a people of prayer. prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to god. we are able to speak and listen...

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A People of A People of Prayer Prayer

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Page 1: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

A People of PrayerA People of Prayer

Page 2: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray.teaches us how to pray.

Page 3: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

Jesus told his followers a parable Jesus told his followers a parable about the necessity for them to pray about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. always without becoming weary. Above all, Jesus taught his followers Above all, Jesus taught his followers to pray the Lord’s Prayer.to pray the Lord’s Prayer.

Page 4: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

Jesus prayed often. He prayed all theJesus prayed often. He prayed all the

traditional Jewish prayers, such as traditional Jewish prayers, such as meal prayers, the psalms, and the meal prayers, the psalms, and the Shema. The Shema is the central Shema. The Shema is the central Jewish prayer of faith in the one Jewish prayer of faith in the one God. It is taken from Deuteronomy God. It is taken from Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and is prayed at least twice 6:4–5 and is prayed at least twice each day.each day.

Page 5: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

Jesus prayed at his baptism, before Jesus prayed at his baptism, before choosing his apostles, and at the choosing his apostles, and at the multiplication of the loaves. Jesus multiplication of the loaves. Jesus prayed when he was transfigured, prayed when he was transfigured, when he raised Lazarus from the when he raised Lazarus from the dead, and during his agony in the dead, and during his agony in the garden.garden.

Page 6: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

At the Annunciation, the angel announcedAt the Annunciation, the angel announced

to Mary that she would be the mother ofto Mary that she would be the mother of

the Savior. Mary’s prayerful response to thethe Savior. Mary’s prayerful response to the

angel expressed her openness to God, herangel expressed her openness to God, her

willingness to listen. Mary was a womanwillingness to listen. Mary was a woman

of prayer.of prayer.

Page 7: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

Scripture tells us that as theScripture tells us that as the

profound experiences of Jesus’ life profound experiences of Jesus’ life unfolded, she pondered the events in unfolded, she pondered the events in her heart. A pondering heart is a her heart. A pondering heart is a listening heart.listening heart.

Page 8: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

The liturgy is the public worship of theChurch. In its broad sense, it includes thecelebration of the seven sacraments andthe prayer called the Liturgy of the Hours.The Mass is the Church’s great communityprayer.

Page 9: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

The Liturgy of the Hours includes The Liturgy of the Hours includes hymns, psalms, Scripture readings, hymns, psalms, Scripture readings, petitions, the Lord’s Prayer, and petitions, the Lord’s Prayer, and times of reflective silence.times of reflective silence.

Page 10: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

It includes the three major It includes the three major expressions of the life of prayer: expressions of the life of prayer: vocal prayer, meditation, and vocal prayer, meditation, and contemplative prayer. This prayer of contemplative prayer. This prayer of the Church can be prayed at seven the Church can be prayed at seven “hours,” or times, during the day.“hours,” or times, during the day.

Page 11: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

All the saints took time to pray. For All the saints took time to pray. For example, Saint Francis of Assisi example, Saint Francis of Assisi praised God as he hiked along praised God as he hiked along country roads. Saint Elizabeth Ann country roads. Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, the mother of five children, Seton, the mother of five children, prayed as she rocked her babies to prayed as she rocked her babies to sleep.sleep.

Page 12: A People of Prayer. Prayer is lifting up the mind and heart to God. We are able to speak and listen to God in prayer because he teaches us how to pray

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, a simple Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, a simple French sister who trusted deeply in French sister who trusted deeply in God’s care for us, once said, “I just God’s care for us, once said, “I just tell our Lord all that I want, and he tell our Lord all that I want, and he understands.”understands.”