By: Ricardo Valle Andrés (seminarist)

Prayer is the drive of a consecrated person, it cannot be left aside. If we work with others without praying, what we are really doing is social activism but not an evangelic job from God’s faith. It must be a very important nourishment that together with Eucharist helps us to be better individuals, strengthens us against evil and keeps our spirit alive.

“He/she who has the keys of prayer can open heaven”.

Prayer is the most important thing for the consecrated person, it is the motor that helps him/her walk, and it is the nourishment that together with Eucharist gives him/her life.

Praying is talking to God, vis-à-vis, like a child talks to his father. We can tell God everything: what we are going through, our worries, what we have achieved or that we need His help, even tell Him about our day just as we would do it with a friend we love. Prayer is to address to Him, praise Him, thank Him, recognize Him and ask Him for things for our good.

Catechism of the Catholic Church explains to us in short, that “Prayer is the elevation of the soul towards God or the way to ask God for convenient goods” (2590), that is to say, to ask Him for what is good for our soul and salvation. Anything contrary to this, of course will not be granted, because He loves us above all and He would never do anything to harm us.

Jesus Christ said “…But when you pray, go to your private room and, when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6,6). This is a private and personal prayer where you are alone with God. This kind of prayer is essential, the real sustenance of inner life. With it, we get closer to God and we address to Him. Our Father in Heaven is always present and He can do everything (omnipotent and omnipresent), and when God tell us to go to our room and close the door to pray in secret, it is because God wants to see us in private, He sits down as a loving father to talk with his child about the most private, transcendent and important things. Jesus understands our need for consolation and help and He invites us to talk to Our Father in private, in all confidence and ask for whatever we need.

Jesus Christ gives us testimony that He is in constant communication with His Father and He invites us to do the same. Jesus prays in his Baptism (Luke 3, 21); in his first manifestation in Capernaum (Mark 1,35; Luke 5,16); when He chose His Apostles (Luke 6,12). The Lord spends whole nights in prayer with His Father (Luke 3, 21; 5,16; 6, 12; 9, 29; 10, 21). Jesus teaches His disciples they must pray all the time (Luke 18,1). Jesus prayer shows his filial confidence with God, which will translate, in the familiar expression of Abba Father (Mark 14, 36). The same thing happens with the different claims He made in the Priest’s Prayer (Luke 17), short before His Passion (Matthew 26, 36-46; Mark 14, 32-42; Luke 22, 40-46), and when He claims for His executioners (Luke 23, 34), before one question from his disciples, Jesus has made very clear to the Christians not only the model of His own prayers, but also how to do it (Luke 11, 1-4). The Lord teaches His disciples how to PRAY well without talkativeness (Matthew 6, 5-15); in a humble way, just as we are told in the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18, 9-14); together with faith and confidence, as requirements for the person who prays (Matthew 11, 24; Luke 17, 5).

Private prayer is essential in the piety life of every Catholic. Now, we should not forget that every baptized individual is part of the Church (in that sense we are part of the mystic body of Christ); the Lord told us “For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them." (Matthew 18,20). Prayer can also be made together with other people and Jesus appreciates it so much that He promises, “to be in the midst of us” when we do it. This is the public prayer, the one that is made in the name of the Church, by a minister specially designated for this end (CIC, can. 1256, v. III). This kind of prayer usually has a liturgical character. Saint Thomas used to call it, joint prayer; and he considers that it has to be made aloud so that faithful people knows about it. A Private prayer is offered by an individual alone, for him/herself or for the others.

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