before God requires that we submit to the "righteousness of God" offered in Christ (Romans 10:1-4). We must respond to the gospel of Christ (Romans 1:16-17)
The prayer of Thanksgiving is related to prayers of Petition. Jesus asks that we enter into this circle. True gratefulness begets greater gifts
Giving thanks always for all things to God (Ephesians 5:20)
In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6)
By vigilant with thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2)
Pray without ceasing and giving thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)
With diligence, Jesus also cautions persistence. There is a differentiation between persistence as whininess but an abiding and continuing faith in God
Jesus illustrated this aspect of prayer through two parables
The parable of the persistent friend (Luke 11:5-10)
The parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8)
The virtue of persistence was also demonstrated in several instances in the prayers of:
Jesus at Gethsemane (Matthew 26:44)
Paul, pertaining to his "thorn in the flesh" (2 Colossians 12:7-8)
The early church (Acts 2:42)
Jesus provides the perfect intermediary in examples of intercessory prayer. Nothing can reach the father than through his Son. This notion of Jesus as the medium was eloquently portrayed in John Milton's magnum opus "Paradise Lost." (Milton and Farley, 1919)
See Father, what first fruits on Earth are sprung
From thy implanted Grace in Man, these Sighs
And Prayers, which in this Golden Censer, mixed
With Incense, I thy Priest before thee bring, [25]
Fruits of more pleasing savor from thy seed
Sow'n with contrition in his heart, then those
Which his own hand manuring all the Trees
Of Paradise could have produc't, ere fall'n
From innocence. Now therefore bend thine ear [30]
To supplication, hear his sighs though mute;
Unskillful with what words to pray, let me
Interpret for him, me his Advocate
Jesus pleads with his father and promises to intercede on behalf of the original sin-tainted man. In prayer in the Bible therefore:
Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20)
This means much more than simply adding a little phrase "in Jesus' name" at the end of our prayers. We must realize that Jesus is the only way by which we can approach God (John 14:6).
We must view Him as our "high priest" who intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:24-25; John 14:13).
Appealing to God in the name of His Son can give us great confidence that God will give us what we need (Hebrews 4:14-16).
The Bible also considers human preoccupations and failings that might be obstacles to Prayer: If sin remains unconfessed, prayer becomes meaningless. The basis for prayer rests upon our being in fellowship with God; such fellowship is broken if we do not confess our sins
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear (Psalm 66:18)
There is hypocrisy associated with those that spend time in alleged prayer but do not keep to the basic precepts of loving one another as Jesus loved us. We continue to treat others badly. Sometimes we are self-centered. Such attitudes render our prayers impotent
How we treat others has a bearing upon whether God will hear our prayers
How we treat the poor (Psalm 41:1-3)
How one treats his friend (Matthew 5:23-24)
How a husband treats his wife (Peter 3:7)
If possible, we must work hard to improve our relationship with others if we expect God to hear our prayers. Especially if we desire to receive forgiveness for our sins (Matthew 6:14-15; 18:21-23)
True followers of Christ with the assistance of the power of the Trinity have to work hard to maintain their devotion because the temptations and weaknesses that we encounter daily are many. Faith is indeed the answer. God does grant our requests. Sometimes instantly, and at other times when God sees it fit, our petitions are rewarded.
Yet, at other times, God grants wishes in ways that are not immediately obvious. They are not a direct response but favors are granted in other ways. On occasion, an answered prayer may have greater meaning and significance in our lives than what we petition for. For instance, if we ask God for patience and perseverance, God might send difficulties and tribulations our way. Facing these (if it does not kill you, it makes you stronger) with courage and wisdom gives us exactly what we ask for.
The mistake we often make is limiting our prayers by dictating to God how we want our prayers answered. Naturally, this is presumptuous. Every prayer should be accompanied by the implicit heartfelt faith that God will answer our prayers in his own way
Such will be the case the more we try to do His Will in our lives (John 3:22)
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Remember, God's thoughts and methods are often much different than ours (Isaiah 55:8,9)
But we must trust that God, who knows all and what is best, would do so only if granting our request might not be for our good (Hebrews 12:5-11)
We may not fully understand, but we can still fully trust Him (Habakkuk 3:17-19)
Especially in light of the promise in (1 Colossians 10:13)
The ability to pray to God and receive answers in our lives is truly one of the greatest blessings we can have as children of God. Hopefully, understanding and applying the above "rules" will assure greater success in having our prayers answered.
Instances in the bible also provide some rigidity and structure to prayer. If one establishes special time for prayer, it leads to the practice of praying. From the Old Testament we have God's response to those that prayed regularly. We would do well to imitate them.
David, whom God described as "a man after My own heart" (Psalm 55:17)
Daniel, whom the angel of God described as "O man greatly beloved" (Daniel 6:10)
Yet prayers should not be restricted. Prayers can be spontaneous or when the need arises. There are instances when Jesus felt the need to pray and turned to his Father.
Jesus prayed on special occasions (Luke 6:12-13)
Paul prayed in trying circumstances (Acts 16:25)
Nehemiah prayed on the spur of the moment (Nehemiah 2:4-5)
Having "set times" will help develop the experience in praying. Praying "spontaneously" as needs arise will develop the disposition to pray in every circumstance. As has been repeated often in this work, the primary goal is to turn ones entire life into a ceaseless, seamless fountain of prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
As mentioned above, in agreement with Fr. Ed. Hays, personal and private prayers supercede community or social prayer. Jesus exhorted us to pray in secret (Matthew 6:5-6). Private prayer should occupy the largest portion of our prayer life. Secret prayer forms a close union and fellowship with God. Prayer in private is a test of sincerity and devotion. One can fool man but cannot falsely impress God. The following antithetical statement contains a truism nonetheless: secret prayers are often rewarded openly.
Jesus also spoke about community prayer -- of praying with people you trust and love (Matthew 18:19-20). The early Christians defined themselves by praying together and often. The Pentecost (where the Holy Spirit descended for the first time on humans) was one of the first such instances. In today's world, friends often intervene if one of their own is afflicted. Such an intervention may also involve group prayer. The early Christians prayed together in times of trouble (Acts 4:23-24; 12:5,12; 16:25) or when embarking on ministries that help spread the message of God's power and Glory (Ac 20:36; 21:5). It has been said: "a sweetness of fellowship and sense of strength comes when God's people pray together." The Catholic Mass and prayer meetings or revival meetings are perfect examples of God's people coming together and praying
In the previous section we considered methods of prayer. It bears repeating that the perfect example of prayer comes from the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:1-4). This wonderful prayer causes us to discover something new every time we pray it. It is a model for learning how to pray. It tells us from whom to pray, with praise and devotion. Supplication is key as we petition God's purposes for our physical and spiritual needs. Jesus also stressed the simplicity of prayer (Matthew 6:7-8) helpful acronym in learning to pray is ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication). There are examples of all of the above in the Bible
Adoration: Spending time in sincere praise of God's greatness puts us in the proper spirit of humility (Chronicles 29:10-13)
Confession: Acknowledging our sins before God is paramount. When we understand how sin can break the fellowship we have with God, we naturally desire its quick remission. Fortunately for us, as Christians we can be cleansed by the blood of Jesus as we confess our sins (John 1:9)
Thanksgiving: We have every reason to be thankful to God whether we see the wonders of his creation or not. Even petitions should be preceded with emphasis in Glory to God (Philippians 4:6). The benefits of giving thanks are many. They cause us to acknowledge God's existence, love, and care, remind us of his goodness and help shift our focus from what we don't have to what. We have a lot to be thankful for. Simple commonplace examples are the things we see in our lives and for our health and the health of those we love and cherish. We should be thankful for God's guidance in response to previous prayers. We should also be thankful for those things that are invisible:
Our adoption as His children
The forgiveness of sins
The hope of eternal life
The assurance of His continued presence
As God's chosen people, have every reason to be thankful and privileged that we are called to share Christ's life. We should be joyful and thankful for being continuously immersed in God's graces (Colossians 1:12; 2:7; 3:15; 4:2)
Supplication: This should be our attitude while making requests of God. If we are faithful in including the first three (adoration, confession, thanksgiving), this last will prevent prayer from being simply a spiritual shopping list. When we broaden our requests to include others, we enter into one of the most noble realms of prayer-intercession (1 Timothy 2:1)
Using Christ as the exemplar who gave his life for our salvation, the bible provides examples of how our prayers might be directed. The scriptures show that God wishes that we pray primarily for:
Ourselves: For our physical daily (Matthew 6:11) and for our personal growth in Christ-likeness and devotion to God (Colossians 1:9-12)
Our families: For spouse, children, parents, siblings and those close to us, that our Lord's teachings will nurture their spiritual growth (Ephesians 6:4)
Our community: So that the pursuit of peace may be paramount (Jeremiah 29:7).
Our Church: This building of God has to be protected by the bricks and mortar of Love and Unity (John 13:35; 17:20-21), the spiritual growth of each member (Philippians 1:9-11) and so that following the teachings of the gospels would be the aim of all (2 Thessalonians 3:1)
Our Nation: In this time of need, no matter what the nationality, we need to pray for the country. For national repentance and for the collective consciousness of its people (Psalm 33:12; Proverbs 14:34). What rulers and leaders do largely determines the direction a country heads in. Politicians, even in democracies are ruled by greed, corruption. Despots think nothing of killing those they are supposed to serve and protect. A large percentage of people in this world live under burdensome yokes of suffering. Politicians need our prayers more than any. Leading wisely with justice is paramount (1 Timothy 2:2)
In the section of Faith and Devotion, several paragraphs were devoted to people who philosophized and obfuscated the true meaning of faith in an attempt to intellectualize it. The basic point is that "they don't get it." They attempt to straightjacket love of God into ideologies and scientific dogma. We need to pray that they may see the true light (Romans 10:1). Many wonderful men have lain down (and continue to do so) their lives to spread and teach the message of salvation. Prayer strengthens those who go out on these endeavors to teach the non-believers (Ephesians 6:18-20)
During every Catholic Mass, time is devoted to pray for the afflicted in a particular parish. The priest might read out the names of sick parishioners. Jesus ministry was largely (publicly) premised on healing the sick. Though we must caution ourselves that the act of being healed is less important than faith in God. The sick need our prayers for their restoration to health (James 5:14-15) and for their spiritual strength and peace of mind (James 5:16)
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 3:5-12) praised the oppressed with an offer of the Kingdom of God. People in these categories that need our prayers are the homeless, fatherless, unborn children (Proverbs 29:7)
An important focus for prayer also comes with the recommendation to study the Bible knowing that these activities done in earnest can only lead to the greater glorification of God. As one studies the bible, such a study should be begun with prayer (Psalm 119:18). The process of study should involve the recognition of the wisdom and strength and comes from God (Psalm 119:5,6). And needless to say, each bible study session should be ended with a prayer of thanksgiving (Psalm 119:10-11).
There are instances in the Bible where prayer is specifically mentioned. The psalms 14:7 and 28:7 explicitly talk about lifting hands in grace and thanks to God for strength and protection and offering themselves to God to be made whole. Jesus often spent time in solitude praying to his father. In thanksgiving, when he resurrected Lazarus (John 11:41). Jesus often went to a mountain to pray. This was perhaps because loftiness of his position on the mountain brought him near to his Father. At the beginning of his ministry, before selecting his Apostles he prayed all night (Luke 6:12). At the feeding of the multitude, Jesus Prayed (Matthew 26:36-39). Jesus often taught the importance of Faith in Prayer. Faith, he sermonized, "Moves mountains." After he had healed, a common statement was "Your Faith has healed you." (Matthew 17:20; 21:21). Faith is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:9) Jesus promises that prayer will be granted (Matthew 21:22; Matthew 7:7-12). Notice however, that Jesus does not say that God would give whatever we ask for. He says that God will give good things. In Luke, the promise is to give the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). Therefore, no matter what happens with our request, the one benefit that comes is greater involvement with God, and the growth of God's presence in us. In John 16:24, Jesus says we should ask in his name; and, if we do our requests will be granted. Also he reminds us to open ourselves to God without fear (Philippians 4:6). Our openness before God will be rewarded. Trust in God, Jesus tells us, even if it seems that our prayers are not being answered. Sometimes our prayers are self-centered and selfish (James 4:3), John teaches that we receive what we ask if we keep the commandments (John 3:22).
St. Paul teaches us to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks under all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Jesus commands us to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44). The latter is a very special prayer because it requires a lot of fortitude -- one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
THE PRAYER INSTINCT?
This section is not devoted to a scientific treatise of the biological imperative that causes man to pray. It seems obvious that along with man evolved a sense to look for a higher power to explain worldly phenomena; and, in a philosophical sense man's very existence. There is no greater authority on the creation of the World and Man than the Bible from Genesis to moment that we are waiting for -- the coming of Christ and the rendering of everything earthly into the hands of God. It is, however, worth noting how prayer evolved among those who believe in the risen Christ and those who choose to follow other religions.
Even the most aboriginal tribes, until missionaries brought them the word of God, struggled with happenings around them that could not be explained through tangibles. The Azande tribe is a well-studied example. (Evans-Pritchard and Gillies, 1976) They attributed everything they could not understand to witchcraft and consulted oracles (such as poisoning a chicken while invoking a question or certain wooden appliances) to ascertain and point to one or more culprits who had somehow controlled the forces of nature to wish ill upon the afflicted. Unfortunately, Christianity and prayer were not available to the tribes and they spend lifetimes in misery from a lack of faith.
When we consider religions of the world, they all evolved out of an innate sense of division between men and within man -- the distinction between good and evil. Every religion is often on the side of good and God. Every religion also portrays a constant struggle with the powerful forces of evil. This section is devoted to showing that there is an intrinsic instinct in Man towards prayer. Having so far identified what prayer is, what different types of prayer are and a biblical reference in support of prayer, it is necessary to learn how prayer evolved and is established in major religions of the world. While Christianity and the belief in one true God are paramount, a significant population of humanity does follow other faiths and philosophies.
Hinduism
Prarthana is the Sanskrit (and also used in most Indian languages) word used to denote prayer. In social usage, the word is also used to mean to request, or to ask or seek something politely. It is similar to the older English usage of "I pray thee" instead of "Please." The word "prarthana" can be interpreted in several ways. One interpretation seems to be that it is a combination of at least two words, namely "Prar"+ "dhana." Prar means to ask or to seek and "dhana" means wealth. The word dhana itself seems to have been derived from the word "dhanya" meaning grains or blessed depends on how one pronounces the word. And from the practice of giving food grains as charity to the needy people, came the usage of the word "daan," meaning charity. Its corresponding word in English is "donation," in French "donat" and in Latin "donation." The word "prarthana" came into vogue as the Vedic people used to pray before each harvest season to various gods for a good harvest. The aim of such prayers used to be to have good crops, thereby abundance of food grains. Dharma (religion) Artha (meaning) Kama (fulfillment of desires) and moksha (salvation) were the important parts of a Vedic Hindu life. In the Vedic parlance, prayer was to please the gods and thereby seek the fulfillment of individual desires through their grace. These early Hindus were materialistic but were also deeply spiritual and tried to integrate and harmonize the various aspects of life in a very religious and agreeable way. They prayed not only for the welfare of themselves but also for the welfare of the entire community to which they belonged. The Hindus believe that they can ask for any thing they want in our prayers. Prayer however, primarily depends upon faith in God and to what extent you can relate yourself to Him. They also believe that there is nothing wrong if you ask for something which society may not appreciate from its moral or social point-of-view, as long as it helps you in some meaningful way and does not harm any one including you. There is nothing wrong in being humble and weak in front of God and ask Him for some favor with humility and expectation.
For Hindus, the Divine is love and compassion in their highest form. God responds promptly to the pull of your love, in whatever way it is conveyed, as long as the approach is sincere and devotional. Non-response to prayer is not because God is non-responsive or unkind. It is because God loves his followers so much that He does not want you to get hurt in some ignorant or stupid way. (Viswanathan, 1992)
In Hinduism, God invariably responds to all sincere prayers. A genuine devotee experiences this. Faith is required that God is in touch with every aspect of His creation, from within as well as without. He permits the freedom of life to express itself. At the same time He intervenes and provides necessary help whenever there is a genuine call from His earnest devotees. God is always present and active. He never abandons anything.
Man often forgets God. Man is distracted by the myriad attractions of the external world and disturbed by its overwhelming confusion. We remember Him occasionally, when we are troubled by some difficulty or are unable to achieve something on our own. Hinduism encourages people to pray correctly, approach God and make themselves heard. Enough courage, faith and conviction will ensure a positive response from God. The Hindu is sure that God listens, but man is misguided by self-made illusions and fails to communicate in true faith. It is through our egoism and selfishness, it is men who create the barriers and prevent ourselves from reaching across to Him. In Hinduism, a prayer is indeed more effective when it is intended for the welfare of others, or when our intention is to gain spiritual knowledge through sincere efforts. Prayer is not a substitute for human frailties, unless the sincere objective of ones prayers is to overcome such weaknesses, accompanied by genuine effort. A prayer that is filled with pure love and compassion for others is the most effective. A prayer made in the service of others is bound to yield positive results. And a prayer that is done without any expectation or without any desire for the result is indeed the best.
Judaism
The Hebrew word for prayer is tefilah. The literal meaning is to judge oneself. Jewish prayer is primarily introspective, no matter what form it takes: petition, thanksgiving, praise, or confession. The introspection provides a view of Man's place in the universe and man's relationship with God.
The Yiddish word meaning, "pray" is "daven," it has Latin roots in the English word "divine." Divine emphasizes to whom the prayer is targeted. For an observant Jew, prayer an integral part of everyday life and not something relegated to the synagogue. In fact, one of the most important prayers in Judaism, the Birkat-Ha-Mazon, is never recited in synagogue. Observant Jews are constantly reminded of God'-s presence and of our relationship with God which requires continually praying to Him. From sunrise to before going to bed, Jews are required to remember God. The Morning Prayer involves the person praying thanking God for returning his or her soul back. Prayers have to be recited before any material pleasures -- giving glory for that which is about to be enjoyed. The performance of any mitzvah (commandment) is to be preceded by prayer. All of these prayers are in addition to formal prayer services, which are performed three times a day every weekday and additional times on Shabbat and festivals.
The religion warns those who refuse to indulge in formal prayer at the excuse of praying only when inspired by prayer's meaningfulness. The Jews attitude towards prayer involves two important aspects: the purpose of prayer, and the need for practice. One purpose of prayer is to increase the awareness of God his role in man's life. The sense of humility and awe of God that is essential to proper prayer does not come easily to modern man, and will not simply come to you when you feel the need to pray. Practice yields the ability to pray properly. Many religious Jewish bemoan the fact that current trends do not allow people to pray even if they wanted to -- primarily because they do not know how. Those who pray regularly, you will learn how to express yourself in prayer. (Goldman, 2000)
The intention of Jewish prayer is in its intent and mindset. This is called Kavanah. It means that proper frame of mind and intent are important to the prayer. Even is the same prayer is recited every day, it ceases to be routine because the person praying offers up the mind and heart and renewed intentions in the prayer. The minimum level of kavanah is an awareness that one is speaking to God and an intention to fulfill the obligation to pray. Kavanah is essential. In addition, kavanah also enables a better understanding since it requires concentration. It is also a way to dispel disturbances and distractions. It is only through kavanah that the true meaning of prayer becomes evident.
Jewish prayers often involve melodic intonations. This is the same as the enforcement one receives while reading aloud vs. reading silently. Drifting away becomes easier in the latter case. Traditional Jews routinely sway back and forth during prayer, apparently a reference to Psalm 35 which says "All my limbs shall declare, 'O Lord, who is like You?'" While some do not like the swaying, for others it helps them concentrate.
The Talmud states that it is permissible to pray in any language that you can understand; however, traditional Judaism has always stressed the importance of praying in Hebrew. This is true for even the more liberal Jews. While contemporary texts contain English translations. Purists avow that Hebrew is the language of Jewish thought.
Jewish prayers are expressed in the first person plural. This works to remove the self-centeredness from prayer and emphasizes our responsibility for one another and our interlinked fates. In Judaism, prayer is largely a group activity rather than an individual activity. Although it is permissible to pray alone and it fulfills the obligation to pray, choosing to pray alone instead of a group causes the risk of violating a commandment. A complete formal prayer service cannot be conducted without a quorum of at least10 people who are obligated to fulfill the commandment to recite the prayers. This prayer quorum is referred to as a minyan (from a Hebrew root meaning to count or to number).
A berakhah (blessing) is a special kind of prayer that is very common in Judaism. Berakhot are recited, either as part of the synagogue services or as a response or prerequisite to a wide variety of daily occurrences. Berakhot are easy to recognize: they all start with the word barukh. The postures to be adopted during blessing are bowing and kneeling. In a berakhah, the person saying the blessing is speaking to God. The Hebrew word "barukh" is not a verb describing what we do to God; it is an adjective describing God as the source of all blessings. A berakhah is not blessing God, but expressing wonder at how blessed God is.
One of the most important prayers in Judaism birkat ha-mazon is a prayer that the Bible commands to recite. This prayer is grace after meals. The Biblical edict finds its origins in Deuteronomy 8:10, we are commanded that when we eat and are satisfied, we must bless the Lord, our God. This commandment is fulfilled by reciting the birkat ha-mazon (blessing of the food) after each meal. This prayer involves is largely a prayer of thanksgiving. It is also comprehensive and provides a nutshell history of God's Chose People. Its four parts Birkat Hazam (for food), Birkat Ha-Aretz (the blessing for the land, deliverance and covenant), Birkat Yerushalayim (the blessing for Jerusalem) and Birkat Ha-Tov v'Ha-Maytiv (the blessing for being good and doing good). In addition to these four blessings, the full birkat-ha-mazon incorporates some psalms and additional blessings for various special occasions (holidays, guests, etc.)
The Jewish, a much persecuted people, turn to God with prayer in good times and in bad. Prayer gives hope when we feel all else is lost. It is simply the acknowledgement of the existence of God. Prayer for the Jewish is also turned inwards. To recognize our dependence on God for our needs and the fact that life itself is a gift from God. Misfortunes should be recognized as experiences and blessings in disguise. The Jewish believe that daily prayer strengths faith and faith, in turn, strengthens prayer. The parable of Jacob's ladder gives a good idea of the Jewish approach to prayer. In Jacob's dream, he saw a ladder with angels going up and down it (Genesis 28:12). The ladder that stood on the earth reached up to the heaven. We, man, are down on the earth and the ladder, our prayer, connects us up to God in heaven. Historically, Jewish prayer stems from three patriarchs. Each patriarch made sacrifices and offered them to God. Abraham instituted the morning prayer -- his offering was kindness and love; Isaac instituted the afternoon prayer -- his offering, justice and reverence; and Jacob instituted the evening prayer with a call for truth and mercy. Shema prayer is the very essence of the Jewish religion. It is a declaration of faith (Deuteronomy 6:4) "Hear O. Israel, the Lord is our God, God is One." It is a call to Jews to bear witness to God's Oneness. This recognition is called to mind in good times and in bed. It is this verse that many people utter as their last words, and that people utter when full of hope as well as despair. The Shema is recited several times throughout the day: in the morning and evening services and before retiring for bed. The Shema also constitutes a call to service with a cleansing of hearts (Deuteronomy 11:13). The Shema is borne from Love. It means that commandments should be obeyed purely out of love (and not fear of retribution).
Buddhism
Prayer is central to the practice Buddhism. Its followers often use the word prayer with offering "earnest prayer," or "praying from the bottom of my heart." These followers of Gautama Buddha also speak of having their prayers "answered." Buddhists believe that prayer appears to be a universal human activity. There is evidence to suggest that humans have been engaged in some form of "prayer" since the earliest days of man. As soon as humans developed a consciousness of their relative powerlessness before the forces of nature, the precariousness of their existence and their own mortality, they no doubt began giving expression to intense feelings of petition, praise or thanksgiving.
Buddhist prayer likewise may be thought of as a focused expression of these same sentiments of yearning, commitment and appreciation. It is, however, distinguished by the fact that Buddhism locates the divine within the life of the individual practitioner -- without direct attribution or recognition to God. (Hochswender, Martin and Morino, 2001) The purpose of Buddhist prayer is to awaken our innate inner capacities of strength, courage and wisdom rather than to petition external forces. The postures in Buddhist spiritual practice of recitation and chanting of mantras associated with the mystic law that lies within all life. Buddhism prayer is not a meditative turning inward, but an act making manifest inner qualities, bringing them out into the real world. Buddhism stresses the inseparability of "earthly desires" and enlightenment. Buddhist prayer is the process by which intensely felt desires and sufferings are transformed into compassion and wisdom. In this sense, it inevitably involves self-reflection, including a sometimes-painful confrontation with our own deeply rooted destructive tendencies. Buddhists are encouraged to view prayer as fully integrated with the actions and behavior of daily life. Prayer only becomes genuine prayer when it is acted upon. To succeed in life we need determination and prayer, effort and ingenuity.
Most fundamentally, prayer is the process of bringing forth the supreme state of life referred to as our "Buddha nature." A potential possessed equally by all people, the Buddha nature is the fundamental, compassionate life force inherent in the cosmos. Prayer is the process of realigning individual lives (the lesser self, with all its impulses and desires) with the rhythm of the living cosmos (the greater self). In doing this previously untapped sources of self-knowledge, wisdom, vitality and perseverance are unleashed. And because, in Buddhist philosophy, there is no separation between the internal world of human beings and their environment, changes that occur in our inner life are reflected in our external circumstances. The experience of having one's prayers "answered" is the manifest result of this process.
Sikhism
Prayer is a personal communication addressed to a deity in form of supplication, adoration, praise, contrition or thanks giving. But in Sikhism all other deities except God have been rejected because of their inherent immortality. For the Sikhs formal prayer is like a ritual. Morning prayers and evening prayers are offered in the temples. However, real player is completely stripped of materials, rituals and even language. Real prayer involves devotion, faith and love. The prayer creates a bridge between the soul and the Lord. It wells up in the mind of the man of God.
The prayers are offered not only by the men of God (priests) but also by the men of the world. This means that God is accessible to even the most common man whose simple needs may not meet the heights of intellect or religious idealism. The men of the world may express worldly demands in their formal prayers. They may also pray from their hearts if they need something for themselves very badly. They may also request for a grave danger to be averted from someone whom they love. The men of God may express worldly requirements that can help in their spiritual quest. They may also pray for strength to be granted to them for the welfare and service of humanity, in which they visualize the All-Pervasive Lord. One of the most recited prayers of the Sikhs ends with the following words: "Nanak Nam Chardi Kala, Tere Bhane Sarbat Da Bhala." (The Name of the Lord emanating from the Guru (Guru Nanak -- Founder of Sikhism) may bring high spirits and the welfare of all in his will). (Gurbachan and Shankar, 1998)
The Individual Prayers are to be performed at home in a separate room or in some quiet corner of the house. No rituals are required. In case of time-limitations, the prayers can be recited while walking or even while traveling to or fro from work.
Sikhs believe in several daily observances: morning, evening and bed time prayers. Sikhs are also encouraged to pray at any time that is convenient. Most prayers begin with a paean to devotion and humility: "I pray with folded hands; If Thou likest, Thou may set it right. With Thy Grace, engage me in Thy devotion"
Islam
In Islam, prayer is a great mystery of servant hood to God. This servitude is the very essence of it. Islam recognizes the most stringent calls to prayer. Pray five times a day. The general posture is on one's knees and prayer involves frequent bowing. Muslims pray on prayer mats and they have to be facing Mecca (Saudi Arabia) the birthplace of the prophet Mohammed. In Islam, a pilgrimage to Mecca is mandatory at least once in a lifetime. After a trip to Mecca Muslims are required to wear white. These clothes signify burial robes. It means that they are now ready to die having attained a physical and spiritual nearness to God.
Islam does not have deities. Mohammed is the only prophet and, like Jesus Christ, the primary intermediary and intercessor between Muslims and the all-powerful Allah (God). (oSAadiq, 1998)
There are different types of prayer in Islam:
Prayer made by the tongue of innate disposition. That all creatures living and not owe their existence to the creator
Prayer through natural disposition. The existence of all the circumstances necessary for a particular effect to come about is also a prayer through natural disposition praying to the All-Powerful and Majestic One to create the desired effect. Ingredients that affect any aspect of creation can only come together by the will of God.
Prayer made with the tongue of natural, vital needs. All living beings pray to the All-Compassionate Creator through their neediness, to satisfy their needs, which they are unable to meet by themselves. God always sends them, just on time, the provision that is impossible for themselves to supply
Prayer of conscious living beings. The third kind of prayer is that which is made by conscious living beings for their special needs to be satisfied. Prayer initiated from consciousness is in two categories
Active prayer. To act in accordance with causes is an active prayer. Man, by complying with causes, tries to gain God's approval for his request, for causes alone are not sufficient for the result to be produced, and it is God alone Prayer made in desperation or to have natural, vital needs met
Verbal prayer. Since the prayers made on behalf of the Prophet Muhammad have such permanence, comprehensiveness and universality that they have reached the level of the prayers done in the tongue of potential and natural needs
For a Muslim, the most pleasurable result of prayer is that the one who prays knows, and has complete faith, that there is God. God, in turn, hears the prayer and answers it.
Prayer is the very essence of being a slave of God and an indicator of sincere belief. Muslims who pray demonstrates, through prayer, that there is one who rules over the whole universe and is aware of all his affairs down to the most insignificant ones, and who hears him and enables him to achieve his aims. The comprehensiveness of the conception of Divine Unity formed by prayer is best expressed through the prayer: "My Lord would not concern Himself with you but for your prayer," (25:77) and heed the Divine decree, Your Lord said, "Pray to me and I will answer you" (40:60).
Like Jesus Christ, Muslims are also encouraged to pray to the Prophet Mohammed, so that the prophet might intercede on behalf of the community of believers (umma) and care for each one personally. So that the grace of the God through the prophet might, yet he wishes ardently for the happiness in all times and degrees of each member of his nation and is grieved about each of their misfortunes, and so he needs and most certainly deserves countless blessings and prayers.
From the above descriptions of religion, one can easily see that barring a few discrepancies: the belief of Buddhists in man's inherent goodness or the non-deification among Muslims, that there is universality to prayer. Some common threads are evident. Prayer asks that the person praying being devoted and have faith. It asks that prayer be for the glorification of God with the total abstention of self-involvement. Prayer requires the acknowledgement that God will grant us everything if we pray in the spirit of love and devotion. It might not be exactly what we ask for, but it will be for our good. Almost all religions identify the types of prayer that mirror Christian prayer. The ACTS acronym is well represented: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Prayers in all religions involve identification of the importance of individual and community prayer.
This section demonstrates that the concept of prayer -- submission to a higher authority in order to justify existence crosses the boundaries of religion, culture and nations. What a concept!
HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF PRAYER IN AMERICA
This section will not deal with the larger question of how prayer originated. One might imagine that man sought a higher power to "complete" human existence. Communicating with some higher power fulfilled this. This section will trace the formalization of Christian Prayer, mostly in England. And since American religion finds its origins in England, a religion that was brought over by the Pilgrims, it bears discussing (briefly) how religion was established in the United States. Since religion is mostly manifest through prayer, it will give an idea of what kind of thought defined the prayers of the day. This is significant because community prayers, formal prayers and the design of Christian liturgical services that we participate in today bear the marks of some of those changes.
The first formal printing of prayers happened in England. It was The first Book of Common Prayer was published in 1549. (Church of England., The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments & Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church According to the Use of the Church of England) The changes made mostly had to do with prayers of exhortation, confession, and morning and evening prayers. The rites of communion were extensively changed. A new prayer of consecration was added. Certain rituals of exorcism, anointing, chrism and triple immersion were omitted from the Baptism service. The use of reserved sacrament was left open to interpretations in the Visitation of the Sick. The Burial service was drastically shortened, omitting Communion, prayers for the dead, and the psalms.
When King Edward died, soon after, Queen Mary, who quickly outlawed the Book of Common Prayer and restored the Latin rites of the Roman Catholic Church, succeeded him. The Book of Common Prayer was restored in 1559 (Church of England., The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments & Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church According to the Use of the Church of England) when Queen Elizabeth acceded to the throne. It was called the Elizabethan Prayer Book. It was used for nearly 100 years, until the Long Parliament of 1645 outlawed it as part of the Puritan Revolution. It served not only the England of Elizabeth I, but her Stuart successors as well.
This was the first Prayer Book used in America, brought here by the Jamestown settlers and others in the early 1600's. This Book was a conservative revision of the 1552 edition, with the effect of making it somewhat less "Protestant." Some of the few changes made included: Dropping the very last rubric in the Communion service (called the "Black Rubric"), which involved kneeling during communion. The prayers against the Pope were dropped from the litany and traditional vestments during Morning Prayer was suggested
In the 100 years since Elizabeth took over, number of Saints' days and festivals were added to the Calendar in 1561 (contemporarily, this would add strength to prayers for Saints as Intercessory) Of other minor changes, the most important was to lengthen the Catechism by adding sections on the Sacraments.
With the restoration of the Stuarts in 1660 the Prayer Book was restored and further revised. (Church of England., The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments & Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church According to the Use of the Church of England) In the Church of England as it existed before the Reformation, these four volumes of the Book of Prayer had title and separate uses. The name of the book of daily services was The Breviary. The name of the book used in the celebration of the Holy Communion was The Missal. The name of the book of Special Offices was The Ritual. The name of the book of such offices as could be used by a bishop only was The Pontifical. The first three were condensed into one.
The Book of Prayer was challenged every time a new monarch gained the throne. Charles I wanted to restore the book. He convened a conference at Savoy (the Savoy Conference) (Ryle, 2000)
From a modern perspective, the Puritan protestations would be unseemly, but it bears acknowledging how our liturgical rituals have come down the ages. Since Charles the Second's day, there has been no formal revision of the Prayer Book of the Church of England by the Church of England. The Parliament made some slight relaxations of liturgical use on Sundays legal, but in all important respects the Prayer Book of Victoria was identical with the book set forth by Convocation and sanctioned by Parliament shortly after the collapse of the Savoy Conference. In 1662, at the behest of Charles II, King James Bible became the official source for the Gospels and other prayers.
In 1789, fresh from independence and the establishment of a Constitution, the "colonists" sought to create a book of Prayers that would define the new world. (Hatchett, 1981) In a convention in Philadelphia, under the direction of three eminent clergymen, Dr. White of Pennsylvania, Dr. William Smith of Maryland, and Dr. Wharton of Delaware, inspired by the Common Book of Prayer created the Proposed Book where they suggested sweeping changes. These alterations were anathema to the Americans who still held beliefs from the Old country England. Eventually the Proposed Book did not meet its aims. The changes were not as significant. There were a few redeeming features in this new production.
In the Morning Prayer the Venite was restored to its unabridged form; as was the Beneclictus. In the Evening Prayer, the great Gospel Hymns, the Magnificat and the Nunc Dimittis were also restored. The Proposed Book included a special prayer for Thanksgiving Day. This was distinctly American. The Litany was shortened. A number of the special prayers, as, for example, the prayer for a sick person, that for persons going to sea, the thanksgivings for a recovery and for a safe return were added. Extensive alterations were made in the Marriage Service and in prayers for Burial Office. This American Prayer Book underwent a change in 1892. William Reed Huntington was one of the most prominent Episcopal clergy of the late 19th century was its chief architect. (Griswold, 1911)
The Prayer Book's history teaches that it is the duty of being forever on our guard in the religious life against "the falsehood of extremes." There were rulers who sought to impose non-religious bearings on the Book. And Scholars who never saw the greater good when making revisions, concerned only with their own egos. Our religion today and our prayers are legacies of history. Caution is also necessary that revision should not be confused with ruin, or to assume that because a good book cannot conceivably be bettered. Each accomplished revision of the Book of Common Prayer has been a distinct step in advance. Growth is health. The power of adaptation is the guarantee of a perpetual youth.
While the above was a technical historical description of how the Book of Prayer evolved, let's look at how religious thought that would eventually influence Prayer evolved. There are parallels to the evolution of religious sentiments from the time the first Europeans came to the New World and today's views on religion. The pilgrims who landed on Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, espoused Anglicanism; Anglicanism gave rise to Puritanism -- its tenets eloquently captured by Michael Wigglesworth's "Day of Doom" (Wigglesworth and Bosco, 1989); this was followed by the rebellious era of Deism; finally, a correction occurred -- the rise of the Age of Enlightenment -- the Great Awakening.
Puritanism arose in direct contrast to Anglican worship. The Anglican view of worship was fundamentally a priestly act (Lewis, 1996)
This delocalizing of the church had profound consequences on the whole concept of worship. Worship was not limited to a particular location or building, or priestly acts or the Sabbath. Worship became something that all Christians did regardless of their activities. Worship was for everyone, everywhere, in everything. Home, family, work, meals, education, charity, and leisure were all given to God.
Wigglesworth's lyrical epic, "Day of Doom" became the embodiment of Puritanism. At the height of its popularity, one in 20 people owned a printed version of the poem (Newton, Leseur and Jacquier, 1833)
The first Great Awakening was a revitalization of religious piety that swept through the American colonies between the 1730s and the 1770s (CCEL, 2002). Hence Edwards's famous description of the sinner as a loathsome spider suspended by a slender thread over a pit of seething brimstone in his best known sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Gesturing dramatically Edwards turned the sermon into a gripping theatrical performance. The classic Puritan postulate as God "detached" and "giving free will" to man until he slips theory gave way to a postulate that man was by nature contemptible and pathetic, and on the brink of suffering eternal damnation. It was only the mercies of God that prevented this calamity. God did not allow free will but was an active participant in ensuring that man glorified only God. Edwards drew large audience primarily because he was in tune to the needs of the people. Puritans were growing deeply concerned by what they perceived to be a striking decline in piety -- especially among the youth. The need to spread the message of this New Awakening to the corners of America brought several new characters. All were forefathers of current evangelists. Revival tended to be an urban phenomenon where flamboyant and highly emotional preaching appeared in Puritan churches. In some Anglican strongholds, revivalists had little impact. But these areas were few.
Preachers like George Whitefield, Samuel Davis, Shubal Stearns and Devereux Jarratt had an impact on spreading the message of the Awakening. The Great Awakening produced some profound results: It unified a majority of Americans as Christians. Different Protestant denominations, while retaining their uniqueness, came together to fight some of the perceived scourges of the age of enlightenment and reason. A greater emphasis was placed on education. Educational institutions such as the Universities of Pennsylvania and North Carolina came into being. The Awakening was the first time early Americans sought to spread Christianity to slaves and American Indians. Some evangelists even denounced slavery as evil. The Awakening reinterpreted the meaning of the covenant between God and his creature. In Puritan theology, the focus was on what God has done for us. In the aftermath of the Awakening, the new emphasis was on what man can do in response to God's great gifts. The responsibility for salvation rested on man and not on God. Religion was released from the stranglehold of the clergy. It had been democratized and made accessible by people. The Awakening responded to needs of the people for reassurance and direction, to give them release from anxiety. It revived a sense of religious mission. Everyone believed there was some greater purpose behind the revivals -- God's Kingdom must be near.
September 11 marked a turning point in the lives of people in America. That life could be so easily snuffed out brought among people (sometimes temporarily) a need to seek deeper meaning. Some reacted by becoming regular Churchgoers; others spend more time in the company of loved ones. Puritanism -- Deism -- Awakening demonstrates the evolution of religious and moral thought on a global scale. Such microcosmic upheavals also take place in each of us -- perhaps everyday.
PRAYER AND PEACE
Every aspect of Prayer, as discussed in the previous sections of this dissertation, are based on Love of God, an Acknowledgement of God's power and influence in our lives, an unshakable devotion to God, and Love for all of God's creations. Peace is an absolutely necessary consequence of Love. At least twice previously, the events of September 11, 2001 have been mentioned. And violence reigns throughout the world. As Americans get ready for another war, the question of Peace is on every mind. No matter what political side of the spectrum one is, every one can recognize that at the basic level of individuals -- human beings die, those that survive are deprived of the love, comfort and companionship. They also have to spend the rest of their lives in the knowledge that someone who they held dear in their hearts died in the most horrific manner that even God did not fathom in wrathful punishment. And Prayer helps. It gives Peace in our hearts. It gives Peace in our minds. It reminds people that Christ was also the Prince of Peace. The following Psalm (Psalm 85:10-11) sums it best: "Love and fidelity have come together; Justice and peace join hands Fidelity springs up from earth and justice looks down from heaven." The Song of Zechariah (Luke 1:78-79) invokes the tender compassion of God to shine the light of dawn from the murky depths of darkness and death so that we can walk towards Peace. Most Christians know the words to St. Francis Prayer for Peace. The prayer invokes the power of God to enable the person praying to be an "instrument of peace." The prayer is very powerful. It asks God for the courage and wisdom to love those that hate, to pardon those that hurt us, and to sow the seeds of faith among those who doubt. Many have died in pursuit of these precepts. Yet more continue to follow in the path. With war comes despair darkness and sadness. This was never more evident in history than in the genocide of Jewish during World War II. Peace ends all of this despair bringing Light, Hope and Joy. The most beautiful words (in my opinion) come towards the end where all these petitions are presented to God. "In dying that we're born to eternal life." The pursuit of peace is more difficult. Just as in the Eucharist, one has to break oneself to be saved -- as Christ saved us all despite a body broken by the worst abuse imaginable. A more traditional prayer starts with one of the beatitudes from the Sermon of the Mount regarding Peacemakers. The prayer presented here in its entirety needs no annotation. It is complete:
Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be known as the Children of God.
But I say to you that hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
To those that strike you on the cheek, offer the other one also, and from those who take away your cloak, do not withhold your coat as well.
Give to everyone who begs from you, and of those who take away your goods, do not ask for them again.
And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
POWER OF PRAYER
The philosopher Tertullian wrote in 160 AD: (Tertullian, 2002)
Prayer has no delegated grace to avert any sense of suffering; but it supplies the suffering... with endurance: it amplifies grace by virtue, that faith may know what she obtains from the Lord, understanding what -- for God's name's sake -- she suffers. But in days gone by, withal prayer used to call down plagues, scatter the armies of foes... Now, however, the prayer of righteousness avers all God's anger, keeps bivouac on behalf of personal enemies, makes supplication on behalf of persecutors... Prayer is alone that which vanquishes God. But Christ has willed that it be operative for no evil: He had conferred on it all its virtue in the cause of good. And so it knows nothing save how to recall the souls of the departed from the very path of death, to transform the weak, to restore the sick, to purge the possessed, to open prison-bars, to loose the bonds of the innocent. Likewise it washes away faults, repels temptations, extinguishes persecutions, consoles the faint-spirited, cheers the high-spirited, escorts travelers, appeases waves, makes robbers stand aghast, nourishes the poor, governs the rich, upraises the fallen, arrests the falling, confirms the standing. Prayer is the wall of faith: her arms and missiles against the foe who keeps watch over us on all sides. And, so never walk we unarmed."
Prayer is our communion with God, whether it is a petition made to God, worship, repentance, praise, or thanksgiving -- importantly -- words from the heart. God wants all of us; he knows our minds and hearts, so why not talk to him as if he already knows the situation. Rely on the power of pray Jesus tells us through his ministers: James 5:16 asks us to confess our faults to one another and pray for one another. The healing that is attained in putting another's troubles first is strong. Through Mark, Jesus also reminds us to have faith and confidence in what we desire from God and it will be given to us (Mark 11:24). Jesus tells us that the best prayer is one that comes from the heart. Bombast or loud acclamations do not impress God. He already knows what we want. But when we petition we should do it with sincerity of heart (Matthew 6:7).
God knows each thought we have, so why not go to him and talk with him as you would if you were to meet him on the street. Prayers do not have to be long, drawn-out affairs, but we need to be precise in what we are asking, and ask according to the bible rather than asking blindly for what we want. If it glorifies the Lord, then it will be something good for us. If it does not, then we shouldn't be asking for it in our prayers. Jesus used miracles of healing the physically and spiritually afflicted as he began his ministry. Therefore the power of prayer is no more evident than in medical marvels.
Healing is central to the gospel: healing the relationship between God and humankind is the very essence of Christ's work in his life, death, and resurrection. In his book "Healing and Christianity" Morton Kelsey (Kelsey, 1995) identifies 41 instances of healing in the ministry of Jesus: Jesus healed lepers, blind men, the lame, a hemorrhaging woman, the demon-possessed, and even raised the dead. The book of Acts contains accounts of healing by Christ's followers, and the epistles of Paul discuss healing as a gift of the Spirit. For nearly 300 years, physical healing was an integral component of Christian life and faith as a sign of God's love, compassion, and care.
In the 4th century, influenced primarily by Western theologians, Christians began to regard illness as punishment or correction from God rather than a manifestation of evil or a condition contrary to God's perfect will. Spiritual and physical health increasingly became divided and compartmentalized. The Reformers continued to view salvation as health for the soul, not the body. Despite these trends, individual Christians continued to receive healing from God, and history records their testimonies. In the mid-19th century, people began to reaffirm the relationships between mind, emotions, body, and spirit -- between faith and health. Today, while a holistic, integrated view of health emerges in medicine, a renewed church is opening up space for the Holy Spirit to move powerfully in the lives of the faithful in the ministry of healing.
The holistic -- mind over body approach -- has been known to be very helpful in healing. (Hay, 1987) Meditation is one of the proven alternative therapies. It can be broadly classified under the mind-body medicine. More and more doctors are prescribing meditation as a way to lower blood pressure, improve exercise performance in people with angina, and help people with asthma breathe easier, relieve insomnia and generally relax the everyday stresses of life. Meditation is a safe and simple way to balance a person's physical, emotional, and mental states. It is simple; but can benefit everybody. The use of Meditation for healing is not new. Meditative techniques are the product of diverse cultures and peoples around the world. It has been rooted in the traditions of the world's great religions. In fact, practically all religious groups practice meditation in one form or another. The value of meditation to alleviate suffering and promote healing has been known and practiced for thousands of years. The combination of holistic medicine with Christianity would be a potent force. We have already established that meditation is a form of prayer. But meditation with devotion and faith and recognizing the power of Christ in our lives would make significant contributions.
While the power of prayer is evident in every facet of our existence, this topic will be explored through the power of prayer at work in medicine. This is because medicine is a technical and scientific science where skepticism and the spiritual-scientific divide are more evident than anywhere else.
Dr Elizabeth Targ has been awarded more than $1.5 million by the National Institute of Health to study the therapeutic effects of prayer on AIDS and cancer patients. The presence of a compassionate person reciting soothing prayers has apparently helped some patients, if by nothing more than a placebo effect. Dr. Targ is also investigating what she calls "distance healing," in which those offering the prayers are far removed from the patients, who themselves are not even aware that incantations are being recited on their behalf. (Jaroff, 2002) Naturally, this seems to shatter all current modern conceptions of a treatment modality. In a 1998 study, however, after selecting practicing healers from a number of traditions -- Christians, Buddhists, Jews, Indian shamans -- she supplied them with the first names, blood counts and photographs of 20 patients with advanced AIDS. For an hour a day, over a ten-week period, the healers concentrated their thoughts on the pictures of these patients, but not on those of a control group of 20 other AID patients. The technique worked on mice too. Targ's inference from her results is that it: "could be actuated through the agency of God, consciousness, love, electrons or a combination."
While skeptics and other research have shown that this may not have been substantiated, it is certainly an interesting concept. Then there is other research that shows the same. Like Dr. Targ, Harris and co-workers have also tried the remote intercessory prayers on outcomes of patients admitted to a coronary care unit. (Radin and Nelson, 1989) The researchers aver: "Unless critics want to allege wholesale collusion among more than sixty experimenters or suggest a methodological artifact common to... hundreds of experiments conducted over nearly three decades, there is no escaping the conclusion that [these] effects are indeed possible."
While these hundreds of studies do not involve actual prayer, they nonetheless deal with whether human intention can, in principle, affect the physical world at a distance. In recent years, researchers have also studied the effects of mental efforts to change biological systems. (Dossey, 1996) Scores of controlled studies have examined the effects of intentions, often expressed through prayer, on biochemical reactions in vitro, on the recovery rate of animals from anesthesia, on the growth rates of tumors and the rate of wound healing in animals, on the rate of hemolysis of red blood cells in vitro, and on the replication rates of microorganisms in test tubes.
These studies are too often ignored, even by researchers interested in the effects of intercessory prayer in humans. Several outstanding scholars have emphasized our appalling ignorance about the basic nature of consciousness. John Searle, (Searle, 1995) one of the most distinguished philosophers in the field of consciousness, has said, "At our present state of the investigation of consciousness, we don't know how it works and we need to try all kinds of different ideas."
The highest rate of belief was found in the field of mathematics, which is generally considered the most precise of all the sciences. Many distinguished scientists favor prayer. A long list of individuals, including Nobel laureates, who have been cordial to consciousness-related events, such as distant, intercessory prayer, has been assembled by philosopher David Griffin. (Griffin, 1997)
While it is true that there is no generally accepted theory for the remote actions of consciousness, many mathematicians, physicists, and biological and cognitive scientists are currently offering hypotheses about how these events may happen. Hypotheses that are compatible with the distant effects of intercessory prayer have been advanced by Nobel physicist Brian Josephson, (Clarke, 1995), among others.
It is more likely that the widespread application of prayer will enhance the reputation of healing institutions, in view of the facts that nearly 80% of Americans believe in the power of prayer to improve the course of illness, and nearly 70% of physicians report religious inquiries for counseling on terminal illness yet only 10% of physicians ever inquire about patients' spiritual practices or beliefs.
In a survey (Dossey, 2000)
An analysis of 23 previous studies including over 2700 patients showed that patients who practice "distance healing" might benefit from it. Distance healing includes: prayer, laying of hands or therapeutic touch. Non-contact studies examined the effects of prayer by one individual for another, non-contact therapeutic touch and other distance healing methods such as remote mental healing and remote laying of hands. Non-contact touch is based on the belief that every person has an energy field. Moving hands can combine energy fields and modify the field of the afflicted. 57% of those that received this therapy showed beneficial results -- such as a reduction in pain or accelerated wound healing.
Attending religious functions is also directly related to a longer life. So demonstrate the results of 29 studies involving information from nearly 126,000 people. There was direct evidence to show that people involved in religious movements had better survival rates from illnesses and lower mortalities that those that did not -- almost 29% higher. While researchers stressed that praying and religion was one contributory factor like smoking of drinking, interestingly, the incidences of smoking, drinking and infidelities which put serious strains on physical and emotional well-being were seen less frequently than those who frequented Church and other religious functions.
Researchers also report that complications from coronary ailments were significantly reduced when those afflicted were the objects of petitions from others. This is very significant from a statistical point-of-view. The patients were "blind." They were not aware that someone was actively praying for them. The statistics note that these "lucky" patents had 11% lesser risk to suffer complications or to need surgery or medication while hospitalized. Nearly 1000 patients were part of this clinical study. Their health histories were closely monitored from the time they were admitted to hospitals to when they were discharged. The same standard medical care was given to all patients. But they were not aware that only the first names of half the patients were made available to 15 teams of five self-identified Christians. All these were known to be active practitioners of the Faith. The "chosen" patients were beneficiaries of 4 weeks of continuous prayer. In an effort to scientific analyze the results, the remaining patients were not prayed for as part of the study. (Harris et al., 1999)
Let's not forget that the canonization of saints proves miracles beyond the shadow of a doubt.
Duke University faculty Dr. Harold G. Koenig's data on survival after open-heart surgery in the elderly at Dartmouth Medical Center in New Hampshire presented at a conference on Spirituality and Healing in Medicine conference demonstrated that strong personal faith and a social support system such as that provided by membership in a church appeared to reduce the risk of death in patients after cardiac surgery. Researchers discovered that patients who relied on faith and spirituality to help them cope with their illness and had a mortality rate one-third lower than patients who did not report feeling a sense of faith. The combination of a strong personal faith together with a strong support system, such as provided in a church community, was associated with the lowest mortality rate. (Koenig, 1998)
An ongoing 30-year study of 5,000 individuals conducted by researchers with the Human Population Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, reported that those who go to church once a week or more have 25-35% lower mortality rates from all causes than non-churchgoers. Dr. Koenig states that: "some of the clues that this study brought up help us to understand why religious involvement might help to extend survival. The frequent church attenders were more likely during the 28 years to stop smoking, increase exercise, maintain their marriages and, in general, lead healthier lifestyles." random sample of 1,700 patients was involved in a study at the Duke University Medical Center. After controlling carefully for chronic health conditions, functional status and depression, people who are attending religious services had about 50% of the likelihood of having high interleukin-6 levels in their blood..." This suggests that stronger immune systems are in some way related to attending Church and strengthening faith." Religious faith may help to prevent depression because it gives a person a worldview of suffering and illness. Dr. Koenig also suggested that not only the existence of a belief system but also what one believes is very important. If an ill person believed that their suffering was due to the wrath of God, they the deterioration in health would be precipitated by these beliefs
Religion holds a central place (at varying levels) in the lives of a majority of Americans. There is a move to turning to God in times of need. After the death and mayhem of the events of September 11, 2001, people felt the need to pray, visit Church or even take long walks in solitude. Americans were confronted by the fragility of life and the need for a better perspective. Surveys of the U.S. population during the past 60 years showed that ninety-five percent of Americans believe in God. More than 50% prayed daily, and more than 40% attended church weekly. Interestingly, analysis of published studies also show that more than 75% of people wanted their physician to consider spiritual issues in relation to their care and almost 50% wanted their physician to pray with them.
Religious people may cope better with illness by relying on their beliefs. Physicians can help religious people by encouraging them to pray more, meditate, attend worship, follow religiously-based mourning practices for better closure and grief management, seek forgiveness from others, and read holy literature. In short, it would seem that many religious practices that patients find potentially meaningful might become resources for enhanced prevention, coping, and recovery. (Matthews et al., 1998)
Strong religious faith helps speed recovery from depression among elderly individuals. Older persons, on account of experiences (isn't it funny that as in everything, when life comes full circle, there is a greater acknowledgement of the power of God) with faith may be more able to cope with changes in their physical health and living circumstances. Depressed patients with higher religiosity had more rapid remissions. As in the physical health cases, once again researchers were skeptical of the power of prayer and engaging in religious activities and the impact it had on mental and emotional health. They say: "neither church attendance nor private religious activities (such as prayer or Bible study) significantly predicted faster cure from depression." They believe that prayer and faith might instill a sense of hope and motivate those faithful to seek help more aggressively -- but they doubt the physical act of praying to be of any significant help. (Koenig, L.K.George and B.L.Peterson, 1998) check this reference
The New England Journal of Medicine editorialized on the question of whether Physicians ought to prescribe prayer and religious activity. Substantial discussions included some of the following:
Most people believe in heaven and hell, the healing power of prayer, and the capacity of faith to aid in the recovery from disease.
77% of hospitalized patients want physicians to consider their spiritual needs
The National Institute for Healthcare Research, a privately funded, nonprofit organization, has published extensive literature reviews suggesting that religious faith and practice are positively associated with health status The organization's web site encourages physicians to pay more attention to religious matters and recommends that they take a spiritual history at the time of each complete physical examination, with any concerns raised by patients addressed during follow-up visits.
The National Institute on Aging and Harvard Medical School sponsor regular meetings on the integration of spirituality and medical practice.
Nearly 30 U.S. medical schools now offer courses on religion, spirituality, and health
The American Association of Medical Colleges has co-sponsored a conference entitled "Spirituality and Medicine: Curricular Development" for the past three years (Sloan, 2000)
Cardiologist Dr. Mitchell Krucoff and nurse practitioner, Susan Craven, head the MANTRA project at Duke. (Krucoff and Craven, 2001) The results of their research show that heart patients who receive prayer have 50% to 100% fewer side effects than those patients not prayed for. If patients agreed to be part of the study they were randomized and the "prayer" patients' names went to prayer groups around the world. First names only were sent via e-mail to Buddhist groups in Nepal, Hindus in India and Jewish groups in Jerusalem. Catholic nuns, Unity Village Missouri and Protestants in North Carolina also participated. It will be the first time that a mainstream cardiology journal would report the effects of this international consortium's efforts on the effects of "distance" prayer.
As in the Alcoholics Anonymous program that relies strongly on resurgent faith and the need to seek God's help in dealing with addictions based on human frailties, recovering drug addicts tend to see themselves as highly religious or spiritual. This attitude has been shown to be highly beneficial. The results were presented at the American Psychological Association Convention August, 2000 in Washington, DC
236 participants recovering from alcoholism and/or drug addiction were studied
74% of recovering substance abusers reported some type of religious affiliation.
Recovering addicts tended to rate themselves as more "spiritual" than religious.
Higher levels of religious faith and spirituality among recovering substance abusers were associated with:
Higher resilience to stress
More optimism
Less anxiety
Greater social support
The investigators opine that no matter what the "nay-saying" of skeptics is, individuals that recover from substance abuse tend to place importance on prayer, and belief and faith in God.
Bela Johnson writing on her own website uses the story of her life to illustrate the Power of Prayer. She starts her essay with a general consensus on what constitutes prayer: typically, people prayer regularly or infrequently. She talks about those that are motivated to pray or call on God in times of distress of other extremis. Then she adds an interesting twist: "Yet in the past year, I have been strongly moved to practice daily prayer and meditation as a tool to clarify my intentions." She uses prayer and meditation as tools to provide the noise and chaos of the world around us. She also strongly advocates a strict discipline in creating a regimen for prayer. Ms. Johnson, with a background in psychology, is a healer and a strong advocate of prayer for healing. (Johnson, 2003)
From physical, emotional and mental healing let us now move on to spiritual healing. As has been shown time and time again in this work, spirituality involves the recognition and acceptance of a God beyond our own intelligence and with whom we can have a relationship. This relationship is enhanced and cemented through prayer. In turn, such an experience with God provides inspiration, joy, security, peace of mind, and guidance that goes beyond what is possible in the absence of the conviction that such a power exists. Spiritual healing is when God's energy is transferred to the person who needs it. Considering that the mind, body and spirit are always in harmony, spiritual treatment works on all three facets of our being. A healer in this situation channels this power from a higher source into the afflicted person. An alternate to the healer is prayer.
Time magazine reported that in 1996, about 44 million Americans identified with the healing movement. It is estimated that Americans alone spend about $1.5 billion annually on books about spirituality and religion. About 42% of Americans have sought out alternative health care. Undoubtedly, the movement is catching on. In "Celestine Prophecy," author James Redfield asserts: "There is a hunger for being connected with a divine force. The hunger is not just for philosophy, but for experience." (Redfield, 1995)
Dr. Herbert Benson of Harvard University and author of "Relaxation Response" (Benson, 1987) conducted scientific experiments to determine efficacy of prayer or mantra. Benson believed that there is no magic to the mantra. He taught people to meditate using the word one or any other phrase they felt comfortable. He studied Christians and Jews who pray regularly. He asked Catholics to use their mantra phrases such as, "Hail Mary, full of grace" or use the Jesus Prayer. Jews used the peace greeting, "Shalom" or "Echad," meaning one. Protestants used the first line of the Lord's Prayer, "Our father, who art in heaven," or "Lord is my shepherd," the opening of the twenty-third psalm.
Initially, all these mantras worked equally well in invoking the relaxation response and stimulating the healthful physiological changes in the body as a result of it. But Benson also found that those who used the word one or similar simple phrases that had no particular spiritual meaning did not stick with the program whereas those who used prayers continued because of their belief. It has also been scientifically shown that to be effective, the person using the prayer of mantra has to have an unqualified faith that it will work.
Scientists call this intrinsic belief, characterized by profound spiritual commitment, devotion and quest for a truly transformed life. Thus, religious component in the spirituality is certainly very useful, and in fact may be needed, before the full benefits of spiritual healing can be realized.
There is much healing and benefit to be obtained by cultivating spiritual life. A personal spiritual commitment is the most important ingredient. Spiritual awareness and growth can effect a transformation in your whole being. It can help you to develop a basic trust and faith that is unshakable. Many have experienced major turnarounds in their condition as a result of cultivating their spirituality. They feel that developing a relationship with God provided the moral support, courage, hope, and faith for them to follow through with their personal recovery program. It provided them with a sense that they are not alone in the universe, and that there is a source of guidance and support that is available at times of confusion and discouragement.
Edmund Bourne, author of "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook," talks about the benefits to spirituality in helping with people's emotional turmoil. (Bourne, 1995) Dr. Burke's describes, in his books, personal experiences of patients healing stemming from deep-seated spirituality.
PRAYER AND INTERCESSORS
This work discusses in detail the role of intermediaries, media or intercessors in the all round fulfillment that comes from prayer. The role of Jesus as an intercessor has been discussed extensively. There are several other exemplars that have through their virtuous lives; ministries and sacrifices (even the ultimate ones) set standards for communion with the Almighty. These are saints. We use these saints as intercessors for our prayers. Saints also have had an important role to play in defining prayer. They have also set guidelines of how to pray.
There are schools of thought that believe that saints, as mere mortals, do not deserve to be placed on the pedestal as to channel our prayers to God: Is it useful to have recourse to the saints? Declared by the Council of Trent: "It is good and useful to invoke them by supplication, and to fly to their aid and assistance to obtain benefits from God through his Son Jesus Christ." (Kirsch, 1912) The prophet Baruch and St. Paul did: And pray ye for us to the Lord our God as he wrote to Barnabas and St. Paul: Brethren, pray for us (1 Thessalonians 5:25). The Old Testament tells of God commanding the friends of Job to use Job as an intercessory if they wanted prayers answered (Job 42:8). John Calvin disagreed. His thesis was that saints were human. But God has asked humans to intercede as is illustrated above. It is not disrespecting God, but it is doubling our honor. Praying through intercessors honors those that God has bestowed special privileges and virtues. St. Thomas believed that it was good to have recourse to many saints: "because by the prayers of many we can sometimes obtain that which we cannot by the prayers of one."
In St. Thomas' Book of Sentences, he expressly lays it down as certain that everyone is bound to pray; because (as he asserts) in no other way can the graces necessary for salvation be obtained from God, except by prayer: "Every man is bound to pray, from the fact that he is bound to procure spiritual good for himself, which can only be got from God; so it can only be obtained by asking it of God." As to the question of whether we are bound to pray to Saints he answers the following: "According to Dionysius, the order which God has instituted for his creatures requires that things which are remote may be brought to God by means of things which are nearer to him. Hence, as the saints in heaven are nearest of all to him, the order of his law requires that we who 'remaining in the body are absent from the Lord,' should be brought to him by means of the saints; and this is effected by the divine goodness pouring forth his gifts through them. And as the path of our return to God should correspond to the path of the good things which proceed from him to us, it follows that, as the benefits of God come down to us by means of the suffrages of the saints, we ought to be brought to God by the same way, so that a second time we may receive his benefits by the mediation of the saints. Hence it is that we make them our intercessors with God and as it were our mediators, when we ask them to pray for us." According to St. Thomas, the order of the divine law requires that we mortals should be saved by means of the saints, in that we receive by their intercession the help necessary for our salvation. He then puts the objection, that it appears superfluous to have recourse to the saints, since God - is infinitely more merciful than they, and more ready to hear us. This he answers by saying: "God has so ordered, not on account of any want of mercy on his part, but to keep the right order which he has universally established, of working by means of second causes. It is not for want of his mercy, but to preserve the aforesaid order in the creation."
In conformity with the above doctrine of St. Thomas, the Continuator of Tourneley and Sylvius (OurLadysWarriors.org, 2002) write that although God only is to be prayed to as the Author of Grace, yet we are hound to have recourse also to the intercession of the saints, so as to observe the order which God has established with regard to our salvation, which is, that the inferior should be saved by imploring the aid of the superior. They aver: "By the law of nature we are bound to observe the order which God has appointed; but God has appointed that the inferior should obtain salvation by imploring the assistance of his superior."
Before looking at the examples of Saints, we need to discuss the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary as an intercessor. The topic of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is a cause for a big schism between Catholics and Protestants. Catholics believe in Mary. Protestants see her playing a largely subdued and supportive role.
Some believe that Mary's prayers are certainly of more value in God's sight than those of all the rest of those that occupy heaven. St. Thomas believed that saints had merited grace only for themselves and were able to save others. But Mary and Jesus Christ had merited grace that could save all mankind. "It is a great thing in any saint that he should have grace enough for the salvation of many beside himself; but if he had enough for the salvation of all men, this would be the greatest of all; and this is the case with Christ, and with the Blessed Virgin."
St. Bernard supports this claim. He prays specially to Mary: "Through you we have access to your Son, O discoverer of grace and Mother of salvation, that through you he may receive us, who through you was given to us." These words mean that we have access to God through Jesus Christ who is the mediator of justice, but we get grace through Mary. It is through Mary's intercessions that we get the gifts that her son Jesus died for. St. Bernard believes that Mary has received a twofold fullness of grace. The first was by bearing Jesus through the Holy Spirit; the second was through her prayers. St. Bernard strenuously asserts that it is the will of God that all prayers go through Mary. "She is a garden of delights, whose odors spread abroad and abound; that is, the gifts of graces." more precise notion is provided by St. Augustine. He believed that Mary was justly called our Mother, "But clearly she is the mother of his members (which we are); because she cooperated by her charity in the birth of the faithful in the Church, and they are members of that Head." He asserts that Mary established her cooperation and charity. This cooperation would make her perfect channel for our prayers to God. Therefore the "Hail Holy Queen" prayer rightly calls her "our life, our sweetness and our hope."
Hence St. Bernard exhorts us to have continual recourse to the Mother of God, because her prayers are certain to be heard by her Son: "Go to Mary, I say, without hesitation; the Son will hear the Mother." And then he says: "My children, she is the ladder of sinners, she is my chief confidence, and she is the whole ground of my hope." You cannot come to God except by means of Jesus Christ, nor can you come to Christ except by means of his Mother. Then he calls his/her greatest security, and the whole ground of his hope; because, as he affirms, God wills that all the graces which he gives us should pass through the hands of Mary.
Several saints, in agreement with St. Thomas, St. Bernard and St. Augustine, glorify the presence of Mary as chief intercessor:
St. Ephrem: "We have no other confidence than from you, O purest Virgin!'
St. Ildephonsus: "All the good things that the divine Majesty has determined to give them, he has determined to commit to your hands; for to you are entrusted the treasures and the wardrobes of grace."
St. Germanus: "If you desert us, what will become of us, O life of Christians?"
St. Peter Damian: "In your hands are all the treasures of the mercies of God."
St. Antoninus: 'Who seeks without her aid, attempts to fly without wings.'
St. Bernardine of Sienna: 'You are the dispenser of all graces; our salvation is in your hands.'
St. Bonaventure says the same: 'Since the whole divine nature was in the womb of the Virgin
On the authority of these saints, many theologians have piously and reasonably defended the opinion, that there is no grace given to us except by means of the intercession of Mary; so Mendoza, Vega, Paciucchelli, Segneri, Piore, Crasset and others, as also the learned Alexander Natalis (Stapleton, 2003)
Therefore, God is most assuredly pleased when we have recourse to the saints, he will be much more pleased when we avail ourselves of the intercession of Mary. In the words of St. Anselm: "that the dignity of the intercessor may supply for our poverty. So that, to invoke the Virgin is not to distrust God's mercy, but to fear our own unworthiness." St. Thomas, speaks of the infinite dignity of Mary speaking of her dignity: "From the fact that she is the Mother of God, she has a certain infinite dignity." So that it may be said with reason, that the prayers of Mary have more power with God than those of all heaven together.
One of the channels of prayer that place Mary as the main intermediary is the Rosary. The Rosary is one of the most beautiful and sacred prayers. The Rosary is a devotion to God through a devotion to Mary. It's a series of prayers. The Rosary offers hope even though there are pains and sorrows in the world.
The origin of the Rosary is not clear. During the earliest days of the church, we used prayer beads and the repetitive prayers. There is evidence beads were used to assist prayers in the Middle Ages. During the fifteenth century, the Rosary structure formed. Fifty Hail Mary's were recited and were linked with verses of psalms. The prayer was called rosarim meaning rose garden.
Saint Dominick is the person that made the structure of the Rosary. He was moved by a vision of our Blessed Mother. The Rosary became popular in the 1500's. There were many wars, and people turned to the Rosary for comfort. On October 7, 1572, Pope St. Pius V established the Feast of the Holy Rosary. The Rosary prayer brings human solidarity. It reflects the intent of Mary and Jesus. This prayer is for all the people of the world. The Pope new sets of mysteries called the luminous mysteries.
Baptism in Jordan
Self manifestation at Cana
Proclamation of the kingdom of God
The transfiguration
The institution of the Eucharist
Having established the role of Mary as intercessor, we look to the Saints. Saints by virtue of their lives and characteristics would be the people to pray for in times of specific needs. The Gregorian (Christian) calendar lists each day dedicated to a particular Saint. This Saint is identifiable to a person whose birthday is on that day. As an example, November 30 is the Saint of the Apostle Andrew. It would be a feast to all the Andrews, those that go by any of the nicknames associated with Andrew and Andrea. It would also be a day to remember for those who fish as a livelihood and sport. St. Christopher was a giant who could not carry Jesus across a river though he made a living carrying people on his back. The name of St. Christopher is invoked every time one undertakes a journey.
Since each Saint is associated with a quality. Petitions placed by those praying in the name of the Saint typical pray for special things. The table below presents the names of Saints with whom petitioners might invoke certain areas of needs: (Modica, 1999)
Aborted and persecuted Saint Porcarius and companions
Abuse victims
Saint Jeanne Marie de Maille
Action and almsgiving Saint Francis of Assisi
Administrators
Saint Ferdinand III of Castile
African-Americans
Saint Peter Claver
Ailments that interfere Saint John Baptist Dei Rossi
Alcoholics and disappointed Saint Monica
Altar servers
Saint John Berchmans
Ambassador of God
Saint Sabinus
Americas Our Lady of Guadalupe
Angels
Saint Adelphus
Anti-Christian sentiments. Saint David of Wales
Apostleship
Saints Philip and James
Archangels
Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael
Attachments
Saint Anthony the Abbot
Attitude, right
Saint Agnes of Montepulciano, Saint Barnabas
Authority
Saint Turibius of Mongrovejo
Babies
Saint Brigid of Ireland
Bad times
Saint Alphonsus Rodriguez
Battle against evil
Saint Theodore Tyro
Beauty from God
Saint Etheldreda
Beliefs, wrong
Saint Prosper
Bereavement ministry Saint Mary Magdalene
Blindness
Saint Dunstan
Bodily purity
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
Boldness
Saint Paul the Apostle
Cities Saint Botulph
Business
Saint Notburga
Cancer
Saint Aldegundis
Capital punishment
Saint Sigfrid
Caregivers and needing Saint Luke Belludi
Career changes
Saint Cloud
Catechists, catechumens Saints Joseph Calasanz and Robert Bellarmine
Change Saints Boniface and Frumentius
Charity Saint Vincent de Paul
Children
Saints Elizabeth Ann Seton, Dominic Savio, Nicholas, Thierry, Jerome Emiliani, Sylvia, The Holy Family, St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, Holy Innocents and Amalburga
Church renewal
Saint Pius V
Clergy
Saint Stanislaus of Cracow
Comforting
Saint Januarius
Commissioning
Saint Aristolubus
Communications
Saint Bernardine of Siena
Communities Saints Romaric and Martyrs of Orange
Compassion Saint Domitian
Compromises
Saint Edmund of East Anglia
Computers Saint Isidore of Seville
Consciences
Saint Pacificus
Confessions
Saints John Nepomucene
Conversion
Saint Alban, Galganus, Cecilia, Mary Major, and Anne Line
Courage
Saints Perfecto, Nereus and Achilleus
Dangerous Saint Bernard of Menthon
Deacons
Saints Vincent of Saragossa and Stephen
Deceptions
Saint Bartholomew, Apostle,
Despair
Saints Simon and Jude
Detachment
Saint Francis of Paola
Difficult superiors
Saint John I
Diocesan Saint Anthony Mary Gianelli
Disease
Saint Bernadette of Lourdes
Divinity Saint Hilary of Poitiers
Divorced Saint Helena
Doing what is not easy Saint Stephen Harding
Doubt
Saints John the Baptist and Thomas
Downtrodden Saint Anysius
Education, Catholic
Saints Ursula and Gertrude
Elderly
Saint Gothard
Employment
Saint Joseph the Worker
Encouragement
Saint John Capistrano
Engaged couples
Saint Agnes of Rome
Enslavement
Saint Anselm of Canterbury
Entertainment
Saints John Chrysostom and Vitus
Eucharist
Saints Bruno of Segni, Radbertus and Pascal Babylon
Evangelization
Saint Berard
Evil spirits
Saint Quirinus
Faith, awakening
Saints Peter Chanel, Paul of the Cross, Peter and Paul, Pantaleon, Bede and Alexander Sauli
False accusations
Saint Narcissus
False teachings
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem
Family holiness
Christmas
Farmers, food and shelter Saint Fiacre
Fasting and penance
Saint Serapion
Fear
First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Fear-based decisions
Saint James Intercisus
Fearlessness
Saint Leo the Great
Finding God
Saint Augustine
Freedom for captives
Saints Flora and Mary
Friendship
Saints Basil the Great, Gregory Nazi, John (Apostle), Ambrose, and John of the Cross
Generosity
Saint Agnes of Prague and Blessed Francis Anthony of Lucera
Gift Saints Chad, Bonaventure, Mark,
Goals Saint Lawrence Justinian
Going where God leads Saint Marguerite Bourgeous
Good conscience Saint Mary of Egypt
Grace
Saints Balbina and John of Sahagun
Grandchildren
Saint Macrina the Elder
Grandparents
Saints Joachim and Ann
Growth through service Saint Flannan
Handicapped, the Saints Seraphina, Giles and Angela Merici
Hardships
Saint Paul the Hermit
Healing
Saints Martin de Porres, Nino and Anthony Mary Zaccaria
Heavy heart
Blessed Urban V
Helpfulness
Saint John the Almsgiver
HIV and AIDS victims
Saint Romanus of Condat
Holy living
Saint Bernard
Holy words
Saint Peter Chrysologus
Holy work
Saint John Joseph of the Cross
Homeless people
Saint Alexius
Homemakers
Saint Zita
Home visits
Saint Cuthbert
Hospitality
Saint Martha
Hostility, overcoming Saint John of Kanty
Human race, whole
Queenship of Mary
Humble service
Saint Francis Borgia
Humor
Saint Philip Neri
Husbands and fathers
Saint Joseph
Immoral appetites
Saint Sabas
Impossible cases
Saint Rita of Cascia
Imprisoned and addicted Saint Maximilian Kolbe
Inheritance
Lawrence O'Toole
Injustices
Saints Waldetrudis, Boris and Gleb
Intellectuals
Saints Justin Martyr and Sergius
Internet
Saint Anthony Claret
Intimacy with God
Saint Theresa of Lisieux
Kinship
Saint Andrew, Apostle
Lawyers
Saint Fidelis of Sigmaringen
Leaders
Saint Casimir of Poland
Leaders, Church
Saint Peter the Apostle
Leadership
Saint Maurice
Learning
Saint Acca
Life's crosses
Saints Paul Miki and Companions
Living the Creed
Saint Henry II
Loneliness
Saint Rose of Lima
Loss, bereavement minis Saint Bibiana
Lost items
Saint Anthony of Padua
Love for Scripture
Saint Eulogius of Spain
Love for the Bible
Saint Benedict Joseph Labre
Love, motherly
Our Lady of Lourdes
Love, passionate
Saint Melito of Sardis
Love, passionate
Our Lady of Sorrows
Love, sacrificial
Saint Elphege
Love, unconditional
Saint Vincent Ferrer
Loyalty to the Church Saint Otto of Bamberg
Mary our treasure
Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Materialism
Saint Cajetan
Medical practitioners Saint Luke, evangelist
Medical providers
Saints Cosmas and Damian
Meeting Jesus
Saint Polycarp
Mental illness
Saint Dymphna
Military duty
Saint Martin of Tours
Military service
Saint Lawrence of Brindisi
Ministries
Saint Evodius of Antioch
Ministry, endurance in Saint Peter Fourier
Ministry to vulnerable Saint Elizabeth Bichier
Miracles
Saint Theodore of Sykeon
Miracles of grace
Saint Catherine Laboure
Mothers
Saints Perpetua and Felicity
Multi-faith homes and s Saint Nunilo
Musical gifts
Saint Godric of Finchale
Musicians and painters Saint Benedict Biscop
Mutual support
Saints Cornelius and Cyprian
Nation Saint John Henry Neumann
Natural disasters
Saint Agatha
Needy Saint Louise de Marillac
Neighbors
Saint Hunna
New Age
Saint Athanasius
New Year, blessing the Mary, Mother of God
New Year, preparing for Saint Sylvester I
Old age
Saint Willibrord
Opportunities
Saint Ignatius of Antioch
Orphans
Saint Colette
Outcast Saint Adelaide
Outreach
Saint John Leonardi
Overcoming evil
Saint Wolfgang
Pagan religions
Saint Edwin
Partnership
Saints Timothy and Titus
Passion, the Saint Clare of the Cross
Peace Saints Marcellinus and Peter
People as gifts
Saints Cyril and Methodius
Performers
Saint Pelagia the Penitent
Persecution
Blessed Bertrand
Persuasiveness
Saint Eanswida
Piety
Saint Isabel of France
Plagues and diseases
Saint Macarius of Antioch
Political maneuvering Saint Elizabeth of Portugal
Politicians
Saints Edward the Confessor and Thomas Becket
Pope
Saints Gregory the Great, Martin I and Damasus I
Popes
Saint Martin I
Position in life
Saint Paulinus of Nola
Possessed people
Saints Bruno and Lucian
Prayer, mystical
Saint Teresa of Avila
Prayer place
Saint Gerard of Brogne
Prayer support
All Saints
Preachers
Saint Nerses
Pregnancies
Saints Raymond Nonnatus and Margaret of Antioch
Priests Saints Norbert, James of the March, John Eudes, Eusebius of Vercelli and Andrew Hubert Fournet
Prison Saint Callistus I
Promises fulfilled
Blessed Virgin Mary
Protection
Saint Benedict, Mount Carmel, Guardian Angels and Stephen of Hungary
Religious education Saint Romanus
Reading Saint Ignatius of Loyola
Reconciliation
The Sacred Wounds
Rejected love
Saint Peter Canisius
Rejection and failure Saint Joseph of Cupertino
Religious, future
Saint Euphrasia
Reputation
Saints Onesimus and Simeon Stylites the Younger
Retreat centers
Saint Macrina
Riches
Saint Elizabeth of Hungary
Ridicule
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
Rigorousness
Saint William of Eskilsoe
Risk-taking
Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions
Sacred image
Saint Veronica
Sacred Heart
Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque
Sacred Wounds
Saint Lutgardis
Sacrificial sufferings Saint Francis Xavier
Sanctification of our h The Immaculate Conception
Schools
Saint John Baptist de la Salle
Scientific study
Saint Albert the Great
Scripture knowledge
Saint Jerome
Seeing the good in sinners Saint Matthew, Apostle
Self-centeredness
Saint James the Greater, Apostle
Seminarians
Saint Peter Julian Eymard
Separation from loved Saint Theophane Venard
Sexual abuse
Saint Maria Goretti
Shortcomings
Saint Charles Borromeo
Sick, addicted, and dying Saint John of God
Sin Saint Raymond of Penyafort
Having discussed the role of Saints as intercessors, what about the Catholic notion of praying to souls? Indeed, the Catholic Church identifies a special day "All Souls Day." If we desire the aid of their prayers, it is but fair that we should mind to aid them with our prayers and good works. In this case, the attitude should be one of give and take. "The souls of the pious dead," says St. Augustine, "are not separated from the Church," and St. Thomas says that the charity which is due to the dead who died in the grace of God is only an extension of the same charity which we owe to our neighbor while living: "Charity, which is the bond which unites the members of the Church, extends not only to the living, but also to the dead who die in charity."
Several saints and blessed religious weigh in with their opinions on prayer as being the sole path to God and eternal salvation: (Sammut, 2002)
Mother Maribel of Wantage: To pray is to work, to work is to pray.
Ancient motto of the Benedictine Order: O. God, Founder of the universe, help me that I may pray aright, that I may act as one worthy to be heard by you and, finally, set me free.
St. Augustine: As for prayer, don't burden yourself with making considerations; neither your mind nor mine is good at that. Follow your own way of speaking to our Lord sincerely, lovingly, confidently and simply, as your heart dictates. And St. Augustine: The key to a Christian conception of studies is the realization that prayer consists of attention. It is the orientation of all the attention of which the soul is capable toward God. The quality of attention counts much in the quality of the prayer. Warmth of heart cannot make up for it.
Jane de Chantal, Francis de Sales, Jane de Chantal: Letters of Spiritual Direction: If the only prayer you say in your whole life is "thank you," that would suffice
Meister Eckart: In this temple of God, in this divine dwelling place, God alone rejoices with the soul in the deepest silence. There is no reason for the intellect to stir or seek anything, for the Lord who created it wishes to give it repose here.
Saint Teresa of Avila: Those who would storm the heavenly heights by fierceness and ascetic practices deceive themselves badly. Such people carry grim hearts within themselves; they lack true humility that alone leads to the soul of God.
Saint Mechthild of Magdeburg: Therefore we pray to him urgently that he may do what is pleasing to him, as if he were to say: "How could you please me more than by entreating me, urgently, wisely and sincerely, to do the thing that I want to have done?" And so the soul by prayer is made of one accord with God.
Julian of Norwich, Showings: O. God, Founder of the universe, help me that I may pray aright, that I may act as one worthy to be heard by you and, finally, set me free.
Simone Well: Short prayer pierces heaven
The Cloud of Unknowing: I am never alone. Christ is always present, always praying in me and I pray in him.
Elizabeth of the Trinity: We are One Family in Christ in Heaven and on Earth
CONCLUSION
Prayer is paramount in our lives. It was mentioned in the Introduction section that our very lives from the moment we are born till we pass on into God's loving arms of eternal salvation, should be one long continuous prayer. Prayer is probably the biggest gift that God could give us. It enables us to communicate with him. In the book "The Chosen" by Jewish artist and scholar Chaim Potok, the father, a rabbi, does not utter one word to his son in his entire life. (Potok, 1992) The philosophical ramifications of this enforced silence not withstanding -- where the father believed that any communication with the Son was already taken care of through nuances and actions -- one cannot imagine a child not being able to bring all its troubles to its parents. Imagine, if tomorrow we were deprived of even the simples form of communication with those around us -- family, friends and colleagues. That we could not even acknowledge one another with the most perfunctory of nods, life would not be worth living.
It is unfathomable then that we can go through life without praying to the one who gives us everything we have -- life, the air we breathe and everything we need to survive. We have discussed how anything we want to say can, and should, be offered to God. This could be a simple acclamation, a regular conversation, an entreaty, a supplication, thanksgiving, and contrition -- not much different from a conversation with might have with a superior or those below us. The key to remember in prayer is that God already knows what we want, but requires us to take steps to communicate, all the same. There is no obfuscation with God. There are no ambiguities. We are rendered physically and emotionally naked. Spiritually, the most successful people in the World are those that are acutely and continually self-aware. One often hears the adage: "You can fool some people some of the time." Even if one were to add a corollary to that: "You might also fool all people all of the time," one cannot fool God. An example of self-awareness would be to spend the last five minutes of every day before going to bed in front of a mirror. There is no one around that one needs to impress. One has to evaluate how one behaved during the day. Now transfer that awareness to the Lord.
The awareness mentioned above should be grounded on two very important aspects: Devotion and Faith. Recognition of these is paramount. Formal religion of today is plagued by sinners who are after personal satisfaction and material rewards. People in these situations portray themselves as exemplars of devotion that everybody else should follow. These "preachers" are cloaked to create an aura of religiosity but their lives are not based on devotion and faith. Their lives are examples of self-servitude.
One cannot be sure if these people started out with good intentions before the adulation of the followers took over and they began to see themselves as "larger than life." Nobody is larger than life, except the Almighty. All will be well as long as this important fact is taken into consideration. It was perhaps, keeping this in mind that most religious scholars and Saints were in favor of private and personal prayer; although communal prayer has its important place since man is a social being.
At some level, all Christians are believers. But we are also embroiled in a day and age where humans with God given talents and abilities have created technology. It is unfortunate that this technology that should be used for the greater glorification of God pushes people further away from God. Though it would not work well in today's modern world where people have strayed away from God, the rhetoric invoked by Jonathan Edwards during the period of the Awakening in America's religious history seems necessary to remind humans or our mere mortality and place in the order of things.
We have discussed the different dynamics of prayer: the subjects or topics for prayer and styles of prayer -- vocal and mental or meditative. Though this dissertation has been developed from a Christian perspective, interestingly, prayer has an instinctual component. Brief discussions on prayer in some of the world's major religions: Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Islam indicate the prayer is largely premised on similar precepts: honest and utmost Faith and Devotion; prayers of petition, thanksgiving, praise and supplication; and, personal prayer compared to community prayer. One might pose an interesting question: What if people from different cultures with no religious backgrounds were marooned on a deserted island. Given sufficient tribulations in trying to survive, would they come up with a mode of communuication with God?
God has placed intermediaries and intercessors so that we can offer ourselves in prayer with greater ease. Intercessors help focus our prayers. Naturally, God gave us his Son. His Son died for our Sins. The incredible phenomenon of God becoming Man was witnessed by thousands. Today millions bear witness to this legacy. It is so natural therefore to offer prayers through Christ.
Arguably, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, holds an important position as intercessor. Saints and religious scholars testify to the importance of Mary in Christianity. This work contains a very long (and perhaps incomplete) list of Saints who are intercessors for special needs. But it is necessary to illustrate the necessity of an order in the Universe that helps us to offer our needs to God. Some have argued against the need for intercessors since God in his kindness and benevolence already knows our shortcomings and yearnings. To counter this, I want to offer up the analogy using icons, tokens and relics. Pregnant women (or women who have difficulty conceiving) often wear a scapular with the picture of St. Dominic Savio. We know that God knows about these deep needs of these women and their loved ones. St. Dominic Savio also knows it as he enjoys eternity. But yet we feel to needs scapulars (or the rosary) or other symbols. They focus and bring order to our prayers.
Prayer is based on faith and devotion. Prayer is very powerful. Every canonized Saint bears testimony to more than one miracle that has occurred in his or her name. None of these miracles can be scientifically or medically substantiated. Unfortunately, this is a world of the skeptic. But there a beacons of hope: Renowned scientists are exploring the power of prayer in healing ailments that continue to plague us. The results are spectacular. More has to be done to encourage these scientists to realize the power of Faith and Prayer.
Throughout his life, Jesus continues to teach about Love: "Love one another as I have loved you" of "Greater love than this hath no Man that he lays down his life for his fellow man," are often heard. We have to recognize that our very existence is a testimony to God's Love for us. He created us and everything else that gives us sustenance. He gave us his Son. He sacrificed his Son so that we might be saved from Eternal Sin. And the greatest sign of his Love: He gave us pray. He created channels and media through which we could approach him. He wants us to pray. He yearns to answer our prayers. He gave us so much and he expects us to open our hearts, minds and souls to him. He gave us patriarchs, prophets and Saints who through their own inspiration and gifts taught us to pray. He validated his love for us, but having all his apostles and a significant number of his missionaries martyred. What more signs do we need? He gave us the Bible to inspire us to pray. Everything is about Love. We in turn should return this Love. Therefore we should remember to find, in every moment of our lives, a divine stillness that gives us pause to recognize God's Love in Prayer.
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Psalm 118 1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.... 29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 131A song of ascents. Of David. 1 My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.... 3 O. Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.
Philippians 4:6 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Corinthians 10 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Matthew 11 28"Come to me; all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Ephesians 3 12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Acts 17 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.
Psalm 5-1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. 2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. 3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Corinthians 10 31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Colossians 3 17 and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,
Romans 6 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.
Romans 14 7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Psalm 100 1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.... 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Acts 16 16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.... 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God -- he and his whole family.
Psalm 149 4 For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.... 9 to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD.
Thessalonians 5 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.... 19Do not put out the Spirit's fire;
Hebrews 7 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
Romans 8 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 and he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
Matthew 9 20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."
Mark 11 25 and when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone; forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
James 1 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.... 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Mark 11 12 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry....14Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.
Mark 11 20In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.... 25 and when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
Luke 7 1 When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.... 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
James 5 13Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.... 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
Matthew 9 18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying
And the fame hereof went abroad into all that Matthew 28 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.... 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Genesis 11 1 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.... 9 That is why it was called Babel because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Matthew 1819"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them Exodus 17 8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.... 12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up-one on one side, one on the other-so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Analectic army with the sword.
Psalm 1331 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.... 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
Acts 4 23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
Hebrews 1024 and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Romans 8 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
Corinthians 14 39 Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
Luke 6 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
Matthew 6 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.... 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Kings 6-15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" The servant asked....17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Exodus 3-7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey -- the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites
Mark 5 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 34He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
Luke 4 16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.... 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
John 14 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.... 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them; he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
John 1 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
Philippians 4 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 3 14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,... 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
Ephesians 6 18 and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Colossians 4 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Thessalonians 5 17 pray continually;
Luke 18 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
Matthew 21 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
Hebrews 11 6 and without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
James 1 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.... 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
Romans 10 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Luke 18 9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable...14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Psalm 34-18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
James 4 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
John 5 14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."
Luke 22 42"Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
James 4 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Peter 3
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
James 5 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.... 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
Proverbs 28 9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.
Isaiah 591 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
Romans 10 1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.... 4 Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Romans 116I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Ephesians 5 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Colossians 4 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Thessalonians 5 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Luke 115 Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread... 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Luke 18 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.... 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
Matthew 26 44So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing.
Corinthians 12 7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
Acts 2 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Ephesians 5 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
John 146 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Hebrews 7 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them John 14 13 and I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.
Hebrews 414 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.... 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Psalm 66 18If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
Psalm 411 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble....
3 The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.
Matthew 5 23 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
Peter 3 7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
Matthew 6 14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 18 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"... 23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.
John 3 22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized.
Ecclesiastes 31 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
Isaiah 55 8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Hebrews 12 5 and you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
Habakkuk 3-17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls... 19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.
Corinthians 10 13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Psalm 55-17 Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.
Daniel 6-10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Luke 6 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
Acts 16 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Nehemiah 2-4 The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."
Thessalonians 5 17 pray continually
Matthew 6 5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 18 19"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them Acts 4 23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
Acts 12 5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
Acts 16 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
Acts 20 36 When he had said this; he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
Acts 21 5 But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.
Luke 111 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples."
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us; and lead us not into temptation.
Matthew 6 7 and when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him
Chronicles 2910 David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.... 13 Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.
John 19 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
Philippians 4 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God
Colossians 1 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
Colossians 2 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness
Colossians 3 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Colossians 4 2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful
Timothy 2 1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone
Matthew 6 11 Give us today our daily bread.
Corinthians 19 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.... 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas still another, "I follow Christ."
Ephesians 6 4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Jeremiah 29 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
John 13 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
John 17 20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me
Philippians 19 and this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight...11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ -- to the glory and praise of God.
Thessalonians 3 1 Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.
Psalm 33-12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.
Proverbs 14-34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
Timothy 2 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
Romans 10 1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.
Ephesians 6 18 and pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.... 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
James 5 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 and the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
James 5 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Matthew 3 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.... 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Proverbs 29 7 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
Psalm 119 18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
Psalm 1195 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! 6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.
Psalm 119 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 14:7-7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Psalm 28 7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.
John 11 41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
Luke 6 12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
Matthew 26 36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray.... 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
Matthew 17 20He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you
Matthew 2121 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done.
Corinthians 12 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
Matthew 21 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
Matthew 7 7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.... 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Luke 11 13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him
John 16 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
Philippians 4 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God
James 4 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures
John 3 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.
Thessalonians 5 16Be joyful always;... 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus
Matthew 5 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you
Psalm 35 1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me....
28 My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.
Deuteronomy 8-10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
Genesis 28-12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
Deuteronomy 1113 So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today-to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul-
Koran [25-77] Say: My Lord would not care for you were it not for your prayer; but you have indeed rejected (the truth), so that which shall cleave shall come.
Koran [40.60] And your Lord says: Call upon Me, I will answer you; surely those who are too proud for my service shall soon enter hell abased.
Psalm 73-18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
Psalm 73-19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!
Psalm 85-10 Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven
Luke 1 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
James 5 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Mark 11 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours
Matthew 6 7 and when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Thessalonians 25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
Job 42 8 So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."
John 19 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home
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