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AlvinMG
Guest
I’m looking for someone to teach me how to pray. I’m going through a lot in my life and my faith is getting shaky to say the least.
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birdie74
Guest
Try journaling or writing a letter to God. That always helps me when I’m going through something hard, because writing forces you to stay focused, think it out, and maybe make some sense of things. It also makes you feel more intimate with God, who honestly sometimes is hard to feel, especially if you are going through something confusing.
Also maybe read the Bible. Find a story that speaks to what you are going through. Some of the psalms are really awesome.
Also maybe read the Bible. Find a story that speaks to what you are going through. Some of the psalms are really awesome.
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JW55
Guest
I would suggest two books:
-Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom
-The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A spiritual Guide for Real Life by James Martin,
SJ
-Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom
-The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything: A spiritual Guide for Real Life by James Martin,
SJ
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tskrobacz
Guest
Pray unceasingly for knowledge of God’s will for your life and the courage to act on it. Surrender your own judgements or perceived needs to “Thy will be done”…Trust fully in God and he will direct your path (Prov 3:5)
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tbcrawford
Guest
Hi Alvin and welcome to CAF!! Its good to have you here!
Im sorry you are going through a lot at the moment.
Why don’t you talk to God throughout your day.Tell Him you love Him and wish to do His will.Thank Him for the blessings in your life and then ask Him for your needs.
Formal prayers such as the Our Father and Hail Mary you can say.If you take a look at the Prayer Forum you will see lots of postings from people praying for others.
In fact why not start a prayer thread for yourself asking us to pray with you.We Prayer Warriors would be honoured to help.
In the meantime you can google ‘Catholic Prayers’ and how to pray which will take you to a multitide of sites with beautiful prayers.
God bless you Alvin hope to see you on the Prayer Forum
Try this link
2heartsnetwork.org/Dymphna.htm
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Timothy17
Guest
I often feel this way, and so sometimes I will simply pray the Lord to teach me / us to pray. Invoking the Holy Spirit I find has a substantial effect on my prayers, as contrasted to when I don’t.
Certainly, it’s arguable that the Lord may be calling you back to the source, root and heart of Christian life, which is prayer.
If trouble persits, please be sure to seek your Priest for spiritual guidance.
Pax,
Tim
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colmcille1
Guest
Hi AlvinMG,
A good neighbour of mine says that when she prays she just talks to God the same way she would talk to you or I. She is an honest-to-goodness Irish countrywoman whose Faith is very strong.
You’ll get there, my friend.
God Bless,
Colmcille.
A good neighbour of mine says that when she prays she just talks to God the same way she would talk to you or I. She is an honest-to-goodness Irish countrywoman whose Faith is very strong.
You’ll get there, my friend.
God Bless,
Colmcille.
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beckycmarie
Guest
Alvin, I found these two little books helpful. You can read most of each one at the links below:
Prayer for Beginners by Peter Kreeft
Prayer Primer: Igniting a Fire Within by Fr. Thomas Dubay
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yosephdaviyd
Guest
I am sure you know how to pray:
** Luke 11:1-4 — ** He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test.”
Perhaps what you need is the assurance that God is hearing your prayers and that prayer is effective. I can’t teach you know to trust God and how to rest in the surety of His mercy. It would be easy for me to tell you to just trust that God is going to work everything out for you, but those are just processable words. You are going to have to learn to trust your own faith and that is a matter of committing your heart to His love for you. The decision to believe, no matter the stakes …
David L. Gray
visit my blog at:: www.yosephmdaviyd.blogspot.com/
read my articles at: associatedcontent.com/use…eph_david.html
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SophiaLector
Guest
Read your Catechism! It’s all there.
usccb.org/catechism/text/pt4sect1chpt3.shtml
The easiest prayer to say is the Jesus prayer. When you are weak, can barely speak or breathe and are overwhelmed, just say His name out loud or in your mind. And He is present, listening to you, loving you, holding you in His Sacred Heart. It’s the simplest prayer and sometimes the most powerful.
Remember, you don’t pray on your own. Every time you want to pray, it’s the Holy Spirit prompting you. Don’t ignore Him. If all you can say is, “Jesus,” you’re still praying – powerfully and with great effect. God knows exactly what we need before we even ask.
All the best to you in your journey.
*The prayer of the Church, nourished by the Word of God and the celebration of the liturgy, teaches us to pray to the Lord Jesus. Even though her prayer is addressed above all to the Father, it includes in all the liturgical traditions forms of prayer addressed to Christ. Certain psalms, given their use in the Prayer of the Church, and the New Testament place on our lips and engrave in our hearts prayer to Christ in the form of invocations: Son of God, Word of God, Lord, Savior, Lamb of God, King, Beloved Son, Son of the Virgin, Good Shepherd, our Life, our Light, our Hope, our Resurrection, Friend of mankind. . . .
2666
But the one name that contains everything is the one that the Son of God received in his incarnation: JESUS. The divine name may not be spoken by human lips, but by assuming our humanity The Word of God hands it over to us and we can invoke it: “Jesus,” "YHWH saves."16 **The name “Jesus” contains all: God and man and the whole economy of creation and salvation. To pray “Jesus” is to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him.17 **
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This simple invocation of faith developed in the tradition of prayer under many forms in East and West. The most usual formulation, transmitted by the spiritual writers of the Sinai, Syria, and Mt. Athos, is the invocation, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners.” It combines the Christological hymn of Philippians 2:6-11 with the cry of the publican and the blind men begging for light.18 By it the heart is opened to human wretchedness and the Savior’s mercy.
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The invocation of the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always. When the holy name is repeated often by a humbly attentive heart, the prayer is not lost by heaping up empty phrases,19 but holds fast to the word and "brings forth fruit with patience."20 This prayer is possible “at all times” because it is not one occupation among others but the only occupation: that of loving God, which animates and transfigures every action in Christ Jesus.
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The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior’s steps. The stations from the Praetorium to Golgotha and the tomb trace the way of Jesus, who by his holy Cross has redeemed the world.*
usccb.org/catechism/text/pt4sect1chpt3.shtml
The easiest prayer to say is the Jesus prayer. When you are weak, can barely speak or breathe and are overwhelmed, just say His name out loud or in your mind. And He is present, listening to you, loving you, holding you in His Sacred Heart. It’s the simplest prayer and sometimes the most powerful.
Remember, you don’t pray on your own. Every time you want to pray, it’s the Holy Spirit prompting you. Don’t ignore Him. If all you can say is, “Jesus,” you’re still praying – powerfully and with great effect. God knows exactly what we need before we even ask.
All the best to you in your journey.
*The prayer of the Church, nourished by the Word of God and the celebration of the liturgy, teaches us to pray to the Lord Jesus. Even though her prayer is addressed above all to the Father, it includes in all the liturgical traditions forms of prayer addressed to Christ. Certain psalms, given their use in the Prayer of the Church, and the New Testament place on our lips and engrave in our hearts prayer to Christ in the form of invocations: Son of God, Word of God, Lord, Savior, Lamb of God, King, Beloved Son, Son of the Virgin, Good Shepherd, our Life, our Light, our Hope, our Resurrection, Friend of mankind. . . .
2666
But the one name that contains everything is the one that the Son of God received in his incarnation: JESUS. The divine name may not be spoken by human lips, but by assuming our humanity The Word of God hands it over to us and we can invoke it: “Jesus,” "YHWH saves."16 **The name “Jesus” contains all: God and man and the whole economy of creation and salvation. To pray “Jesus” is to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for him.17 **
2667
This simple invocation of faith developed in the tradition of prayer under many forms in East and West. The most usual formulation, transmitted by the spiritual writers of the Sinai, Syria, and Mt. Athos, is the invocation, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners.” It combines the Christological hymn of Philippians 2:6-11 with the cry of the publican and the blind men begging for light.18 By it the heart is opened to human wretchedness and the Savior’s mercy.
2668
The invocation of the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always. When the holy name is repeated often by a humbly attentive heart, the prayer is not lost by heaping up empty phrases,19 but holds fast to the word and "brings forth fruit with patience."20 This prayer is possible “at all times” because it is not one occupation among others but the only occupation: that of loving God, which animates and transfigures every action in Christ Jesus.
2669
The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior’s steps. The stations from the Praetorium to Golgotha and the tomb trace the way of Jesus, who by his holy Cross has redeemed the world.*
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MarianD
Guest
Trust in God. Place all your trust in Him, and He’ll teach you how to pray. I know it’s hard to trust in Him at first, but try it. Just say “God, I trust in you. Guide me to the right path, and teach me how to speak to You”. Then, just trust in Him completely.
I used to hate praying. I could never stand it. Then I trusted in Mary, and through her, in God. And Mother Mary guided me and helped me learn how to pray. Now I pray every day, due to the grace of God and the help of Mary.
I used to hate praying. I could never stand it. Then I trusted in Mary, and through her, in God. And Mother Mary guided me and helped me learn how to pray. Now I pray every day, due to the grace of God and the help of Mary.
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AngelRS
Guest
Hi Alvin
You didn’t post this request by chance - God’s looking out for you even now and you’ve been receptive to His prompting.
I like talking to Jesus during my day. Finding a quiet place is ideal but you can do it at your desk, too. Tell Him how you are feeling and ask Him to increase your faith (He has lots of gifts like that for us and is happy when we ask!).
I find praying (sort of chatting) while I walk to be helpful, too. Mix spontaneous prayers with the formal prayers of the Church. When the disciples asked how to pray, Jesus taught them the Our Father…
The family here at CAF will be praying with and for you, ok? God bless you.
You didn’t post this request by chance - God’s looking out for you even now and you’ve been receptive to His prompting.
I like talking to Jesus during my day. Finding a quiet place is ideal but you can do it at your desk, too. Tell Him how you are feeling and ask Him to increase your faith (He has lots of gifts like that for us and is happy when we ask!).
I find praying (sort of chatting) while I walk to be helpful, too. Mix spontaneous prayers with the formal prayers of the Church. When the disciples asked how to pray, Jesus taught them the Our Father…
The family here at CAF will be praying with and for you, ok? God bless you.
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