ipl-logo

Definition Essay On Prayer

833 Words4 Pages

Prayer seems complicated. So many words are associated with it, such as “dryness”, “consolation” “silence” and a host of others. Yet, none of these capture the essence of what is meant by prayer. In a way, there can be no universal definition of prayer. Wait, what? Isn't it simply talking to God? That's what we all heard as children, right? Say your prayers. And although talking to God is definitely an aspect of prayer, prayer is more that just that. So, so, so much more. As the Catechsim says, prayer is that personal and life-giving relationship with God that every individual is called to. (CCC 2558) Let that sink in for a moment. Prayer isn't just part of our relationship with God: it is our relationship with God. No wonder it is so challenging …show more content…

St. Therese said, “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart ; it is a simple look turned towards heaven.” Contained within that quote is the foundation from which prayer both flows out of and builds upon: humility. In looking towards heaven, we realize that we are nothing, that we cannot make anything happen in our relationship to God. Prayer is only possible because God first seeks us. Humility, seeing ourselves as God sees us, allows us to turn our gaze towards him, laying down all pride and misconceptions. It is so easy to try and apply what we know of broken human relationships oto our relationship with God: the feeling that we have seek others out in order to be loved, that we have to always appear perfect, that we have to see results in relationships for it to be worth it are just a few. All that is contrary to a proper understanding of prayer: “only when we humble acknowledge that we “do not how to pray as we ought”, are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer , “Man is a beggar before God.” (CCC 2559) From this place of utter littleness, humility, poverty, we can begin to dive into that true relationship. After all, the first thing that must happen in a relationship, is that essential encounter where two people meet and see who the other

Show More
Related

  • Hope In An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge

    1157 Words  | 5 Pages

    Hope: The Battery for the Soul Christianity has three theological virtues that are more important than all others: faith, love and hope. While the Bible says, "love never ends," hope is a virtue that is specifically meant for life on Earth. Faith and love are mindsets for the present, whereas hope looks towards the future.

    Read More

  • Why Did Elie Stray So Far Away From His Beliefs

    568 Words  | 3 Pages

    Why did I pray? Strange question. Why did I live? Why did I breathe?” (page 4).

    Read More

  • Examples Of Repentance In Fahrenheit 451

    755 Words  | 4 Pages

    One part of prayer is repentance, thinking about what one has done, and turning to God to do the right thing. In Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, Montag takes on a mental and physical journey with the help of Clarisse and Faber, trying to save himself

    Read More

  • Theme Of The Screwtape Letters

    1582 Words  | 7 Pages

    As Screwtape advises his nephew, "When they meant to pray for courage, let them really be trying to feel brave. When they say they are praying for forgiveness, let them try to feel forgiven. Teach them to estimate the value of each prayer by its success in producing the desired feeling, and never let them suspect how much success or failure of that kind depends on whether they are well or ill, fresh or tired, at the moment" (Lewis, 16). The emotional rush that occurs when drawing near to the Holy Spirit is a feeling almost every Christian has experienced. New believers tend to use this feeling as their sole motivation for prayer, study, and worship.

    Read More

  • Narrative Of The Captivity Mary Rowlandson Summary

    804 Words  | 4 Pages

    ‘’Wait on the Lord, Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine Heart, wait I say on the Lord"

    Read More

  • Dbq Essay On Religion

    970 Words  | 4 Pages

    Ideas about religion began to rapidly change from the mid-sixteenth century to the late-eighteenth century. The Protestant Reformation began to challenge the longstanding ideas of the Catholic Church, creating numerous sects of Christianity in the process. In Spain, the Inquisition controlled religious thought and persecuted those who believed differently. For quite some time, religion was controlled and monitored, as it was unacceptable to share a religious view that did not coincide with the majority. However, war, social thought, and change in laws generated an increase in religious toleration.

    Read More

  • Buddhism Dbq Essay

    346 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the period of time before 350 CE, some Chinese people had begun to like Buddhism. They favored it believing it established order. It was brought to China after the collapse of the Han Dynasty in 220 CE. The collapse made China unstable. Some people thought Buddhism was toxic, while others thought it was good for China.

    Read More

  • Stanley Jones Accomplishments

    1495 Words  | 6 Pages

    Prayer should be in the forefront of everything. The privilege of communicating with and co-laboring with God is a practice essential to fruitful work as a

    Read More

  • Mudhouse Sabbath Chapter 7 Summary

    1459 Words  | 6 Pages

    We can worry about school, our jobs, our friends or even trivial things like, which girl is Ben going to choose on “The Bachelor.” To me it often seems like we never worry about our relationship with God. We are so busy living life that we sort of forget to slow down and remember the person who gave us life in the first

    Read More

  • Prayer In Public Schools Research Paper

    844 Words  | 4 Pages

    Justifiable is defined as rightful; warranted or sanctioned by law; that which can be shown to be sustained by law. Prayer is as an act of communion with God, a god, or another object of worship, such as devotion, confession, praise, or thanksgiving. Religion is defined as a belief that must be sincerely held, and within the believer’s own scheme of things religious. Religion can also be defined as a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human

    Read More

  • Tom Sawyer And Huckleberry Finn Analysis

    1366 Words  | 6 Pages

    He should also pray for strength to help other people. He should never pray for himself. As Huckleberry Finn says, "I went out into the woods and turned it over in my mind. I thought about it for along time, but 1 could see no advantage in it for me —only for other people-so at last I decided that I wouldn 't worry about it any

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Religious Experience

    953 Words  | 4 Pages

    The religious arguments precisely mean that experiences are part of religion and contribute towards ups and downs of faith, achievement and doubts. The religious experiences are ones which are connected to God or God’s action. The religious experiences are divine according to some philosophers and therefore God Exists. These experiences are on the whole similar to perceptions or also taken as vertical and further more they show world accurately according to some philosophers these religious experiences are similar to each other.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Prayer In Daniel 6

    1951 Words  | 8 Pages

    Daniel is a young Jewish man from Jerusalem who was taken into captivity in Babylon. In Babylon he serves different kings through their reigns while still remaining faithful to God. Daniel faithfully prays on his knees three times a day facing Jerusalem from his home, “Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before” (Daniel 6:10). Without prayer Daniel wouldn’t have been able to interpret dreams, visions, have survived the lion’s den, or been able to bring acknowledgment to God. Daniel’s prayers play an important role in the book of Daniel.

    Read More

  • Prayer In School Essay

    1556 Words  | 7 Pages

    Prayer at this level, that is nurturing a relationship between God and ourselves,

    Read More

  • Definition Essay On Religion

    1183 Words  | 5 Pages

    2. Religion 2.1. Definition of Religion Religion is a set of beliefs, morals, and values that people practice to guide their lives in a spiritual manner. Religion entails traditions, customs and cultures that influences people to live a life of morality and can be shared among communities and societies. It is a linkage to our inner beings and through the belief of God to dedicate our lives in helping others and in the pursuit of self happiness.

    Read More

More about Definition Essay On Prayer

Open Document