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PRAYER IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH -
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What is prayer?
Descriptions of prayer are abundant throughout Christian history:
- "True prayer," wrote St. Augustine, "is nothing but love. Prayer should arise from the heart."
- "Prayer," said St. John Vianney, "is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself."
- "Everyone of us needs half an hour of prayer each day," remarked St. Francis de Sales, "except when we are busy—then we need an hour."
St. John Damascene gave a classic definition of prayer: "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God" (CCC, no. 2559, citing St. John Damascene, De Fide Orth. 3, 24).
The Catechism clearly defines prayer as a vital and personal relationship with the
living and true God. (CCC, no. 2558).
It is important to remember that we understand prayer through our celebration of
the Sacraments, the Liturgy, and through personal relationship with God.
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Sacraments
A sacrament is a sacred and visible sign that is instituted by Jesus to give us grace, an undeserved gift from God.
(See also CCC 1084).
Christ was present at the inception of all of the sacraments, which He instituted 2,000 years ago. Christ is also present every time each sacrament is celebrated. The Catholic Church has all of the seven sacraments instituted by Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that “the seven sacraments touch all the stages and all important moments of the Christian life” (CCC 1210).
The Sacraments are:- Sacraments of Initiation
- Baptism
- Confirmation
- Eucharist
- Sacraments of Healing
- Penance/Reconciliation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Sacraments of Service
- Matrimony
- Holy Orders
To learn more about the sacramental life at
St. Matthew, click here! - Sacraments of Initiation
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Liturgy
The word liturgy comes from a Greek term meaning "public work or work done on behalf of the people."
All the worshipers are expected to participate actively in each liturgy, for this is holy "work" not entertainment or a spectator event. Every liturgical celebration is an action of Christ the High Priest and of his Mystical Body, which is the Church. It therefore requires the participation of the People of God in the work of God.
Liturgy is centered on the Holy Trinity. At every liturgy the action of worship is directed to the Father, from whom all blessings come, through the Son in the unity of the Holy Spirit. We praise the Father who first called us to be his people by sending us his Son as our Redeemer and giving us the Holy Spirit so that we can continue to gather, to remember what God has done for us, and to share in the blessings of salvation.To learn more about the liturgical life at St. Matthew, click here!
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Personal Prayer
Encountering God is the heart of Catholic life. We are invited to pray, not just on Sundays at Mass, but every day! Our Father in heaven is the one who loves us 24/7, even if we sometimes forget this. Jesus came to earth to show us the face of the Father and remind us of God’s ever-present, unfailing love and mercy.
God tirelessly calls each person to this mysterious encounter with Himself. Prayer unfolds … as a reciprocal call between God and man (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2591).
The God of love — of the universe — longs to have a daily conversation with us, one-on-one!
Having a personal prayer time acknowledges our relationship with God and devotes time to nourish it. Honest talking and attentive listening matter in every human relationship. With God, that’s called prayer.
To learn more about personal prayer, click here.
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Sources for more information:
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