Is this necessary for prayer?

[fakename]

When praying, is it necessary to focus your attention on all the things you want to pray for?

Does one have to explicitly focus on your prayer and on how many other intentions you are praying for?

Is there any such thing as an implicit intention during prayer or must all intentions be explicit, that is, must all intentions be conscious to you while praying?

 

[Dorothy]

For instance, if you were saying a Rosary or chaplet for someone you could mention that intention before you begin, and then concentrate on the Rosary or chaplet for the rest of the time. You do not have to keep the image of who/what you are praying for constantly in your mind.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

This is an interesting question. Seems to me that after saying the same memorized prayers for decades at a time, it’s automatic. My vocal chords take off and say them whether I’m thinking about it or not – but often my mind wanders.

There are types of prayer, namely contemplative prayer, where you are not supposed to be focused on anything at all; rather you calm your mind in a way that gets the usual worldly stream of thoughts out of the way to invite the Holy Spirit to get in and do whatever God wills. That may not apply to your question, but I thought it was interesting.

Alan

 

[fakename]

For instance, if you were saying a Rosary or chaplet for someone you could mention that intention before you begin, and then concentrate on the Rosary or chaplet for the rest of the time. You do not have to keep the image of who/what you are praying for constantly in your mind.

Is it also possible for implied thoughts to be prayers and ways of communicating with God?

For instance, people don’t explictly think about say, justice, but no other end is intended in their actions yet this end is not affirmed in explicitly. That’s what I mean by implicit thoughts.

So is it possible for prayers to be implicit; can one pray w/o explicitly knowing it?

Is there some other type of communication w/God that is implicit? If you say “I’ll always be sorry for my sins”, does that commit you to explicitly always be sorry for them?

 

[AlanFromWichita]

Is it also possible for implied thoughts to be prayers and ways of communicating with God?

For instance, people don’t explictly think about say, justice, but no other end is intended in their actions yet this end is not affirmed in explicitly. That’s what I mean by implicit thoughts.

So is it possible for prayers to be implicit; can one pray w/o explicitly knowing it?

Is there some other type of communication w/God that is implicit? If you say “I’ll always be sorry for my sins”, does that commit you to explicitly always be sorry for them?

Even the illiterate are fully capable of true love. If that weren’t the case, we wouldn’t even have a Church today.

Alan