Prayer

Excerpted from "Outlines of the Catholic Faith" (C) 2000 The Leaflet Missal Company

I. PRAYER IS THE RAISING OF OUR HEARTS AND MINDS TO GOD.
A. To adore him.
B. To thank him.
C. To ask forgiveness of sins.
D. To petition him for our own needs and the needs of others.

II. THERE ARE TWO OTHER DIVISIONS OF PRAYER.
A. Mental and vocal.
1. Mental prayer is either meditatio or contemplation.
a. We meditate when we think about one or more of the mysteries of our faith.
For example, meditating on the various aspects of Christ's Passion is one of the
most common themes for meditation.
b. Contemplation is the resting of the will in God. Contemplation is an exercise
of love. Emptying our minds of thoughts, we try to focus our wills on God in
an act of love.
c. Contemplation is a particuarly advanced form of prayer. Some of the mystics
have written about it, e.g., St. Theresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross.
2.In vocal prayer, we use our lips to "say" a prayer. This may be the most common
prayer used by people.
3. Some prayers are both mental and vocal: the Rosary where we say the prayers
with our lips while meditating on the mystery.
B. Communal and private.
1. Communal prayer is what is done in common.
2. Private prayer is what is done alone.
3. Some prayers are both common and private: the Rosary which can be said in
common or in private.
C. Catholic Prayer

Liturgy of the Hours

The faithful (required by the Church for those ordained; and required by most religious- in some form- by their orders) who celebrate the Liturgy of the Hours are united to Christ our high priest, but the prayer of the Psalms, meditation on the Word of God, and canticles and blessings, in order to be joined with his unceasing and universal prayer that gives glory to the Father and implores the gift of the Holy Spirit on the whole world. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1196)

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2559)



THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS

The "Stations of the Cross" is a devotion which consists of following the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by recalling the fourteen prominent events that took place from the time of the trial under Pontius Pilate until his death and burial on Mount Calvary.

First Station: Jesus is condemned to death.
Second Station: Jesus carries his cross.
Third Station: Jesus falls for the first time.
Fourth Station: Jesus meet his afflicted mother.
Fifth Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross.
Sixth Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.
Seventh Station: Jesus falls the second time.
Eighth Station: The daughters of Jerusalem weep over Jesus.
Ninth Station: Jesus falls the third time.
Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of his garments.
Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross.
Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the cross.
Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross.
Fourteenth Station: Jesus is buried in the tomb.
Fifteenth Station: Jesus rises from the dead on the third day, Easter Sunday.

In the public devotion of the "Stations of the Cross" it has recently become customary to add a "fifteenth station." While not part of the traditional "fourteen stations," the custom of adding a meditation on the Ressurection reminds us that the passion and death off the Lord was completed and fulfilled in the Resurrection.


THE NICENE CREED

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered, died, and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in fulfillment of the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

PRAYER BEFORE A CRUCIFIX

Behold, my beloved and good Jesus, I cast myself upon my knees in your sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul I pray and beseech you to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins and a most firm desire of amendment; while with deep affection and grief of soul I consider within myself and mentally contemplate your five most precious wounds, having before my eyes that which David the prophet long ago spoke about you, my Jesus: "They have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones."

ANIMA CHRISTI

Soul of Christ sanctify me;
Body of Christ save me;
Blood of Chirst inebriate me;
Water from the side of Christ wash me;
Passion of Christ strengthen me.
O good Jesus hear me;
Within your wounds hide me;
Never permit me to be seperated from You;
From the evil one protect me,
At the hour of my death call me,
And bid me come to You
That with Your saints
I may praise you forever. Amen.