PARTICULAR
DEVOTIONS
Expressions of Prayer
1. What are the three main expressions of
prayer?
The
Christian tradition comprises three main expressions of prayer: vocal prayer, meditation, contemplative
prayer. These all have in common the
recollection of the mind and heart. [2721*, 2699].
2. What is vocal prayer?
Vocal
prayer, such as reciting the Our Father, associates the devotion from the body
and mind with the interior prayer of the heart, following Christ's example of
praying to his Father, and teaching the Our Father to his disciples. [2722*, 2700-2704].
3. What is
meditative prayer?
Meditation,
a deep reflection on a religious theme, is a prayerful quest engaging thought,
imagination, emotion, and desire. We
seek to understand God's revelation of the truths of faith and the purpose of
the Christian life, how it should be lived, in order to adhere to and respond
to what the Lord is asking. [glossary, 2723*,
2705-2708].
4. What is contemplative prayer?
Contemplation
is a form of wordless prayer in which the mind and heart focus on God's
greatness and goodness in affective, loving adoration. In contemplation we center our attention on
Jesus and the mysteries of his life with faith and love. [2724*, 2709-2719].
The Lord's Prayer
5. What are some characteristics of the Lord's
Prayer?
The
Lord's Prayer, or the Our Father, was entrusted to the disciples at their
request "Lord, teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1). It is the fundamental
Christian prayer, and has been called the most perfect of prayers, a summary of
the whole gospel, at the center of the scriptures. [2773*-75*].
6. When does the Church pray the Lord's Prayer?
The
Lord's Prayer is included in the Mass, the major hours of the Divine Office,
and the sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist. [2776*, 2761-72].
7. How are the seven petitions of the Our
Father related to each other?
The
object of the first three petitions is the glory of the Father: the
sanctification of his name,
the coming of the kingdom, and the fulfillment of his will. The four remaining petitions present our
wants and needs to him: they ask that our lives be nourished, healed of sin,
and made victorious in the struggle over good and evil. [2857*].
8. What does the first petition tell us?
By
asking "hallowed be thy name" we enter into
God's plan, the sanctification of his name.
[2858*].
9. What does the second petition tell us?
By
asking "thy kingdom come" the Church looks to Christ's return and the
final coming of the Reign of God, as well as praying for the growth of the
10. What does the third petition tell us
By
asking "thy will be done" we ask our Father to unite his will to that
of his Son, so as to fulfill his plan of salvation in the life of the
world. [2860*].
11. What does the fourth petition tell us?
By
saying "give us," we express, in communion with our brethren, our
filial trust in our heavenly Father.
"Our daily bread" refers to the earthly nourishment necessary
to everyone for subsistence, and it also refers to the Bread of Life: the Word
of God and the Body of Christ. [2861*].
12. What does the fifth petition tell us?
We
beg God's mercy for our offenses, mercy which can penetrate our hearts only if
we have learned to forgive our enemies, with the example and help of
Christ. [2862*].
13. What does the sixth petition tell us?
When
we say "lead us not into temptation" we are asking God not to allow
us to take the path that leads to sin, and we request the grace of vigilance
and final perseverance. [2863*].
14. What does the seventh petition tell us?
By
asking "deliver us from evil" Christians pray to God with the Church
to show forth the victory, over the "ruler of this world," Satan, the
angel personally opposed to God, and to his plan of salvation. [2864*].
15. What is the final doxology?
The
expression of praise called the doxology "For the kingdom, the power and
the glory are yours, now and forever", found as an insertion in several
ancient scripture manuscripts, takes up again, by inclusion, the first three
petitions to our Father: the glorification
of his name, the coming of his reign, and the power of his saving will. [glossary,
2855].
16. What does the "Amen" signify?
By
the final "Amen," we express our "fiat" concerning the
seven petitions: "So be it." [2865*].
The Psalms
17. What is a psalm?
A
psalm is a prayer in the form of a hymn or poetry from the Book of Psalms of
the Old Testament, which was assembled over several centuries. The 150 psalms have been used since Jesus'
time in the public prayer of the Church. [glossary,
2596-97*, 2585-86].
18. What is the Psalter?
The psalter is the book of Psalms arranged for liturgical
use. [glossary,
2587-89].
19. In what way are the Psalms a type of prayer?
The
psalms constitute the masterwork of prayer in the Old Testament, and they are
an essential and permanent
element of the prayer of the Church. They are suitable for people
of every condition and time, extending to all dimensions of history. [2596, 97*].
20. What are some characteristics of the Psalms?
The
psalms are characterized by simplicity and spontaneity, by the desire for and
praise of God, revealing an understanding of the believer exposed to a host of
enemies and temptations, who awaits help from the faithful God. [2589].
21. What types of Psalms are there?
Some psalms are individual and others are
communal. There are Psalms of
lamentation and thanksgiving, royal chants, songs of pilgrimage, wisdom
meditations, reflections on human experiences, and recounts of God's marvelous
deeds in history. [2588].
Specific Prayers
22. What is popular piety?
In
addition to the liturgy, Christian life is nourished by various forms of piety
and popular devotions among the faithful, such as the veneration of relics,
visits to shrines, pilgrimages, processions, religious dances, medals,
etc. Some of them involve the recitation
of prayers, such as novenas (prayers said for 9 days, 9 weeks, etc.), Stations
of the Cross, grace before and after meals, and the rosary. These devotions should be drawn up so that
they harmonize with the liturgical seasons, and accord with the liturgy. The Church fosters the forms of popular piety
that express an evangelical instinct and a human wisdom, and that enrich the
Christian faith. [1679*, 1674-76].
23. What is the Divine Office?
The
divine office is the Liturgy of the Hours, the public prayer of the Church,
which sanctifies the whole course of the day and night. It integrates the
prayer of the psalms into the time of the day, the liturgical season, and the
feast being celebrated. The reading of the word of God at each hour, and
readings from the Fathers and spiritual masters at one of the hours, reveal
more deeply the mystery being celebrated, assist in understanding the psalms,
and prepare for silent prayer.
[1174-78].
24. What is Lectio Divina?
Lectio divina is the
reading of the word of God several times in succession, each time followed by
meditating on it, so that it becomes prayer.
[1177, 2708].
25. What is the rosary?
The
rosary is a prayer in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which repeats the Hail Mary in decades or sets of ten,
each preceded by the Our Father and concluded by the Glory
Be to the Father. The recitation of
these prayers is accompanied by meditation on the mysteries of Christ's
life. [glossary, 971, 1674].
26. Name some spiritual writers and their books
Ad. Tanquery, Ascetical and Mystical Theology
Alphonsus
Liguori, Way of Salvation, d1787
Bernard,
The Love of God, d1153
Bonaventure,
The Threefold Way, d1274
Francis
de Sales, Introduction to a Devout Life, d1622
Fulton
Sheen, Peace of Soul, d1979
Ignatius
Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, d1556
John
of the Cross, Ascent of Mt. Carmel, d1591
Julienne
of
Thérèse
Lisieux, Story of a Soul, d1897
Thomas
a Kempis, Imitation of Christ, d1471
Thomas
Merton, Seeds of Contemplation, 1968
Vincent
Ferrer, The Spiritual Life, d1419