Help with "prayer" talk

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awfulthings9

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Okay, I’ve been asked to teach the make-up sessions for people who’ve missed some RCIA evenings at our parish. The apologetics topics I’ve got ready from previous talks and classes I’ve taught. One that is new for me as a “topic” is prayer. I have a lot of ideas that I want to talk about, BUT I don’t want to mention them here because I want a clean slate for this thread (though I’ll bring them in for follow-up later).

Anyway, in a talk about “prayer” to people entering the church (some who might have no religious background at all and some who are just converting), what are the 1) important ideas to hit and 2) great “prayer” stories from our Catholic tradition I should mention? Anything else relevant is great. Thanks!
 
basis is the section on praye in CCC, focusing on the Our Father, great starting point.
 
Yes, the Our Father is good … I always lead our family in that one every day. (Well, ok, almost every day.)

As far as prayer stories, I don’t read much but I listen a lot to other people who read.

I’ve always been impressed by St. Monica, so much so we named a daughter after her after consulting with our pastor about the name. The ultimate model of patience, and of tireless prayer to the point of her son becoming a saint too!

Alan
 
My dad is an evangelist, and he has used this little lesson on the importance of prayer since I was a child.

A new family moves in next door. They invite you over to dinner. The evening of the visit, you sit and make small talk in the living room, then move to dinner and something just seems wrong. Half way through dinner, you realize what it is – while there is polite conversation going on, the husband and wife never talk to each other. The children never speak to their parents, or vice versa.

After dinner, you sit down and have coffee; your host asks if something is bothering you. You say “well, I think maybe I’d better go home, something seems wrong with the two of you not speaking to each other”.

The host smiles and says “We are very busy people with full lives, a truly modern couple. Every Sunday morning – we have one hour where we sit down and talk to each other. Sometimes, we may squeeze in 5 minutes right before bedtime to talk, or, if there is a big family emergency… but other than that, why talk to each other?”

You would leave thinking this was a very unhappy relationship.

How much more is our relationship with our Lord – and our communication with Him should be part of our lives, all day, every day. Prayer is not for one hour on Sunday, or 5 minutes before we fall asleep and when there is an emergency.

That was the way dad taught me the importance of “Pray without ceasing”…
 
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kage_ar:
My dad is an evangelist, and he has used this little lesson on the importance of prayer since I was a child.

A new family moves in next door … Prayer is not for one hour on Sunday, or 5 minutes before we fall asleep and when there is an emergency.

That was the way dad taught me the importance of “Pray without ceasing”…
Click to expand...
Great story. I’ll probably use it. Okay, here’s what I have so far in my mind. Can you all add to it. I want to talk about:
  1. Types of prayer a) intercession b) praise c) thanksgiving, and d) contrition
  2. Ways to pray a) as a community b) as an individual c) as a family
  3. Forms of prayer a) silent contemplation b) meditation on Scripture or religious texts c) memorized prayer (better word?) like the Hail Mary d) spontaneous prayer
  4. Ways to focus a) Eucharistic adoration b) rosary c) silence
  5. The importance of a) praying always, through words, thoughts, or actions.
  6. The model prayer
  7. The liturgy of the hours
What else did I forget?
 
Since Jesus gave it to us, I’d talk about the “Our Father” in there somewhere too :).
Be sure to give examples w/everything. Sounds like it’s gonna be a great talk!!!
 
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sententia:
Since Jesus gave it to us, I’d talk about the “Our Father” in there somewhere too :).
Be sure to give examples w/everything. Sounds like it’s gonna be a great talk!!!
Click to expand...
Sorry, that’s what I meant by “the model prayer” - just got done talking with my protestant friend on this topic and that’s what she calls it, so I think it stuck in my mind.

Also, I just realized I didn’t put fasting on there. I think fasting definitely goes up there with Eucharistic adoration and the rosary for ways to focus. My sister-in-law just gave me a great article about finding “fasting partners” and healthy fasting. Anyway, thanks all. Anything else comes to mind, I’ll check back later.
 
Perhaps a good ole dictionary definition of “pray” to begin?

Sometimes the idea of “praying to Mary and the Saints” trips up converts, we here in the modern US tend to think of “prayer” and “worship” as the same thing…
 
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