I’m not an apologist, so I don’t have an expert opinion, but given that words are a physical expression of a mental construct, I’m not sure that there’s any difference between speaking and thinking in that case.When I pray for others I try to spend some time thinking about the person and what I want for them. Is this a normal part of Christian intercessory prayer, or have I crossed the line into new-agey positive-thinking-visualization prayer?
This is Christian prayer. Fear not. Keep praying for others in this manner.When I pray for others I try to spend some time thinking about the person and what I want for them. Is this a normal part of Christian intercessory prayer …
I think it depends on what you mean by visualization. That word can have new age/occult connotations.So it’s okay to use visualization to try to make good things happen?
Yes that’s how I learned to pray like that. From new age books. They say to imagine what you want to happen. If you want someone you know to be converted, imagine them being converted. So I mix that with intercessory prayer, asking God for them to be converted and thinking about the person converting and dwelling on all that for a while.I think it depends on what you mean by visualization. That word can have new age/occult connotations.
Again, I think your focus is just a little off. Your imagining of them to be converted won’t help in their conversion, but prayer will. Rather than praying for what you want to happen for someone, pray for God’s will to be done. Recall the Lord’s Prayer: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.Yes that’s how I learned to pray like that. From new age books. They say to imagine what you want to happen. If you want someone you know to be converted, imagine them being converted. So I mix that with intercessory prayer, asking God for them to be converted and thinking about the person converting and dwelling on all that for a while.
So is our part as saints in helping other Christians really limited to just emotionlessly and unimaginatively listing off requests to God? Don’t the saints (and us) play some active role in obtaining good for others?Again, I think your focus is just a little off. Your imagining of them to be converted won’t help in their conversion, but prayer will. Rather than praying for what you want to happen for someone, pray for God’s will to be done. Recall the Lord’s Prayer: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
So when praying for your intentions, perhaps something like “I pray for XYZ to happen for so-and-so, if it be in your will.”
I think the method you are referring to is much like creative visualization, right? In that method, it is claimed that we hold the power to change people through our imagination (it’s been quite a while since I’ve encountered it, so I may be a bit foggy on specifics). As Catholics, we believe that God can change people with the assent of an individual’s free will. Intercessory prayer helps too.
The saints are mirrors of God. They reflect the will of God. When we pray for their intercession, we pray that our prayers through them reflect the will of God.So is our part as saints in helping other Christians really limited to just emotionlessly and unimaginatively listing off requests to God? Don’t the saints (and us) play some active role in obtaining good for others?
I don’t think there is anything unimaginative in asking for The Holy Spirit to help and inspire you when praying for others–pray from the depths of your heart and ask the spirit to guide you.Also, when praying for a particular situation you can ask for the intercession of The Blessed Mother and the Saints if you wish. The main thing is that you ask with a sincere heart.So is our part as saints in helping other Christians really limited to just emotionlessly and unimaginatively listing off requests to God? Don’t the saints (and us) play some active role in obtaining good for others?