37. The essentials of prayer

37. THE ESSENTIALS OF PRAYER GUIDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CHURCH, WE LEARN TO PRAISE, THANK AND PRESENT OUR NEEDS TO GOD Compendium 548-565 Romans 8: 26-27 Psalm 145 1.It is God who first blesses us and allows us to bless him in return. 2. The prayer of Adoration acknowledges that we owe our very existence to God. 3. In Petition we present our spiritual and material needs. 4. Intercessory prayer includes not only our family and friends but all those in need and even for our enemies that they will be touched by the love of Christ. 5. Eucharist means "Thanksgiving" and we join in Christ's perfect thanksgiving and Praise when we participate in this sacrament. The liturgy of the Eucharist also epitomizes blessing, adoration, petition and intercession. 6. We pray for his Kingdom which is realized when we live the commandments in the spirit of the beatitudes. We ask not only for what we want but also for our needs and the needs of others. 7. We ask for forgiveness and intercede for one another especially for our enemies that we may be reconciled. 8. We never pray alone but always with and through Christ who makes our prayers acceptable and worthy and enables us to pray without ceasing with the angels and saints. Prayer is always Christ centered. 9. Prayer formulas help and guide us in prayer. The Rosary is a powerful meditation on the life of Jesus with Mary, the icon of prayer. Mary always and only leads us to Jesus. The Magnificat summarizes the heart of the Old Testament. 10. Parents are the first and most important and essential teachers of their children in the ways of prayer and faith. 11. When our prayers are not just for ourselves but include others with the same needs, our prayer becomes irresistible to God. 12. Jesus did not work miracles through magic. The source of miracles is faith filled prayer. We do not work miracles because our faith is too weak. Our faith is weak because we do not know how to pray. Jesus taught us how to pray: “thy kingdom come, thy will be done…. Forgive us as we forgive…” Mary was only a child but she knew how to pray and she brought the Savior into the world. Mary became the spouse of the Holy Spirit because she “let it be done to me.” We can do the same and be like Mary “full of grace.”