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Teach us to pray...(Luke 11:1)

Can prayer be taught? We all have legitimate questions: What am I supposed to be doing? Am I doing it right? Is God listening? We need some guidance. Teach us to pray...(Luke 11:1). Prayer as a conversation with God. Conversation cannot be taught… yet there is an art to conversation

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Teach us to pray...(Luke 11:1)

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  1. Can prayer be taught? We all have legitimate questions: What am I supposed to be doing? Am I doing it right? Is God listening? We need some guidance Teach us to pray...(Luke 11:1)

  2. Prayer as a conversation with God... • Conversation cannot be taught… yet there is an art to conversation • Things that make a good conversation: Set a time Stillness (outwards and inwards) Listening Respect and honesty Simplicity Patience and tenacity

  3. Prayer is communion with God • Prayer is not a duty, a task • Don't judge your prayers based on: Time Technique Awareness / Emotions Results • Conversation: not one facing another but encounter, relationship: The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

  4. Prayer is initiated by God In prayer, as in life, we are the ones who answer. God touches us, God speaks to us, God moves us, God reveals truth to us, and life and prayer is our response Martin Smith

  5. What is prayer supposed to do? • Prayer fulfills our needs to: • Be united to the whole • Be chosen and to choose • Be reconciled and healed “ The goal of prayer is to enter the condition of being unrestrainedly loved by God” Martin Smith

  6. “ Have peace in your heart and thousands around you will be saved” Serafim of Sarov

  7. Five categories of Prayer Adoration Thanksgiving Confession Intercession Petition

  8. Through the centuries • Scriptures • Ignatian way: Senses and imagination • Centering Prayer: Stillness and meditation • Lectio divina: Read and chew • The Jesus Prayer • Book of prayers

  9. Informal ways of praying • Spontaneous conversation • Praying in the cracks • Praying with our hands / our body • Panic prayer

  10. The Cosmic Complaint A prayer to be saidwhen the world has gotten you downand you feel rottenand you're too doggone tired to prayand you're in a big hurryand besides you're mad at everybody:Help!

  11. Retreat Journal Spiritual Direction Sacrament of Reconciliation Other practices

  12. When it's hard to pray... • Temptations and distractions • In the ordinary • Parenting • Dark night • In front of evil

  13. Based on the books... • Martin L. Smith The word is very near you • Margaret Guenther The Practice of Prayer • Icon exhibition at Virginia Theological Seminary!

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