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<blockquote data-quote="Paracelsus" data-source="post: 1251213" data-attributes="member: 8098"><p>I will repeat AB's recommendation of the archive.org-available version of Tanquerey's <em>The Spiritual Life</em> if you're looking for the car manual on asceticism if not indeed a guide to what prayer is about and why.</p><p></p><p>As I understand Tanquerey -- and literally dozens of Catholic saints and theologians over the centuries from whom he draws the teachings -- the fundamentals of beginning prayer, the things to keep in mind when praying are these:</p><p></p><p>(1) <em>For the glory of God.</em> Or <em>ad dei majorem gloriam,</em> A.D.M.G. as Catholic students taught by Jesuits were taught to enter into their copybooks, "for the greater glory of God." This is the primary reason we seek salvation and amendment of our lives, that God may be glorified through us.</p><p>(2) <em>Seek the graces required for salvation and eternal life,</em> with material and earthly concerns secondary if at all. Thus Christ's words: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." The graces God grants are for our perfection ahead of eternal life after death, and they are the first object.</p><p>(3) <em>Humility before God.</em> We are loved, endlessly, unconditionally, by God; but we are still little and tiny before God, creator, prime mover, and immanent in all things; and so we must remember. It is important to remember, though, that even in that smallness, <em>we are still loved completely:</em> Therese of Lisieux's metaphor of us as the little wildflower by the path amid the great flowers and eagles of the great saints circling the Sun, but God made all of us and loves us all equally.</p><p>(4) <em>Examination of conscience prior to prayer.</em> This was something I was taught long ago and had forgotten it; it assists in rememberance of our humility, but also focuses us on what graces we seek from God, what amendments we must seek. There are plenty of sample examinations -- things to ask ourselves -- online. The purpose of this examination, again, is not to self-flagellate or trick ourselves that God could not love sinners like us; he can, and he does, unconditionally. It is no different than weighing yourself ahead of commencing a path of physical fitness; it is to measure what we need help to amend.</p><p>(5) <em>Ask, and ask with confidence.</em> Also see, as AB puts it, to trust in God. This is the central element of faith; not belief in something unprovable, but confidence that the creator of the universe and all things acknowledges and will answer our prayer, and provide the graces required. God knows what we need, but we still must ask nonetheless. If you want an example of asking, and asking with confidence, consider the Roman centurion from Luke:</p><p></p><p>[MEDIA=youtube]97a0fLC4S-0[/MEDIA]</p><p></p><p>This centurion and his confidence are remembered in <em>every</em> Catholic mass: Lord, I am not worthy to receive you; but only say the word, and I shall be healed.</p><p></p><p>(6) <em>Thanksgiving</em>: we end the prayer with thanks to God for listening to our prayer.</p><p></p><p>I suspect that the Lord's Prayer, said mindfully, addresses all of these subjects; hence why Christ gave it to us.</p><p></p><p>But as said, all of these should -- must -- combined with genuine desire. Not necessarily emotion; we do not have to work ourselves up to a fever to pray, but the heart and mind have to be genuinely seeking God.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Paracelsus, post: 1251213, member: 8098"] I will repeat AB's recommendation of the archive.org-available version of Tanquerey's [i]The Spiritual Life[/i] if you're looking for the car manual on asceticism if not indeed a guide to what prayer is about and why. As I understand Tanquerey -- and literally dozens of Catholic saints and theologians over the centuries from whom he draws the teachings -- the fundamentals of beginning prayer, the things to keep in mind when praying are these: (1) [i]For the glory of God.[/i] Or [i]ad dei majorem gloriam,[/i] A.D.M.G. as Catholic students taught by Jesuits were taught to enter into their copybooks, "for the greater glory of God." This is the primary reason we seek salvation and amendment of our lives, that God may be glorified through us. (2) [i]Seek the graces required for salvation and eternal life,[/i] with material and earthly concerns secondary if at all. Thus Christ's words: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." The graces God grants are for our perfection ahead of eternal life after death, and they are the first object. (3) [i]Humility before God.[/i] We are loved, endlessly, unconditionally, by God; but we are still little and tiny before God, creator, prime mover, and immanent in all things; and so we must remember. It is important to remember, though, that even in that smallness, [i]we are still loved completely:[/i] Therese of Lisieux's metaphor of us as the little wildflower by the path amid the great flowers and eagles of the great saints circling the Sun, but God made all of us and loves us all equally. (4) [i]Examination of conscience prior to prayer.[/i] This was something I was taught long ago and had forgotten it; it assists in rememberance of our humility, but also focuses us on what graces we seek from God, what amendments we must seek. There are plenty of sample examinations -- things to ask ourselves -- online. The purpose of this examination, again, is not to self-flagellate or trick ourselves that God could not love sinners like us; he can, and he does, unconditionally. It is no different than weighing yourself ahead of commencing a path of physical fitness; it is to measure what we need help to amend. (5) [i]Ask, and ask with confidence.[/i] Also see, as AB puts it, to trust in God. This is the central element of faith; not belief in something unprovable, but confidence that the creator of the universe and all things acknowledges and will answer our prayer, and provide the graces required. God knows what we need, but we still must ask nonetheless. If you want an example of asking, and asking with confidence, consider the Roman centurion from Luke: [MEDIA=youtube]97a0fLC4S-0[/MEDIA] This centurion and his confidence are remembered in [i]every[/i] Catholic mass: Lord, I am not worthy to receive you; but only say the word, and I shall be healed. (6) [i]Thanksgiving[/i]: we end the prayer with thanks to God for listening to our prayer. I suspect that the Lord's Prayer, said mindfully, addresses all of these subjects; hence why Christ gave it to us. But as said, all of these should -- must -- combined with genuine desire. Not necessarily emotion; we do not have to work ourselves up to a fever to pray, but the heart and mind have to be genuinely seeking God. [/QUOTE]
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