"Pray without ceasing"

As God is our creator, we are drawn to Him. Prayer is a tool for us in our search for God. God calls all of us through prayer, and through prayer His glory and Will is revealed. In the Old Testament prayer is seen as God’s way of communicating to His people. Through the prophets He revealed the true drama of prayer, the test of one’s faith in God. Having complete trust and obedience is crucial to prayer. We can see through the prophets the importance of having complete faith in God. Abraham was obedient to the will of God; he was willing to sacrifice his only son. Moses, who after long debate with himself, aligns his will with God’s. Moses can be a great example for those who struggle with prayer or following and saying yes to the will of God. Before he conformed to the will of God he made excuses, and through his questioning the Lord answered him. David also had a joyful and loving trust in the will of God as he set out to build a Temple for God. And Elijah who confirmed the faith of many by showing them the power of prayer. By trusting in God like these Holy men of the Old Testament God will answer our prayers.

Not only did the great prophets teach us, God himself while on earth instructed us how to pray. We can see Jesus praying before any decisive moments in His life. His disciples see Jesus pray and ask to be taught. The way Jesus begins his prayers should be reflected in our own prayers, He always begins with thanksgiving. Jesus teaches us prayer by building on the prayers of the Old Testament as well as expanding on the act of prayer with promises of the kingdom. Jesus instructs us to have a love for our enemies, to forgive, and to seek the kingdom of God before all else. In seeking the kingdom first we can have a clear sight of what God’s will is for us, without being distracted by our own worldly desires. Like the prophets of the Old Testament Jesus tells of the great power of prayer. In prayer we are not only supposed to say the words but to engage our whole selves having complete faith. Also to know to have patience in receiving, all in accordance to God’s will.

Mary is also an important example in one’s prayer life; her whole life was a humble acceptance of God’s will.

There are many forms of prayer. The Psalms of the Old Testament can still be a relevant and effective prayer in today’s world even if it is reflecting an event of the old world. Psalms recall the past and the future, the promises God has already kept and the ones yet to come. They are full of hope and wisdom.

The life of prayer has a rhythm in daily life. There are a few different expressions of prayer vocal, meditation, and contemplative. Vocal focuses on words making our prayers take flesh. Jesus taught us the Our Father, a vocal prayer. However, successful vocal prayer is not reliant on the poetic sound or number of words but the fervor of the soul.

Meditation is a quest for God. With meditation we can use books, images, the rosary and other ways to struggle to understand the mystery of our faith. God uses meditation to stir our hearts, and with this meditation we can discern what he is trying to tell us through His holy scripture. With meditation, “This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen out will to follow Christ”(CCC 2708).

Contemplative prayer is a form of prayer where one is totally alone and focused on God. St. Teresa of Jesus describes it as,”a close sharing between friends”. In this silence the mystery of prayer is further revealed.

With prayer there come battles. We battle against ourselves and temptation. Our concerns for our own will and our foolish pride result in failure in prayer. But when we struggle in failure this is just apart of the drama in prayer we are called to struggle, and through that struggle gain humility and perseverance. Distractions during prayer are a frequent problem and making a conscious decision to choose God over whatever else preoccupies our mind really shows which master we serve. The lack of faith we experience when praying is a huge temptation. By realizing “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”, can lead us to the desire to trust more and to persevere in prayer.

When praying for our petitions, I often times feel like giving up. I also realize I am more concerned with the outcome as opposed to what God really wants or has planned for me. We are selfish in only thinking of ourselves as opposed to the bigger picture, God’s will.

“Do not be troubled if you do not immediately receive from God what you ask him; for he desires to do something even greater for you, while you cling to him in prayer”(Evagrius Ponticus, De oratione 34:pg 79,1173). This quote describes the whole idea and importance of prayer. By persevering in prayer and putting our whole soul into it we will come to know God’s holy will. He truly knows what is best for us. Through true humility, trust, perseverance, hope, and love we can reach our full potential with prayer.