Handout for EU100d / EU 104: PRAYER

PRAYER – from the Latin precari, meaning “to request”. It is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional connection to some greater power in the universe through deliberate intentional practice. It may be directed towards a deity, spirit, deceased person, or lofty idea, for the purpose of worshiping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing sins or to express one's thoughts and emotions. Thus, people pray for many reasons such as personal benefit or for the sake of others. Christians generally also pray to other deities in heaven, like the Virgin Mary or the Saints to intercede by praying on their behalf. However, the final recipient of prayer is still God.

Beliefs Underlying Prayer:
1.) The finite can communicate with the infinite.
2.) The infinite is interested in communicating with the finite.
3.) Prayer is intended to inculcate certain attitudes in the one who prays, rather than to influence the recipient.
4.) Prayer is intended to train a person to focus on the recipient through philosophy and intellectual contemplation.
5.) Prayer is intended to enable a person to gain a direct experience of the recipient.
6.) Prayer is intended to affect the very fabric of reality as we perceive it.
7.) Prayer is a catalyst for change in one's self and/or one's circumstances, or likewise those of third party beneficiaries.
8.) The recipient desires and appreciates prayer.


Prayer as God’s Gift: It is a gift because it is not something we can do by ourselves. This gift is given to everyone generously without consideration of worthiness, as both sinners and saints, the weak and the strong, can pray. In this sense, a prayer is something that we can choose to accept or not, but is offered by God anyway. Hence, there is no compulsion; there is the participation of free will, one of the things that separate us from animals, prayer is something that is reserved for only us human beings.

Prayer as God’s Covenant: Since a covenant is an agreement with God, prayer helps to realize this by establishing meaningful communication with Him. It is the agreement that is further professed in other prayers, such as the Apostles’ Creed, which is the realization of immortal life, the freedom from suffering and death.

Prayer as Communion: Communion is derived from the Greek term koinonia, which means “spiritual relationship.” Thus, in this sense, prayer enables us to be one not only with the Christian community, but also with all of God’s creation, realizing the intrinsic unity amidst the diversity among all creatures. This also means that taking the Holy Communion—the body and blood of Christ—one recognizes and appreciates Jesus’ supreme sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. And in doing so, the faithful again becomes one, communes with, all creation.

Vocal Prayer: Prayer that is made of prepared formulas. It may be compared to the speech a bright schoolboy memorizes and delivers in honor of some visiting civil or ecclesiastical dignitary.
3 kinds of attention that can be given to vocal prayer:
1.) Superficial - principally concerned with the correct and distinct pronunciation of each word.
2.) Literal - chiefly interested in the meaning conveyed by the words.
3.) Spiritual - the mind is centered primarily on God and divine things.

Meditation: A holistic discipline by which the practitioner attempts to get beyond the reflexive, "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness. It is self regulation of attention, in the service of self-inquiry, in the here and now.
2 kinds of meditation:
1.) Mindfulness Meditation - the meditator sits comfortably and silently, centering attention by focusing awareness on an object or process; usually encouraged to maintain an open focus.
2.) Concentration Meditation - the meditator holds attention on a particular object while minimizing distractions; bringing the mind back to concentrate on the chosen object.

Contemplative Prayer: A meditative practice where the practitioner focuses on a word and repeats that word over and over for the duration of the exercise. It can also be repetitive chanting, breathing in a controlled manner or silent concentration to quiet the thoughts and feelings and commune with God.