PrayerPathway To God and Holiness

Opening to God, A Guide To Prayerby Fr. Thomas Green, S.J.

What is prayer?

Prayer is the opening of the mind and heart to God. (Thomas Keating)

The desire to pray is itself a clear sign of the Lord’s presence.

Ninety-five percent of the work is His.

How Prayer “Happens”

The Lord makes the first move:

He knocks.

If we open to Him, He invites Himself “under our roof.”

...but he never breaks the door down.

Discernment

Three sources of the voices: God Self Devil

Discernment: To “Cut out” or “cut away” To cut out the external- and internal – noise in order to

hear the Lord Discovering, in prayer, how the Lord wishes me personally

to act:

Three guidelines for the beginner in prayer and discernment:

1. Fidelity to the Scriptures

2. Peace of heart

3. A ‘spiritual director’

Discernment -How To Know

It’s God

Discernment, Part 1:

Scripture

All good discernment starts with Scripture

To know God’s will is to test our inspirations against the Scriptures

Discernment, Part 2:

Peace of Heart

God always works in peace, and usually slowly.

For those who are sincerely seeking to serve and love God.

Discernment, Part 3:

Spiritual Director

Real growth in knowledge of God and sensitivity to his will normally requires a good spiritual director.

Essentials & Components

Essentials & Components

LISTENING

• A good pray-er is above all, a good listener.

• Hearing or listening is a good metaphor for prayer.

Essentials & Components

QUIET and SOLITUDE

• “God speaks in silences• Only those who are quiet of heart can hear what He says.”

Essentials & Components

KNOWING ONESELF:

We cannot love what we do not know. (p.93)

With a deep knowledge of God come profound realization of who we really are.

Painful !

Facing honestly who and what we really are (An obvious results of sin in our lives)

Essentials & Components

PURIFICATION

Disposes ourselves to encounter God

Includes penance & examination of conscience.

Types of Prayer

Lectio Divina

Reading (lectio),

Reflecting on (meditatio)

Responding on (oratio)

Resting in (contemplatio)

...the Word of God

Lectio Divina

Reading (lectio),

Reflecting on (meditatio)

Responding on (oratio)

Resting in (contemplatio)

...the Word of God

Meditation vs. Contemplation

Meditation:

Thinking & praying about something you have read, seen or experienced from (for example) ...

Biblical passage

Writing of a saint

Icon

An answer to prayer

Meditation on the Scriptures

(“Classic” Lectio)

Meditation on the Scripture - essential first step

Preparation:

Remote - Read over passage you’re going to pray about. Consult commentaries to clarify context and basic

message

Immediate - What we do when ready to begin to pray.

Meditation vs. Contemplation

Contemplation: Clearing one's mind and ... Letting God communicate

with your heart and soul.

Example: “Centering Prayer”Thomas Keating

Other Prayer Forms

Liturgy of the Hours

Charismatic

Mass

Adoration

Litanies

Devotions

Techniques vs. Mechanics

John 3:8: The Spirit breathes where he will, and you hear his voice, but you do not know from where he comes and where he goes;

Thus no “techniques” for making him speak.

“Can’t turn God on and off like a water faucet or an electric light.”

However ...

Prayer “Pathways” One size does NOT fit all.

9 spiritual “temperaments” Traits Strengths Pitfalls.

Prayer “Pathways” Prayer – Loving God ...

Naturalists ... Out of Doors Sensates ... Through the Senses Traditionalists ... Through Ritual & Symbol

Ascetics ... In Solitude & Simplicity Activists ... Through Confrontation Caregivers ... By Loving Others Enthusiasts ... With Mystery & Celebration Contemplatives ... Through Adoration Intellectuals ... With the Mind

Bibliography

Classics

Classics Way of the Pilgrim ................

Revelations of Divine Love ....

Dark Night of the Soul ...........

Interior Castle ........................

Invitation to Love ..................

New Seeds of Contemplation

Unknown

Julian of Norwich

John of the Cross

Teresa of Avila

Thomas Merton

Thomas Keating

Contemporary

Sacred Romance John Eldredge (1977, Thomas Nelson)

Daily Prayers for Busy People Fr. William O’Malley, S.J. (2003, Ligouri)

Opening to God: A Guide to Prayer Thomas Green (2006, Ave Maria Press)

Prayer Pope Benedict XVI (2013, Our Sunday Visitor)

PrayerPathway To God and Holiness

End of Presentation