CCCP1 Prayer (2555-2561)

[lonnienord]

SECTION ONE: PRAYER IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

2558 "Great is the mystery of the faith!" The Church professes this mystery in the Apostles' Creed (Part One) and celebrates it in the sacramental liturgy (Part Two), so that the life of the faithful may be conformed to Christ in the Holy Spirit to the glory of God the Father (Part Three). This mystery, then, requires that the faithful believe in it, that they celebrate it, and that they live from it in a vital and personal relationship with the living and true God. This relationship is prayer.





WHAT IS PRAYER?

</B>For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. 1 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=1)



Prayer as God's gift

2559 "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." 2 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=2) But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? 3 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=3) He who humbles himself will be exalted; 4 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=4) humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," 5 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=5) are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God." 6 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=6)



2560 "If you knew the gift of God!" 7 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2560&FNoteNum=7) The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God's desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him. 8 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2560&FNoteNum=8) 2561 "You would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 9 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2561&FNoteNum=9) Paradoxically our prayer of petition is a response to the plea of the living God: "They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water!" 10 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2561&FNoteNum=10) Prayer is the response of faith to the free promise of salvation and also a response of love to the thirst of the only Son of God. 11 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2561&FNoteNum=11)

[lonnienord]

Wow rich in footnotes. I recognized the quote from the Psalms and the two from JESUS. I thought the one from Jer. was from JESUS (10) Two from St. Augustine. I will look at all of these in more depth over the next few days. Please feel free to insert your reflections or prayers anytime!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Robbie_James_Francis]

...This mystery, then, requires that the faithful believe in it, that they celebrate it, and that they live from it in a vital and personal relationship with the living and true God. This relationship is prayer.

:wave:

I thought this was really interesting. "This relationship is prayer". Prayer is our entire relationship with God--prayer is everything that man shares with God and God with man. Prayer is so much more than words...it is our lives if we are to live for Him and in Him.

Just thought I'd offer some ramndom thoughts there...I hope I'm not misunderstanding what these Studies are about...:sorry:

Pax tecum,
Rob :cool:

[lonnienord]

Thank you Rob!! you aren't misunderstanding and your comments were both appropriot and very exactly right on!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for posting them!!!!!!!!!!

[PassthePeace1]

Prayer as God's gift

2559 "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." 2 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=2) But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? 3 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=3) He who humbles himself will be exalted; 4 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=4) humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," 5 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=5) are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God." 6 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=6)



I loved this part, it really speaks to my condition right now; I have gotten to a point in my life where I realized I am nothing without God! I don't think I could even love Him with my own power. My prayer life has suffered too...so I was really moved by the part above that says "He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer."

Peace be with you...Pam

[lonnienord]

I loved this part, it really speaks to my condition right now; I have gotten to a point in my life where I realized I am nothing without God! I don't think I could even love Him with my own power. My prayer life has suffered too...so I was really moved by the part above that says "He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer."

Peace be with you...Pamthank you Pam!! i have trouble with pride/humility. as soon as i see myself being humble i am proud of my humility. Please pray for me that i can get out of myself and live totally for GOD!! with no regards to me.

[Lel]

That's just it; God is all, we are nothing. I tend to forget that and get it reversed....:oops:

[lonnienord]

That's just it; God is all, we are nothing. I tend to forget that and get it reversed....:oops:i certainly know the feeling!!!!!!!!!:cry: :cry: :cry:

[D'Ann]

SECTION ONE: PRAYER IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

2558 "Great is the mystery of the faith!" The Church professes this mystery in the Apostles' Creed (Part One) and celebrates it in the sacramental liturgy (Part Two), so that the life of the faithful may be conformed to Christ in the Holy Spirit to the glory of God the Father (Part Three). This mystery, then, requires that the faithful believe in it, that they celebrate it, and that they live from it in a vital and personal relationship with the living and true God. This relationship is prayer.





WHAT IS PRAYER?



<B></B>For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. 1 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=1)




Prayer as God's gift

2559 "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." 2 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=2) But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? 3 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=3) He who humbles himself will be exalted; 4 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=4) humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," 5 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=5) are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God." 6 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2559&FNoteNum=6)



2560 "If you knew the gift of God!" 7 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2560&FNoteNum=7) The wonder of prayer is revealed beside the well where we come seeking water: there, Christ comes to meet every human being. It is he who first seeks us and asks for a drink. Jesus thirsts; his asking arises from the depths of God's desire for us. Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God's thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for him. 8 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2560&FNoteNum=8) 2561 "You would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 9 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2561&FNoteNum=9) Paradoxically our prayer of petition is a response to the plea of the living God: "They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water!" 10 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2561&FNoteNum=10) Prayer is the response of faith to the free promise of salvation and also a response of love to the thirst of the only Son of God. 11 (http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/getnote.cfm?ParNum=2561&FNoteNum=11)

</B>

Amen...

[D'Ann]

:wave:

I thought this was really interesting. "This relationship is prayer". Prayer is our entire relationship with God--prayer is everything that man shares with God and God with man. Prayer is so much more than words...it is our lives if we are to live for Him and in Him.

Just thought I'd offer some ramndom thoughts there...I hope I'm not misunderstanding what these Studies are about...:sorry:

Pax tecum,
Rob :cool:

Amen... We also can pray silently in our thoughts too... Many times, I cross myself with the sign of the cross when I see an ambulance drive by... I pray in my head and heart... yes, prayer is our relationship with God.

Pax,

Debbie

[lonnienord]

to say something i say too often but it seems to be what these paragraphs said:

JESUS loves us; HE longs to talk with us! HE is always with us we can talk with HIM anytime we want to. (and this text as some have already pointed out takes it a step futher: we should commune with HIM -- everything we do is a part of our prayer. The totally of our life should be lived in relationship to HIM and hence is prayer)

[Kasia]

This is the first time I "dabbled" in these Studies threads and I really enjoy reading everybody's responses. I think I might have to stick around ;)

Personally, I feel more at peace when I pray than any other time, this is how I know God is with us. And it is true, we really have to humble ourselves before God. He is far more mighty than any of us. I like the whole notion of living our entire lives in prayer so we can be constantly communicating with Him, imagine how much more at peace we would be not only with ourselves, but with God as well! :wave:

[lonnienord]

This is the first time I "dabbled" in these Studies threads and I really enjoy reading everybody's responses. I think I might have to stick around ;)

Personally, I feel more at peace when I pray than any other time, this is how I know God is with us. And it is true, we really have to humble ourselves before God. He is far more mighty than any of us. I like the whole notion of living our entire lives in prayer so we can be constantly communicating with Him, imagine how much more at peace we would be not only with ourselves, but with God as well! :wave:i really hope you do stick around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and your last sentance was extremely insightful!!!!! and totally true!!:clap:

all for JESUS!!:clap:
lonnie:wave: