Prayer: quality vs. quantity

[justbeinfrank]

I have a couple of weird questions…

1. I was watching Fr. Benedict Groeschel on EWTN the other day, and he told the story of how he was in the hospital on the brink of death, and one of his friends stayed by his side *all night, *praying nonstop for Fr. Groeschel’s healing. By the morning, his condition had improved. Also, St. Augustine’s mother, St. Monica, prayed for her son’s conversion for 16 years before it happened.

So my first question is: does praying for something *a lot *help? Sometimes I feel like I pray for something once, and I’m done. Then I can move on to other things. But should I pray for things a lot?

1. I was praying the Rosary the other day and I started to list a bunch of intentions. Then when I was praying it I felt unfocused. So thereafter I only prayed for *one *of the intentions, and that made me feel better.

So my second question is: does this actually matter, or is this just some personal psychological thing? Is praying a prayer (or prayers) for *one *intention have more “weight” than praying the same prayer (or prayers) for a laundry list of intentions?

 

[john_ennis]

My own experience has been that since I’ve tried to follow the Church’s and Scripture’s advice to pray often (even “without ceasing”), the result has been,

1. my life has become itself more of a prayer: my work, play, frustrations. I more spontaneously (and sincerely) feel and offer my thanksgiving, adoration, sorrow, and supplication, and,
2. that I’ve somewhat lost the tendency to rationalize–no longer lying to myself that repeating is “mindless” and that I saying it once is enough, since God hears the first time.

That’s not Why I did it to begin with; that’s the outcome. I did it because the Word clearly told me to–both in Scripture and Apostolic Tradition. Do it for the sake of that kind of faithfulness (certainly not because it was my advice).
John

 

[Joysong]

Hello, Justbeinfrank,

I was watching Fr. Benedict Groeschel on EWTN the other day, and he told the story of how he was in the hospital on the brink of death, and one of his friends stayed by his side *all night, *praying nonstop for Fr. Groeschel’s healing.

You have asked a couple of good questions that many have struggled with in learning to pray.

In the case of a serious need, such as Fr. Groeschel’s critical health, the Holy Spirit sometimes “burdens” a soul with such a spirit of prayer and groaning that it doesn’t let go of us until it is prayed through. There is no interior release until the moment we understand God has heard, and at that moment, He sends us much comfort to replace the heavy groaning that weighs upon us. It is often His will to have us intercede for others who have pressing needs and they have no idea we are burdened in this manner to pray for them.

This deep prayer may last hours throughout a night, such as you reported above, but one does not always need to be saying words, or prayer formulas, such as Hail Mary’s, etc. In this case, we just keep turning our heart to God, waiting with expectation and wordless petition - an intense cry of the spirit. It may even awaken us in the middle of our sleep, for though the body is at rest, the spirit is still in agony. I hope you are understanding this, for it is not easy to put into words.

For the general needs that we have, and for which there is not this pressing urgency, I have found the words of Jesus to be very enlightening. Jn. 15:7, “If you live (abide) in Me, and My words abide in you, you may ask what you will — it will be done for you.”

The key is abiding in Christ, with full acceptance and living out of His words. The more we become sanctified, the more readily our prayers are heard. In Jn. 17:19, Jesus spoke to the Father, saying, "I consecrate (sanctify) Myself for their sakes now, they they may be consecrated (sanctified) in Truth.

As the Master was fully living the will of the Father, the more we sanctify ourselves, the more will others benefit from our prayers. Quite an awesome privilege, is it not? He heeds even our inmost desires — before we ask!

 

[Augustine]

justbeinfrank:

So my first question is: does praying for something *a lot *help?

It certainly helps you. Praying is spending time with the Beloved, Lord Jesus, even if through His mother, the Virgin Mary, or through one of His other saints.

justbeinfrank:

So my second question is: does this actually matter?

When you love someone, would you rather spend a long time with that one, maybe the rest of your life, or just 5 minutes now and another 5 minutes 23 years in the future? Jesus loves us and He just loves when we retribute His love by giving Him praise.

God bless you.

 

[serendipity]

I am ebarassed to admit this, but I am having s sort of personal problem relating to prayer. Almost like an addicition, which I am sure is getting in the way of my spiritual life.

Praying withouth ceasing is one thing, and trying to do everything one does in a “prayerful” attitude is a good thing. My probelm concenrs vocal prayers, whihc is the most basic form of prayer, and my impression for Teresa of Avila and others is that this is a good stage to start at, but that I should be doing more to develop prayer habits and spiritual maturity that would allow me to progress to spending more time with mental prayer.

I kind of feel trapped by word right now. And I have a few prayer books, but the trapped feeling seems to originate form the fact that whenever I see a new prayers, or form of prayers, I feel terribly guilty if I don’t incorporate them into my daily life. This list is getting too long of what I “feel I should be saying” in comparison to what I "have time to say sincerely " as practical, as I am not a contemplative religious. I am left with almsot no time in which I feel comfrotable to sit in silence and practice mental prayer. I keep thinking I should be saying this prayer too right now or looking for a prayer to address this problem.

Maybe I am not ready to progress to mental prayer. Or is this a way of the devil distracting me some how so that my spiritual development is stumped. I know Theres of Lisieux commented how she did not use formal prayers as much as she whispered her needs and intnetions to God with simple words; as a child. But at the smae time, she was a very, very holy person. I have trouble feeling confident enough to adress myself to God in my won words, when there are so many great words out there left by such holy people who clearly knew God’s will far better than I ever will.

The more I read and learn about the saints, and people in the Bible, the more I feel like a horrible person, and I feel that nothing I can pray can be adequate to help me receive the grace I need to become more perfect, meaing as God intended. Maybe this means that I am somehow lacking in faith that God will help me. I feel so ridiculous confessing this problem, but wonder if anyone else has been stuck at such a stage in their prayer life and how they moved beyond it.

 

[Joysong]

Dear Serendipity,

I am embarassed to admit this, but I am having s sort of personal problem relating to prayer. Almost like an addicition, which I am sure is getting in the way of my spiritual life.

Don’t feel embarrassed, Serendipity, for many of us walked in your shoes at one time or another. I’m glad you felt comfortable enough with us that you reached out for help. We are all learners, aspiring to walk with God — each on a different path, with varying degrees of experience, yet still needing to grow a little more in our understanding.

— but the trapped feeling seems to originate from the fact that whenever I see a new prayer, or form of prayers, I feel terribly guilty if I don’t incorporate them into my daily life. I am left with almost no time in which I feel comfortable to sit in silence and practice mental prayer. Maybe I am not ready to progress to mental prayer.

The term “mental prayer” seems to be giving you anxiety, but if you consider what it really is, you may have employed this without knowing it, because the word itself suggests something beyond what you think you are able to do.

Mental prayer is nothing more than conversation with God, using your own words and reflections. Beyond the vocal prayer formulas you recite, do you ever take a phrase from them and speak about it to God? If so, that is mental prayer, even if all you do is think about the phrase and what it means for your life. The Holy Spirit will guide your thoughts as He sees you considering what you said in your vocal prayers, and these thoughts will help you form convictions that influence your spiritual life.

That, by the way, is the whole purpose of mental prayer, no matter where we obtain the material for consideration. Some use the scriptures, the psalms, writings of the saints, spiritual reading from a book of inspiration, an examination of conscience, nature and creation, etc. It is important to occupy the mind through these various means, as a springboard for spiritual thought, and St. Teresa recommends that we do so. In the beginning, and for many years until we become proficient, it is a necessity, for few are able to contemplate until they pass through this preliminary stage.

I would like to leave you with one of her images, the orange. Our goal is to get to the fruit inside, so little by little, we peel away the rind [by using this material for meditation and forming resolutions, which issue into loving conversation with God]. There does come a day when we are so much in love with Him, and have progressed to the point that the rind is all peeled, and we come to prayer ready to taste the fruit without having to remove the peel. I think I have said enough, for the Holy Spirit will enlighten you when that day arrives.

Meanwhile, if you use your vocal prayers because they inspire you with confidence in repeating these loving words of others to God, you are conversing with Him, nonetheless. That is very good. But if you are piling prayer upon prayer out of a sense of “ought to” feeling guilty if you neglect one of them, you may need to reduce this somewhat, for the real aim of prayer is to express the movements in your heart to God and try to listen to what God breathes back to your thoughts in return. Prayer is not '"getting them all in," no matter what, is it? I think you realize this.

May He give you insight into what I am sharing, and if some questions arise, we are all here to help you.

 

[Sir_Knight]

It is more beneficial to say one Hail Mary from the heart and with complete devotion than to say an entire decade mindlessly.

Quality first. Then quantity.

 

[Augustine]

Sir Knight:

It is more beneficial to say one Hail Mary from the heart and with complete devotion than to say an entire decade mindlessly.

Which is a good thing in the Rosary: out of 5 Pater and 50 Ave Maria, one of them might actually get due devotion when said.

 

[Marie]

justbeinfrank:

So my second question is: does this actually matter, or is this just some personal psychological thing? Is praying a prayer (or prayers) for *one *intention have more “weight” than praying the same prayer (or prayers) for a laundry list of intentions?

Here is the Holy Father’s teaching on Prayer:

Wednesday Audience January 26th, 2005

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 26, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Prayer, especially in times of despair and anguish, moves the heart of God if offered with humility, says John Paul II.

The Pope gave that commentary on Psalm 114(116), a song of thanksgiving raised by the man at prayer, at today’s general audience attended by some 6,000 people in Paul VI Hall.

“I was caught by the cords of death,” the Psalm reads, “the snares of Sheol had seized me; I felt agony and dread. Then I called on the name of the Lord, ‘O Lord, save my life!’”

“It is a brief but intense prayer of the man who, finding himself in a desperate situation, holds fast to the only plank of salvation,” said the Holy Father in the catechesis he prepared and which, as on previous occasions, he did not read completely.

“Once saved, the person at prayer proclaims that the Lord is ‘gracious and just,’ more than that, ‘merciful,’” he said. "This last adjective, in the Hebrew original, makes reference to the tenderness of a mother.

“Genuine trust always sees God as love, even if at times it is difficult to understand his actions. It is certain, nevertheless, that ‘The Lord protects the simple.’ Therefore, in misery and abandonment, one can always count on him, ‘Father of the fatherless, defender of widows.’”

The Pope continued: “Invoked with faith, the Lord extended his hand, broke the coils that encircled the person at prayer, dried the tears from his eyes, and stopped his precipitous descent into the infernal abyss.”

The song, he reminded the faithful, “ends with a scene of light: The person at prayer returns to ‘the land of the living,’ that is, to the paths of the world, to ‘walk before the Lord.’”

An English-language summary of the catechesis, read by a papal aide, explained: “Prayer helps to discover the loving face of God. He never abandons his people but guarantees that, notwithstanding trials and suffering, in the end good triumphs.”

The Pope concluded his meditation by quoting third-century Christian thinker Origen, who in one of his texts said: "If one is great, if one exalts oneself and is proud, the Lord does not protect one; if one thinks one is great, the Lord does not have mercy on one; but if one abases oneself, the Lord has mercy on one and protects one.

“The one who is little and poor can recover peace, rest,” the Pope said. Origen, paraphrasing the Psalm, concluded: “Let us also say to our souls: ‘Return to your rest.’ Our rest is Christ, our God.”

John Paul II was continuing his series of reflections on the Psalms and canticles of the liturgy of vespers, the Evening Prayer of the Church. Others are posted in the Wednesday’s Audience section of ZENIT’s Web page.