A Complete Catechism of the Catholic Religion/Chap. III. Prayer
CHAPTER III.
Prayer.
§ 1. Prayer in General.
1. What is Prayer?
Prayer is the raising up of our minds and hearts to God, either to praise Him, or to thank Him, or to beg His grace; and therefore it is divided into Prayer of Praise, Prayer of Thanksgiving, and Prayer of Petition.
2. What does 'to praise God' mean?
To praise God means to rejoice at His infinite Perfections, and to glorify and adore Him on that account (Ps. ix. 3).
Examples: David in his Psalms; the three children in the fiery furnace (Dan. iii.); the Blessed Virgin (Luke 1, 46, etc.)
3. Are we bound to praise God?
Yes, we are; for this we were created, and this will one day be our eternal occupation in Heaven (Apoc. iv.).
'My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless His holy name for ever, yea for ever and ever' (Ps. cxliv. 21). 'Be ye filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord' (Eph. v. 18, 19).
4. Must we also 'thank' God for His gifts?
Yes; for ingratitude is a detestable vice, whereas gratitude is the best means to obtain new benefits.
'In all things give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus' (1 Thess. v. 18).
5. Must we also 'beg graces' of God?
'Ask,' says Jesus Christ Himself, 'and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you' (Luke xi. 9).
6. Is Prayer necessary to all?
Prayer is necessary for salvation to all who have sufficiently the use of reason.
7. Why is Prayer necessary to all?
Because God has commanded it, and because, without it, we do not receive the graces necessary to persevere to the end.
8. But does not God already know what we stand in need of?
Most certainly; but we do not pray to tell God what we stand in need of, but to acknowledge Him as the Giver of all good gifts, to testify our dependence on Him, and thereby to render ourselves more worthy of His gifts.
9. What are the principal fruits of Prayer?
Prayer, 1. Unites us to God; 2. Makes us heavenly-minded; 3. Strengthens us against evil; 4. Gives us zeal and energy for good; 5. Comforts us in adversity; and 6. Obtains help for us in time of need, and the grace of perseverance unto death.
Examples: Moses (Exod. xvii. 11); Samuel (1 Kings xii. 18); Judith (Judith ix., etc.); Esther (Esther xiv., etc.); the Machabees (2 Mac. xv. 27); the first Christians whilst Peter was in prison (Acts xii. 5, etc.).
10. How must we pray that we may obtain these fruits?
We must pray, 1. With devotion; 2. With humility; 3. With confidence; 4. With resignation to the will of God; and 5. With perseverance.
11. When do we pray 'with devotion'?
When our prayer comes from the heart, and we avoid all distracting thoughts as much as possible.
'This people honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me' (Matt. xv. 8).
12. Are all the distractions in prayer sinful?
They are sinful when we ourselves are the cause of them, or wilfully admit or entertain them; but when we struggle against them, they increase our merit.
13. What should we do in order that we may be less distracted in our prayers?
Before our prayers we should, as far as possible, banish all worldly thoughts, and represent the Omnipresent God in a lively manner to our mind.
'Before prayer prepare thy soul, and be not as a man that tempteth God' (Ecclus. xviii. 23).
14. When do we pray ' with humility '?
When we address our prayers to God with a sincere acknowledgment of our weakness and unworthiness.
'The prayer of him that humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds' (Ecclus. XXXV. 21). — The Pharisee and the Publican (Luke xviii.).
15. When do we pray ' with confidence '?
When we firmly hope that God will hear our prayer, inasmuch as it is conducive to His honor and to our salvation.
'Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind. Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord' (James i. 6, 7).
16. Why may and ought we to have this firm hope?
Because God can give us all good things, and, for the sake of Jesus, will also really do so, as our Saviour Himself solemnly assures us, saying: 'Amen, amen I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, He will give it to you ' (John xvi. 23; comp. Mark xi. 23, 24).
17. But why do we not always receive what we ask for?
1. Either because we do not pray as we ought; or 2. Because that which we ask for is prejudicial to our salvation; or
3. Because we do not persevere in praying; therefore we must also pray with resignation to the will of God, and perseverance.
18. When do we pray 'with resignation to the will of God'?
When we leave it entirely to Him to hear us when and how He thinks proper.
'Father, not my will, but Thine be done' (Luke xxii. 42).
19. When do we pray ' with perseverance '?
When we do not desist, although we are not aware of being heard, but continue to pray the more fervently.
Example of the woman of Chanaan (Matt, xv.); parable of the friend who asks for three loaves (Luke xi. 5-10).
§ 2. Meditation.
20. Must we always use a set form of words in our prayers?
No; this may be done in Vocal Prayer; but there is also an Interior or Mental Prayer, called Meditation.
21. In what does 'Meditation' consist?
It consists in reflecting upon the life and sufferings of Jesus, upon the Divine Perfections, or other truths of our religion, in order to excite in our hearts pious sentiments, and especially good and efficacious resolutions.
22. When ought we to pray?
Christ says, ' that we ought always to pray, and not to faint ' ( Luke xviii. 1 ) .
23. How is it possible to pray always?
We pray always when we frequently raise up our minds and hearts to God, and offer up to Him all our labors, sufferings, and pleasures. Yet at certain times we are to pray in an especial manner.
24. When are we thus especially to pray?
1. In time of temptation and other pressing need, and during private and public calamities; 2. In the morning and at night; before and after meals; when the Angelus bell rings; and when we are in the Church.
25. Why should we pray in the Church especially?
Because the Church is especially the house of God and of prayer, where all that we see and hear is intended to raise our minds and hearts to the meditation on Divine things.
26. For whom must we pray?
We must pray for all men: for the living and the dead; for friends and enemies; especially for our parents, brothers and sisters, benefactors, spiritual and temporal Superiors, and also for heretics and infidels.
'I desire therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in high station, that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all piety and chastity' (1 Tim. ii. 1, 2).
Application. Consider how happy you are that you, a miserable worm of the earth, are allowed to speak to God, the Most High, as a child speaks to his father. Pray, therefore, often and willingly, and always with as much devotion as you possibly can, both at home and in the Church.
§ 3. The Lord's Prayer.
27. Which is the most excellent of all prayers?
The most excellent of all prayers is the Our Father, or the Lord's Prayer.
28. Why is the ' Our Father ' called the ' Lord's Prayer '?
Because Christ our Lord has taught it to us, and commanded us to say it (Matt. vi. 9-13).
29. What does the Lord's Prayer contain?
It contains a short Preface and Seven Petitions.
30. What do you call its 'Preface'?
These words: 'Our Father who art in Heaven.'
31. What does the 'Father' remind us of?
That God is our Father, so good and so worthy of veneration that there is no earthly father like Him; and that we, therefore, ought to pray to Him with a childlike reverence, love, and confidence.
32. Why do we say 'our' Father, and not 'my' Father?
Because, God being the Father of all men, we are all His children, and should therefore love one another as brothers, and pray for one another (Mal. ii. 10).
33. Why do we add these words: 'Who art in Heaven '?
To call to our mind,
1. That God, though He is everywhere, dwells especially in Heaven, where we shall one day see Him face to face (1 Cor. xiii. 12);
2. That we are but pilgrims upon earth, and that our true country is in Heaven; and
3. That when we pray, we must detach our hearts from all earthly things, and raise them up to Heaven.
34. What do we ask for in the 'First' Petition: ' Hallowed be Thy name '?
That the name of God may never be profaned or blasphemed, but that God may be rightly known, loved, and honored by us and by all men.
35. Why is this the ' First' Petition?
Because we are to esteem the honor and glory of God more than all things else.
36. What do we ask for in the 'Second' Petition: 'Thy Kingdom come'?
1. That the kingdom of God, the Church, may be more and more extended upon earth;
2. That the kingdom of divine grace and love may now be established in our hearts, in order that,
3. After this life, we may all be admitted into the kingdom of Heaven.
37. What is the meaning of the ' Third' Petition: 'Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven'?
1. We ask that we and all men may do the will of God on earth as faithfully and cheerfully as the Angels and Saints do it in Heaven; and
2. We profess that, in all things, we submit ourselves to the holy will of God.
38. What do we ask for in the ' Fourth' Petition: 'Give us this day our daily bread '?
We ask that God would give us all that is daily necessary for our soul and body.
39. Why does Christ bid us ask for our ' daily' bread only?
To teach us that we should wish only for necessaries, not for riches and abundance.
'Having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content' (1 Tim. vi. 8).
40. What do we ask for in the ' Fifth' Petition: ' Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us'?
That God would so forgive us all our sins as we forgive others who have offended us.
41. May those who do not forgive expect forgiveness themselves?
No; on the contrary, they pass judgment upon themselves as often as they say the Our Father.
' Forgive thy neighbor if he hath hurt thee; and then shail thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest' (Ecclus. xxviii. 2).
42. What do we ask for in the ' Sixth' Petition: 'Lead us not into temptation '?
We ask that God would remove from us all temptations and all the dangers of sin, or, at least, give us grace, sufficient to resist them.
43. By whom are we tempted to sin?
1. By our own Flesh or Concupiscence; 'for the flesh lusteth against the spirit' (Gal. v. 17);
2. By the World — i.e., by its vain pomps, bad examples, and wicked maxims; and
3. By the Devil, 'who, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour' (1 Pet. v. 8).
44. Why does God permit us to be tempted?
1. To keep us humble;
2. To try our faithfulness or to punish our unfaithfulness; and
3. To increase our zeal for virtue, and our merits.
1. 'Lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me' (2 Cor. xii. 7). 2. 'The Lord you God trieth you, that it may appear whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, or no' (Deut. xiii. 3). 'Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been proved he shall receive the crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him' (James i. 12).
45. Is temptation in itself a sin?
Temptation in itself is not a sin; but to expose ourselves heedlessly to temptation, or to yield to it, is a sin.
For our consolation and instruction, Christ Himself allowed the Devil to tempt Him (Matt. iv.).
46. What must we do in order that we may not yield?
We must especially watch and pray, as Christ our Lord says: ' Watch ye and pray that ye enter not into temptation' (Matt. xxvi. 41).
47. What do we ask for in the 'Seventh' Petition: 'But deliver us from evil'?
That God would preserve us from all evil of soul and body, especially from sin and eternal damnation.
48. Why do we add the word 'Amen,' or 'So be it'?
To express by it our ardent desire, and also our confidence, of being heard.
Application. Always say the Lord's Prayer with reverential attention, remembering that we have received it from our Divine Redeemer Himself.
§ 4. The Angelical Salutation.
49. What prayer do Catholics usually say after the 'Our Father'?
The prayer which is said in honor of the Mother of God, and is called the Angelical Salutation, or Hail Mary.
50. Why do we add the Angelical Salutation to the Lord's Prayer?
That the Most Blessed Mother of God may second our weak prayer by her powerful intercession with her Divine Son.
51. How many parts has the Hail Mary?
Two parts: A Prayer of Praise and a Prayer of Petition.
52. Of what is the ' Prayer of Praise' composed?
1. Of the words of the Archangel Gabriel: 'Hail [Mary], full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women'; and
2. Of the words of St. Elizabeth: 'And blessed is the fruit of thy womb,' to which we add the name of Jesus.
'Hail' is a term of salutation, equivalent to 'Ave' or 'Salve,' and means 'Be well,'' or 'I salute thee.'
53. When did the Archangel Gabriel speak those words?
When he announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary that she would become the Mother of God (Luke i. 28).
54. When were the above words spoken by St. Elizabeth?
When Mary went into the hill country, and visited her cousin Elizabeth (Luke i. 42).
55. Why do we address Mary by these words: "Full of grace"?
1. Because Mary received great grace, even before her birth; 2. Because she always increased in grace; and 3. Because she brought forth the Author of all grace?
56. Why do we say: 'The Lord is With thee'?
Because God is, in a most particular manner, with the Blessed Virgin, wherefore she is justly called the Chosen Daughter of the Heavenly Father, the true Mother of the Divine Son, and the Immaculate Spouse of the Holy Ghost.
57. What is the meaning of these words of praise: 'Blessed art thou among women'?
That Mary is the happiest of all the daughters of Eve:
1. Because she was chosen before all to be the Mother of God;
2. Because she alone is a Mother and, at the same time, a Virgin; and
3. Because the first woman brought a curse on the world; Mary, on the other hand, brought us salvation.
58. Why do we add these words: 'Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus '?
To show that the veneration of Mary is inseparable from the veneration of Christ, and that we praise the Mother for the sake of the Son.
59. Of what is the 'Prayer of Petition' composed?
Of the words which were added by the Church: 'Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.'
60. Why were these words added by the Church?
1. That we may profess by them before the whole world that Mary is truly Mother of God, because her child is truly God; and 2. That we may often implore the assistance of her prayers in all our necessities, and especially for obtaining the grace of a happy death.
61. Why should, we often pray for a happy death?
1. Because our eternal salvation depends on the last moments of our life; 2. Because, at that critical time, the temptations are commonly more violent and more dangerous; and 3. Because perseverance to the end of life is a special grace, for which we ought continually to pray (Counc. of Trent, Sess. 6, Can. vi. 22).
62. Is the Blessed Virgin powerful with God?
Certainly; for it has never been heard yet that any one who had recourse to Mary, and with true devotion implored her intercession, has ever been abandoned by God (St. Bernard).
63. "What prayer do we say when, morning, noon, and night the bell is rung for the 'Angelus'?
We say the following:
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. And she conceived of the Holy Ghost. Hail, Mary, etc.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done unto me according to thy word. Hail, Mary, etc.
And the Word was made flesh. And dwelt among us. Hail, Mary, etc.
Pray for us, Holy Mother of God!
That we may he made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may, by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Even if we live in countries or in places where such public signal is not given, nevertheless, as this pious exercise is strongly recommended by the Church, and several Popes have granted many spiritual favors and indulgences to those who daily and devoutly practise it, let us be careful to say this prayer with great devotion every day in the morning, at noon, and in the evening.
64. Why do we say this prayer?
1. To give thanks to God for the Incarnation of Christ; and 2. To honor the Blessed Virgin, and to recommend ourselves to her protection.
65. What is the 'Rosary'?
It is a very useful and easy form of prayer, mental as well as vocal, which was spread by St. Dominic in the thirteenth century, was approved by the Church, and has, since then, always been practised and recommended by her.
This form of prayer is called Rosary because it is, as it were, a chaplet of the most beautiful prayers and meditations, wherein the principal mysteries of our religion are wreathed like fragrant roses. Hence the name. It is divided into three parts, each part consisting of five Mysteries. The first five, called the Joyful Mysteries, are: The Annunciation, The Visitation, The Birth of our Lord, The Presentation of our Lord in the Temple, The Finding of our Lord in the Temple. The second five, called the Sorrowful Mysteries, are: The Prayer and Bloody Sweat of our Lord in the Temple, The Scourging of our Lord at the Pillar, The Crowning of our Lord with Thorns, Our Lord Carrying His Cross, The Crucifixion of our Lord. The third five, called the Glorious Mysteries, are: The Resurrection of our Lord, The Ascension of our Lord into Heaven, The Descent of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Heaven. It is true that in the Rosary the same salutation is often repeated; but this ought not to surprise us more than that, in Psalm cxxxv. the words, 'His mercy endureth for ever,' are repeated twenty-seven times; or that the Angels in Heaven incessantly sing, 'Holy, holy, holy.' Nor ought this practice to appear tedious to us, since the mind is, in the mean time, to be occupied with the contemplation of the Holy Mysteries.
The titles of honor, which are given to our Blessed Lady in the Litany of Loretto, as Mystical Rose, Tower of David, Morning Star, etc., are figurative expressions taken from the Holy Scripture, and are applied to her on account of the eminent privileges and graces conferred on her.
Application. Honor the Blessed Virgin in a most particular and childlike manner. Implore her assistance in all your necessities and concerns, and strive eagerly to imitate her charity, patience, purity, and other virtues.