Christian Prayer and Worship

R210ASpiritual FormationLawrence Pascual

Christian Prayer

• Christian prayer is always a turning ourselves toward God through Christ in the Spirit (Thomas Rausch)

• Vocal• Mental• Contemplative• Liturgical

Prayer

• Precari (Latin) • Literally “to entreat” or “to beg”

St. John Damascene on prayer

• “raising of one’s mind and heart to God”

• Or “the requesting of good things from God”

Prayer: Communication

• God calls us first– God loves us first, prayer is a

response

Prayer in the Bible

• Praise and Thanksgiving– “The promises of the Lord I will sing

forever” (Ps 89:2)– “Blessed be the name of the Lord

both now and forever” (Ps 113:2)

Prayer in the Bible

• Tears and Sadness– “My God, my God, why have you

abandoned me?” (Ps 22:2)– “Still the Israelites groaned and

cried out because of their slavery. As their cry for release went up to God…” (Ex 2:23)

– “Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?” (Jer 15:18)

Jesus and Prayer

• Gospel of Luke– Jesus prays during baptism (3:21– Jesus reads the prophet Isaiah at

the synagogue (Lk 4:16-19)– Choosing the Twelve (6:12-16)– Jesus prays before Peter’s

confession (9:18-21)

Abba: personal prayer

• Not just formal address “father”• More like “loving Father”• Intimate language used within

family• Not typical: Jews don’t typically

refer to God as “Abba”– Avoid saying God’s name: Lord (Hb:

Adonai)– Hence, the tetragrammaton: YHWH

Types of Private Prayer

• Vocal• Mental• Contemplative

• These types tend to overlap

Vocal Prayer

• Formal– Examples

• Our Father• Hail Mary• Glory (Doxology)

– When lost at words to express feelings, use formal prayer

• Conversational– Express ourselves freely

Vocal (and Meditative) Prayer

• Meditative– Focuses on particular Mystery

• E.g., Rosary– Focus on life of Jesus or Mary

» Annunciation, birth of Jesus, crucifixion• E.g., Stations of the Cross

– Focus on Christ’s passion– Walking, standing, kneeling (scene by

scene)

Mental Prayer

• Meditative, Non-Vocal• Use of Imagination and intellect

– Bible scene from Life of Jesus– Imagining oneself as character in the

story• Blind man calling out to Jesus• Nicodemus the Pharisee conversing with

Jesus• Mary at the foot of the cross

– Examination of conscience• Reflecting God’s presence at the end of

the day

Contemplative Prayer

• Quiet, receptive, and affective• Spontaneous activity of spirit• “Speak, Lord, your servant is

listening” (1 Sam 3:9)• E.g., Jesus Prayer (Orthodox)

– “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”

– Sit quietly with the eys closed and turns in faith toward God (ignore imagination, calm the mind)

Liturgical (Communal) Prayer

• Liturgy (Gk: leitourgia): – Laos: people; ergo: to do– Christian context: Public worship– The prayer of the Church gathered in

worship and praise of God• E.g., Divine Office (prayers at specific

hours)• Sacraments• Eucharistic Adoration

What is the Church’s most privileged liturgies?

The Ritual SacramentsBaptismConfirmationEucharistReconciliationHoly MatrimonyAnointing of the SickHoly Orders

Prayer according to the CCC

• (1) The Church professes [the mystery of faith] in the Apostles' Creed and celebrates it in the sacramental liturgy,

• (2) so that the life of the faithful may be conformed to Christ in the Holy Spirit to the glory of God the Father.

How does God save?

• Christ’s birth?• Christ’s teaching?• Christ’s suffering?• Christ’s death?• Christ’s Ressurection?• Christ’s giving of His Holy Spirit?

How does Christ Save?

• The Paschal Mystery– THE CHRIST EVENT

• Not just the crucifixion.• Not just the Resurrection.• But the ENTIRE life of Christ.

– His whole life, death and Resurrection.

How does the Church relate to this?

• Church literally means “the assembly.”

• The Church is the bride of Christ, the people of God, one flesh as the Body of Christ.

• The liturgy of the Church is “the celebration of the Paschal Mystery.”

Liturgy revisited

• “The participation of the People of God in the work of God.” (CCC 1069)

• Christ is present in the Mass via (SC 7)

– People– Word– Minister– Eucharist (par excellence)

Four Substantial Principles from SC• The Liturgy is “an exercise of the

Priestly office of Jesus Christ” (SC 7)

• The Liturgy is “the Source and Summit” of the Church’s Life (SC 10)

• The Liturgy by its very nature requires full, conscious, active participation (SC 14)

• The Liturgy is the manifestation of the Church (SC 26)

Communication

• In the Liturgy, the Church gathers to worship in response to God’s call.

• In the Liturgy, God responds to the Church by giving grace

The Mass

• Introductory Rites• The Liturgy of the Word• The Liturgy of the Eucharist• Concluding Rites

God calls in the Spirit…

• By inviting us• He speaks His Word• He empowers us in His Word• He offers His Word (sacrifice and

meal)• We are disMISSed

– Sent out (Apostle)

• We assemble (church)

• We listen• We pray (mental

prayer)• We receive

Christ

• We go “in peace to love and serve the Lord.”

Discussion