Prayer• According to The

Oxford Dictionary of Current English, prayer is “a request or thanksgiving to God.”

• More simply, it is the communication between ourselves and God, which strengthens our ties to God and to our faith

Importance of Prayer...• Helps us to nurture our relationship with

God

• Helps us to connect with ourselves

• Prayer requires us to trust strongly in God

• Prayer requires a calm mind in order to connect with God

Importance of Prayer…

• Prayer shapes who we are

• It helps create community when we pray communally (in Church, in family)

• Prayer brings us comfort in knowing God is with us, despite the difficulties that are present

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Why Pray?

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Some reasons why people pray...

– To worship

– To ask for guidance

– Confess sins

– Conversation with God

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Five Forms of Prayer

Adoration and Blessing

A prayer where we acknowledge that God is great and confirm that we need to depend on him for all things.

Example: “Glory to God”

PetitionPrayers where we ask God for help in providing that which we need.

Important to remember that we must accept God’s will when asking for certain things.

Example: “Our Father”

Intercession

• Praying for others• Usually used in times

where healing, guidance and perhaps even a miracle is needed

• Example: Jesus prays for his disciples in John 17: 6-26

Praise

• Prayer to honour God • Joyfully acknowledge

all that God has created and to give thanks.

• Example: Psalm 146

Thanksgiving

A prayer thanking God for all that we have been blessed with.

Example: Grace Before Meals

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When to Pray

• Anytime– you want to acknowledge the greatness of God– you need to ask for help– you want to pray for others– you need healing, guidance and even a miracle– you feel grateful– you feel the need or desire to

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Where to pray

• Anywhere– Can be individual or communal– Can be public or private

The Lord’s Prayer

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Prayer and 3rd Commandment• “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord

thy God in vain”• The commandment forbids us to pronounce

the holy name of God without reverence. When we pray, we honour God and swear an oath, honouring God.

• Swearing and using God’s name is harmful and dishonours God. When we pray, we use God’s name in honour and praise

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The Rosary• Many religions use a rosary – such as:

Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity

• In the Roman Catholic Faith, the rosary consists of a string of beads, made in the form of a circle, with a pendant crucifix. The standard rosary consists of 5 sets of beads called decades, each composed of one large and ten smaller beads

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Praying the Rosary

•For the common person, the rosary became a way of praying and connecting to God when people could not read

•Prayer is repetitive to help people learn it and remember

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Types of Prayers• Rosary• Meditation• Shrine• Adoration of Saints• Songs/Chants• Petition• Silence• Reflections & Journals

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Lets Pray Together…

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