The annual National Day of Prayer will be on Thursday, May 6, Government leaders and people in communities all around the country will join together to lift our needs and concerns for America before the Lord. Now more than ever before, it is imperative that we, as God’s people, remain on our knees for our nation and fellow citizens. The critical challenges facing the United States and the culture at large call for faithful, persevering intercession – not only on the National Day of Prayer, but throughout the year.

If God had an iPhone,…… Can you hear Me now? No, I’m not on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile. I’m on EWTN. It’s the 1G (1 God) network.

Luke 11: He (Jesus) 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 (the Baptist) 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." And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. "And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

What is Prayer? Prayer is the elevation of mind and heart to God in praise, adoration, thanksgiving or petition. “For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.” - St. Therese of Lisieux The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor. The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything. “Everyone is called to live a “vital and personal relationship with the living and true God. This relationship is prayer.” - Catechism of the Catholic Church, Section 2558

Why Do We Pray? Since God in omniscient, He knows ahead of time when we are going to pray and what we are going to pray about. Since God is eternal and immutable, then how can our prayers change His mind or His actions? If our prayers don’t change God’s mind or His actions, what is the point in praying? God is outside of time. God gave you free will, however, He knew everything that would happen to you during your life and how you would use your free will in every decision you would make in every situation you would face and every prayer you would pray throughout your entire life. And He knew all this before he formed the universe.

Why Do We Pray? That means that His responses to every prayer you will ever say have already been planned and set in motion. We pray because God told us to pray. God told us to ask Him for His help and for the things we need. God can only answer the prayers we present to Him. If you don’t ask, how can God respond to you to show you His love? Second, our prayers don’t change our unchanging God, but they allow us to deepen our relationship with Him. As we understand Him and His will better, our love of Him and our sense of His love for us can grow. Our sense of security and awareness of our dependence on God can deepen. God loves and blesses all of His creatures, but if you don’t know Him, you won’t feel that love or recognize that the blessings He puts in your life came from Him.

Types/Purposes of Prayer 1) Adoration and Blessing - when you acknowledge who you are and Who God is…that He is Creator and you are His creation. 2) Petition - when you ask God for assistance and intervention. 3) Intercession - when you pray on behalf of others (not for yourself). 4) Thanksgiving - when you say “thank you” for God’s many great gifts. 5) Praise - when you exalt God as God because of Who He is, not just because of what He does.

Does Prayer Type Matter? God loves and honors all types of prayer, however it’s a real sign of spiritual maturity to spend time praising and thanking and adoring God, i.e. not just asking him for stuff… To learn more, read the Catechism #

Communal Prayers Sometimes we pray in a community. Examples include Mass, the Stations of the Cross, Novenas and prayer groups. Frequently, communal prayers will include formal prayers such as the Rosary, the Our Father, Hail Mary and other common prayers. They are organized and frequently have a leader. Jesus said, “Where ever two or more are gathered in My name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Individual Prayers Sometimes we pray on our own. No leader, planning or organization is required. Speaking or singing is optional. Individual prayer can be less structured, more flexible and more spontaneous. Forms of prayer that require meditation or the elimination of distractions are possible. It allows us to be quiet and be more open to what God is trying to tell us. We can have “one-on-one” time with God.

Forms of Prayer Mind Prayer - holding little conversations with God in your head. It may include visualizing the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or even Mary or a saint. Vocal Prayer - spoken out loud alone or in groups. Contemplative Prayer - 'being lost' in the beauty and wonder of God and His creation, acknowledging His greatness in all things. Reading Prayer - reading and meditating on Scriptures or the writings of recognized Christian writers. Singing - sometimes said to be “praying twice”. We may do this alone or in groups. Silent Prayer - closing out the world from distraction and in silence 'opening the door of the heart' to the Lord.

Forms of Prayer Working Prayer - dedicating our day's work (or school day) joyfully and honestly to the Lord. Vernacular Prayer - bringing God's name back into our everyday language – like 'Thank God' during conversation or saying “God bless you!” when someone sneezes. It can be tiny aspirations throughout the day - ‘I Praise You Lord'; 'Jesus, please help me.'; 'My Lord and my God'; 'Jesus I love You'; ‘God, thanks for this beautiful day!’. Thanksgiving Prayer - praising and thanking God in all things, even in difficult situations. (Remember Job?) God does speak to us in prayer. Take time to listen with your heart. Be open to what God is telling you rather than just what you want to or expect to hear. Desire to worship and get to know God better.

Common Times People Pray Morning Prayer - said on rising, helps us to get through the day. It can be whatever you have time for or feel comfortable with from a short spontaneous prayer to a Divine Mercy Chaplet or a Rosary. Grace Before Meals – said before eating to thank God for providing for our physical needs. Night Prayer - a thanksgiving for the day. It can include an act of sorrow for any wrongs or hurts we may have done or caused. It's a surrender at the end of the day to the protection and grace of the Lord. Prayers for Protection - these prayers are powerful intercession to seek the Lord's protection in all types of situations.

Common Formal Prayers Hail Mary - Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Our Father - Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Grace Before Meals - Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Glory Be To The Father - Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Spontaneous Prayer Praying from the heart – a unique, personal outpouring of praise, thoughts and petitions. NOTE: Spontaneous prayer has a personal dimension and it can be extremely powerful in its affects on the one who says it and those who hear it. Formal prayers can be said in communal or individual venues. If you’ve ever attended a communal rosary, you know about the roles of the leader and the participants. This is possible because everyone in the community knows the words. Or think about the Mass and how we all say the “Our Father” together and how that makes us feel like a community. People who pray individually and who are not comfortable or practiced in spontaneous prayer may be more comfortable praying formal prayers.