I'm catholic, but I don't go to church often and I don't ever pray. I going to start doing it now and I was wondering what do I say in my pray?
2006-11-30 03:45:36 · 23 answers · asked by thainguyen480 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
you could start by thanking God first for your life,then you ask for his mercy to forgive you of all wrong,and also for not praying,then you bring your request to him,ask of him all that you need and thank him for his blessing on you like your family,your jobs,you can also tell him things that borther you and ask him to solve then for you.Then you thank him for answering your prayer.But if you can not do this you might just say the Lord's Prayer and be done.
2006-11-30 03:53:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
How to pray. To the One Universal God
Neither a Charge sheet Nor a Shopping List
Man has many desires - and he also possesses the ability to fulfil them. When his desires are not fulfilled, he feels utterly miserable. Although there is infinite potential in each one of us, we cannot attain all of our desires due to our own self-imposed limitations. At such times, what can man do to remove his limitations and achieve his goals? Of all methods of self-development, prayer is considered the simplest and most effective.
Many people pray, but few truly know the efficacy of prayer or how to pray. Prayer is generally misunderstood to be a charge sheet of complaints against God, or a shopping list of desires. Indeed, often our prayers are nothing more than sheer beggary.
So, what exactly is prayer? When we are unable to do something on our own, we pray in an attempt to tune in to some Higher Power. When we surrender in devotion at the altar of the All Knowing, the All Powerful and the All Compassionate, we liquidate our limited ego and the power of the Higher flows through us and helps us achieve that which seems difficult or impossible. This is the principle of invocation.
The universe is a cosmos not chaos. People may not believe in religion or theories of God. Even so, many people do feel that some Higher Power pulsates through, and guides the universe. Attune yourself to this Higher Power in whatever way you can, and visualize whatever form you like - whatever gives you peace, a sense of divinity and encouragement in your heart.
There are five essential steps in any prayer.
The first is Prostration. To prostrate is to have an attitude of humility. If we have to ask the Lord for something, then it must be done with humility. Very often, we approach the Lord with one of our many prides. Of these, the pride of the intellect is the most dangerous. Wealth, power and beauty come and go, but he who is proud of his intellect is never ready to accept his own ignorance, and thus remains proud and arrogant forever.
The second step is Invoking. This is to invoke the presence of the Lord in our mind or in the heart. For that Higher is not merely an idol, symbol or concept. That is a living Reality, the Absolute Truth. Call the Lord with love to listen to your prayer.
The third step is Praise. Praise is never for the Lord. He does not need it. But it is only when we praise or revere someone that we are capable of surrendering our ego. It is only when we surrender our ego at the altar of love and respect that His divinity flows through us.
The fourth step is Asking of Boons. We should first invoke the Lord's presence, praise Him and then ask Him for what we need. Ask not merely for things. Ask for strength, intelligence and knowledge. With only strength, we are unable to achieve much. Intelligence is also necessary. And without the right knowledge, the intellect is of little use. Having got these by the grace of the Lord - need one ask for more?
The fifth step is Surrender. Now that we have asked something of the Lord, should we not offer Him something in return? But what could we possibly offer the Lord that he does not already have? We should offer what we have in plenty, and that which God has none. These are the five miseries caused by ignorance, likes, dislikes, fear of death and the ego. There are the six poisons of the mind which cause agitation - lust, anger, greed, attachment, arrogance and jealousy. Offer all these to the Lord so that the Lord can take them away from you.
Remember that Prayer is not only for asking for something. No gain is a gain until and unless we recognise what we have and what we have gained. Prayer should also be out of our sense of appreciation and gratitude. If prayer may not change things for us, at least it will change us.
(The Author is head of the Heather foundation world wide) He may be contacted by Email pahar763@yahoo.co.in
2006-11-30 11:59:41 · answer #2 · answered by R C 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Talk to God like he is your friend because He is. You can say anything. At the end of your prayer ask God to forgive you for your sins and say: In Jesus name I pray. Amen
This is how I pray.
2006-11-30 11:52:33 · answer #3 · answered by saved_by_grace 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good question?
For saying the prayers right... we just need to understand the meaning and purport of what a prayer actually means.
Before praying we need to understand the meaning of the word Prayer. What does praying mean in every Religion... are Prayers different for different Religions. Is that for one a Prayer has one meaning and different for the other?
Praying to God, the Almighty Creator carries equal meaning for all. God never differentiates! In praying we ask of God for something. Even if we do not seek material benefits for self we may ask for the welfare of others. We may not ask God something for us but for the benefit of others. Still, it is necessary that our Prayers get answered in order to help one.
No one knows where lives God. None has ever seen him. Even the representative of Jesus Christ on Mother Earth... the reverend John Pope Paul can also not vouch having seen God at any stage of life. Nor can any bishop or father or a priest! God is always hidden from Mankind... he cannot be seen but always felt! He exists everywhere. In the eyes of God all are equal... he never differentiates between a king and a commoner.
How is it that one is a king and the other a laborer? It is only our thinking which makes one a king or a laborer. and while saying our Prayers it is only our thinking that affects the results of our Prayers. If we merely wish anything most likely our Prayers shall remain unanswered. We need to perform our Karma ((the sum total of all deeds performed by us) in daily life in a way that our wishes get fulfilled. Only when we perform the right Karma and also pray to God in right earnestness... they get answered!
It is not something God has bestowed upon us... we have rightly earned it by performing the right pious Karma. Most people in their Prayers wish for something that does not correspond to their Karma. We cannot expect mangoes to grow on a guava tree! What we get resultant of our Prayers will be in full conformity to our actions performed.
In Prayers we simply ask God for something... but we must also offer God something equivalent in return. If we need money then we must commit to God for doing some charitable work for the community where we live. Only then God hears our Prayers. Prayers are never a one-way communication. God never commits to us anything that we do not deserve. We get paid according to our Karma. If we perform a sin then hoping for a miracle in Prayers is something we call wishful thinking. More here- http://www.vijaykumar.com/does_god_answer_prayer.html
2006-11-30 12:29:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus taught us how to pray - it's called the Lord's prayer - it is a pattern to use when praying:
Our Father Who art in heaven
Hallowed by 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
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever
(Matthew chapter 3)
Basically start of with acknowledgment and praise for God. Ask for His will and guidance. Let Him know your requests. Ask Him for forgiveness. Ask Him for help against temptation and evil. Acknowledge that He alone is sovereign and holy. End the prayer through Jesus Holy Name.
2006-11-30 11:57:48 · answer #5 · answered by padwinlearner 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First, tell God how much you love Him and thank Him for everything that you have, you are, etc. ---your family, health, friends, home, whatever.
Then tell God whatever it is you need for Him to hear whether it be to ask for forgiveness, lead you to an answer you need to know, help you or someone else, etc. Talk to God and tell him every and anything you want to. It doesn't have to be in any special way or words. He knows when you pray whether it is from your heart or not so be sure to pray from your heart.
2006-11-30 11:51:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Your 1st prayer should be (and you should say this with all seriousness and with all your heart , inother words, you have to mean it)
"Lord Jesus Christ, I 'am a sinner, I believe You died for me and my sins, save me Lord. And forgive me for my sins".
After that, just talk to him.
Here is how you pray.
Mat 6:6 But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.
2006-11-30 13:00:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
In my mind prayer is simply talking to God. Say whatever is on your mind.
It can be as simple as.... God help me...or as complex as it needs to be.
As a fall away Catholic myself I find that many of the Catholic prayers are wonderful. I especially like the Our Father, and Act of Contrition.
2006-11-30 11:55:30 · answer #8 · answered by Axel M 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just focus on God and let it out.
consider how many people bug him asking for **** and maybe just maybe as for him as a friend without any requests for a change. Get to know him, share your gratitude for being a part of the realm. God loves riddles whether you solve some or have one for him.
be a friend first, he wants to know what it's like for you to be human a creation of his image to learn how we appreciate his work.
if you have requests as we tend to then first try yourself then if no good ask someone who may be able to help, still no good? tell God what you did to solve your own and how you tried to get help from others before asking him, God likes those who help themselves i'm sure you 've heard that, he is more likely to help you do things for yourself than to do things for you.
look for signs everywhere or your prayers might be answered but you won't know.
Ob1
2006-11-30 11:59:19 · answer #9 · answered by old_brain 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Talk with God as you would talk to a parent or close friend. That is what prayer is. But take the time to listen to what He has to say. That is what meditation is. Be open and honest and trusting.
2006-11-30 11:48:45 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋