Catholic Candle note: Catholic Candle normally examines particular issues thoroughly, at length, using the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas and the other Doctors of the Church.  By contrast, our feature CC in Brief, usually gives an extremely short answer to a reader’s question.  We invite every reader to submit his own questions.

CC in Brief

What is Essential to Prayer

Q.       There seem to be different ways to pray.  What is common to them that makes them all to be called “prayer”?
           

A.        In St. Thomas’ lectures on St. John’s Gospel, in Chapter 11 where Our Lord raises Lazarus from the dead, St. Thomas discusses prayer, as he talks about Our Lord’s prayer to His Father, quoting the Gospel:

 

And Jesus lifting up his eyes said: Father, I give thee thanks that thou hast heard me.  And I knew that thou hearest me always; but because of the people who stand about have I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 

 

St. John’s Gospel, 11:41-42.

 

St. Thomas characterizes prayer as the lifting of the heart and mind to God.  St. Thomas lectures on St. John, #1151. 

 

Similarly, the Baltimore Catechism #4 asks:

 

Q. #304:       What is prayer?

 

A.                    Prayer is the lifting up of our minds and hearts to God ….

 

This is a beautiful and perfect explanation of the essence of prayer.

 

We must lift up our minds to God, because we are not praying if our minds are not thinking about (i.e., focused on) God and the things of God (or if we are not at least trying to do so).  We should be aware of God and “put ourselves in His presence” as a friend has the awareness of being with his friend.

 

By contrast, if we are intentionally thinking about other things, such as making plans regarding the activities of our day, or focusing on our deadlines and projects, then any words of prayers that we say are not real prayer since our mind is not engaged in our prayers.  With our mind knowingly disengaged, we are like a parrot (which has no mind) repeating the sounds of prayers. 

 

In addition, we must lift our hearts to God also.  If we were to lift only our minds to God –  and not our hearts – this is plainly not prayer since even demons and humans who hate God might lift their minds to Him while they are expressing their hatred.  So also, a philosopher lifts his mind to God in some way while he is considering the attributes of God that are known by human reason.

 

Similarly, if we are carefully meditating about Our Lord’s Passion but we are doing it as if it were merely a historical event and not treating Our Lord as being our Divine Friend Who is present with us, then this is not prayer but is merely analysis of historic events.  We must have a heart-felt interchange with Our Lord (and/or His Mother, the saints, etc.)[1] 

 

That is why, in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, there is a colloquy which accompanies each mediation.  St. Ignatius explains:

 

The Colloquy is made, properly speaking, as one friend speaks to another, or as a servant to his master; now asking some grace, now blaming oneself for some misdeed, now communicating one’s affairs, and asking advice in them.[2]

 

Whether we are praying our morning prayers, or the rosary,[3] or are engaged in some activity such as brushing our teeth: we can – and should – as much as possible raise our minds to put ourselves in God’s presence and raise our hearts to God to love Him – whether we are using words or not. 

 

Doing this is something that every person can and should do, even the beginner and even the illiterate man.  So, the essence of prayer is simple and should be practiced as much as we can.  Our Lord instructs us that “we ought always to pray, and not to faint”.  St. Luke’s Gospel, 18:1. 

 

Further, the great St. Augustine teaches that “Prayer is the key with which to open up heaven”.^[4]  Not only is prayer the key to heaven but it is also the key to living the virtuous and happy life of being a friend of God in this life. 

 

We Catholics must be men (and women) of prayer!  A life which is not centered on prayer is a failed life that ends in a failed afterlife.