Prayer

Prayer is lifting one's thoughts to God: to praise Him and thank Him, to implore His pardon and ask for His help, to share our worries and our joys. To converse with Him. Prayer is also lifting our thoughts to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels, and the saints.

There are many ways to pray, since styles of expression vary with each person. The types of prayer are usually grouped into two:

• Vocal prayer, where one speaks to God using traditional formulas used by the saints, such as the Our Father and the Hail Mary.
• Mental prayer, where one addresses the Lord using one's own words.

One can also offer to God one's daily work and occupations (which might be called manual prayer, since the work done by one's hands is raised up to the Lord). Likewise, daily sacrifices and efforts can be presented to God as prayer of the senses, offering the pain of the senses to the Lord. Both are forms of mental prayer enriched with deeds.

To pray better, it is helpful to address God with humility and trust, with faith, perseverance, and docility—knowing with Whom we are speaking. It is also necessary to make an effort to collect our thoughts against distractions, where a good spiritual book can be very helpful.

It is good to turn to God at any moment, but it is also necessary to set aside a specific daily time for prayer, as one does with all truly important matters.

Addressing God is an honor proper to the angels and the saints in heaven. On earth, it is also a necessity, a duty, and an inclination:

• A necessity, because human beings need the pardon and divine assistance we ask for in prayer.
• A duty, because creatures ought to praise and thank their Creator, which is done by turning to Him in prayer.
• An inclination, because our heart longs to draw closer to God. For this reason, prayer regularly deepens one's interior joy.

It varies from person to person. A Christian beginning spiritual life may start with brief vocal prayers or aspirations (*aspiramenta*). But a Christian who loves God does not settle for the bare minimum and devotes at least half an hour a day to prayer. For example, many Christian families pray the Rosary, meditate on the Gospels, say night prayers, etc.

Yes; but His voice is not heard with bodily ears, but felt in the good desires of the heart.

It depends on the person. Usually, addressing God with a sacred image before one's eyes helps focus attention and encourages holy sentiments and desires. For this reason, churches feature many devotional images.

It is a most commendable place to pray, because Jesus Christ is truly and substantially present there in the Blessed Sacrament, and it is with Him that one desires to converse.