With citations from the New Testament book, the
Acts of the Apostles the
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) begins its fourth "
pillar" of teaching, "Christian Prayer". Prayer seems to be a foundational part of human nature - all religions throughout history have used this as a privileged form of communication with the transcendent. Many of us will often turn beyond ourselves - which the
Judeo-Christian faiths call "God" - asking for favors. What does God expects of us in prayer?
Certainly, this type of prayer is invited and welcome by God. Jesus himself says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8).
- This most common form of prayer is called prayer of petition. This can be either private personal prayer or public prayer (most commonly used at Mass as the Prayer of the Faithful, aka the Intercessions or Petitions). In this form of prayer, we recognize our limitations and turn to God to assistance, always acknowledging that it is ultimately up to His good judgment and perfect knowledge to give or do what is best for us. While the most commonly used, prayer of petition is certainly not the only type of prayer that there is and is certainly not the only type of prayer that we should make, unless we want to run the risk of turning God into a "divine ATM", pushing in our prayers and expecting a particular outcome - a sure recipe for a weakening faith!
So what other types of prayer are there? - The highest and most excellent type of prayer is the prayer of praise and adoration. This type of prayer is our act of submitting to God, acknowledging that we are his creatures and that it is our duty to worship Him. This is the type of prayer most utilized in the Mass, often found in the Opening Prayer (the Collect) and other "presidential prayers" and in the Eucharistic Prayers during which the bread and the wine become the Body and Blood of Christ through the mystery and the miracle of transubstantiation. In offering prayers of adoration to Him, we are at the same time strengthening our relationship with Him.
- The prayer of thanksgiving - the all too often neglected cousin to the prayer of petition - is our expression of gratitude by which we give thanks to God for favors received. Often this will ask God to fully open our hearts and minds to receive the many diverse and hidden benefit that often accompanies His response to prayer.
- Finally, the prayer of contrition asks for God's forgiveness for our sins and failings. This is best embodied in the Act of Contrition used in the sacrament of Reconciliation, using either one of the formulas available or a spontaneous one: expressing sorrow for sin and a firm resolution not to sin again, with the help of God's grace.
Whatever type of prayer is used, the question often asked is:
Why do we pray at all? As well as seeming to be an important part of human behavior, it is also something that the Church recommends often, even to incorporating prayer into as many aspects of our daily life as possible. The Catechism in particular stresses the importance of the practice of prayer in Christian life: "Prayer is a vital necessity. If we do not turn to the Spirit to lead us, we fall back into the slavery of sin. How can the Holy Spirit be our life if our heart is far from him? Prayer and the Christian life are inseparable, for the concern the same love ... the same transforming union in the Holy Spirit who conforms us more and more to Christ Jesus; the same love for all, the love with which Jesus loves us." (CCC 2744-2745).