Prayer has many definitions but two short and sweet ones are: a communication with or conversation with those in Heaven (we speak and then listen so they can speak) and in the words of St. Padre Pio it is the "Oxygen of the soul".
You might also ask why should I pray and how do I pray? To answer the first question - because the God who created the universe desires to have an intimate personal relationship with you, why would we say no? To answer the second one see below! The types of prayer below are simply examples. There are many many other way to pray. The first group below are prayers you do almost anywhere and in your own way. The Second group has more specific prayers that may need to be said with the help of others or at specific times.
If you still have questions feel free to contact Michael at 331-348-9650 or [email protected] to find a prayer that fits your personality.
silence
A simple but profound way to pray you can do anywhere is silence. God's main language is silence as we see in 1st Kings 19:11-13. It can be hard at first but over time you will be accustomed to hearing the Lord's voice if you allow him time to speak.
Start small and take 5 minutes in the morning, the car ride to work, or part of your lunch break. Simply tell the Lord what is on your heart and then be silent. Undoubtedly a laundry list of things will run threw your head and you may find yourself thinking about a to-do list. That is normal, simply say "Lord what were you saying?" and begin to listen again. Be gentle and patience with yourself, the Lord will speak.
adoration
What better way to deepen your relationship with Jesus Christ than to spend time with him in Adoration! It might be intimidating at first but overtime you will grow to love the silence. Just like any deep relationship words are not always need. St John Vianney once asked a man who spend hours in adoration what he did to fill the time. The man simply replied "I look at him and he looks at me". You can go to Adoration by simply sitting in front of in a tabernacle or going to a parish that has Jesus exposed in the monstrance.
To view St. Gall's adoration times please click the first button below. To learn what to do in adoration click the second button. God will bless you richly for every moment you spend in adoration.
imaginative prayer
As we grow up we sadly set our imagination aside, yet it is a great gift from God. To start praying in this manner simply ask the Lord to turn your imagination back on. Next open your hands close your eyes and ask the Lord "If your love for me looked like a physical object what would it look like?" It might take time so do not worry or give up. Once you have an object ask him why that object appeared? Finally, say thank you! You can repeat these steps for anything (ask for blessing, an answer to prayer, or anything else). Be open to the Spirit and try using all 5 of your sense.
lectio divina
Spiritual reading of Sacred Scripture, especially the Gospels, is an important form of meditation. This spiritual reading is traditionally called lectio divina or divine reading. There are a variety of ways to approach this prayer. One example or outline is below. There is also a button below Step Four to a video guide.
Step One: Reading (Lectio) - take a short passage from the Bible, preferably a Gospel passage and read it carefully, perhaps three or more times. Simply let it soak in.
Step Two: Meditation (Meditatio) - Use your imagination to enter into the biblical scenes people, places, smells and so on (use all five sense). It is through this meditation that you encounter the text and discover its meaning for your life.
Step Three: Prayer (Oratio) – You state your personal response to the text: asking for graces, offering praise or thanksgiving, seeking healing or forgiveness.
Step Four: Contemplation (Contemplatio) – You turn your gaze turned toward Christ and God's action in your life. You simply wait to see what your beloved wishes to say to you.
Journaling
Journaling is a great way see the Lord working in your life. You can spend hours each day or just 5 minutes at the end of each day. Tell the Lord what is on your heart and what you wish him to do. Once you are done be sure to sit in silence for a few minutes to let him speak. As days, weeks, months, and years pass you can go back and literally read how the Lord answered prayers because you will have a written record!
reading
As the lives of the saints tell us holy reading will always deepen our relationship with the Trinity. As Catholics the most important thing we should read is of course the Bible. If you do not know where to start a few good places are the Gospel of St. Mark (very short), the Acts of the Apostles (reads like an action movie), or the Psalms (these cover every human emotion).
Aside from scripture you can read the lives of the saints, writings of the saints, church history, or somethings else. Check out the library at St. Gall if you are looking for something new!
Daily Mass
The surest and quickest way to deepen your prayer life and grow in holiness is to attend daily Mass. While you might not be able to attend 7 days a week try to find one day each week aside from Sunday to attend Mass. If you welcome to attend Mass at a parish by your office if that is more convenient. To check St. Gall's Mass times click the first button below. To check areas by your office or a vacation area click the second button (then enter a zip code or city).
Stations of the cross
The Stations of the Cross are a 14-step devotion that commemorates Christ's last day on Earth as a man. The 14 devotions, or stations, focus on specific events of His last day, beginning with His condemnation. The stations are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from station to station. At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ's last day. Specific prayers are recited, then the individual moves to the next station until all 14 are complete.
We are blessed to have beautiful Stations at St. Gall. Stop by to see them and pray!
liturgy of the hours
The Liturgy of the Hours (also called the “Breviary”) is the official prayer of the Church aside from Mass. Each day is broken into 7 Offices. Priests are required to pray 5, permanent deacons are required to pray 2, and many religions are required to pray all 7 each day. We are told to pray without ceasing in 1st Thessalonians 5:17. The church accomplishes this with the Liturgy of the Hours as there is always someone praying somewhere in the world. Lay people are encouraged to join in these prayers as well.
The most common way to say these prayers is in book form, which either comes in an abridged one volume or in the complete four volume. These formats can be found at your local Catholic bookstore or online. The "Breviary" is also available for free online or by smartphone app. Click below to download!
Dominican rosary
St. Dominic was given the Rosary in 1208 by our Blessed Mother to help convert sinners. This prayer is a mediation on the life of Christ through the eyes of Mary whom saw his entire earthly life. The prayers are also biblically based. This devotion is one of the surest ways to obtain holiness which can be seen in the lives of the saints. The first button below has a PDF guide you can download and the second button has video example. If you would like to learn a new type of rosary click here :)
Divine mercy chaplet
