Prayer

"What is a good way to begin praying more in my daily life?"

"How do the different types of prayer overlap, are they always different, and how can you incorporate each into your daily life?"


There are many different forms of prayer, such as adoration, thanksgiving, petition, or contrition (or confession). We can pray the rosary or a novena, participate in the liturgy of the hours, ask for different saints' or Mary's intercession, and engage in lectio divina (or sacred reading of Scripture). It can be communal or solitary. Silent or out loud. 5 minutes or 5 hours. Needless to say, there are a lot of options. So what is the purpose of these different forms of prayer? And how does one choose which one to use?



When considering the purpose of prayer, St. Teresa of Avila commented, "For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God." Even though there are so many different ways one can pray, the ultimate goal is to develop a relationship with God. If one method is not achieving that end, then perhaps you need to try something else. That is the beauty of prayer. Check out these short videos by Fr. Mike Schmitz. He offers some great insight on prayer.



Tips for Praying: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk8In-6KUGc

The Power of Prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiAMzghLcMA

Time to Pray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mASCSCQW7U

3 Steps to Unceasing Prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juN6sG_esjU

Battle of Prayer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHDQ4Xowfa8