Saints LightWhat Is Prayer, and Why Does It Feel So Hard?
Prayer is turning your mind and heart to God, who is already turning toward you; it is a gift, it takes effort, and it begins with admitting you need to be taught.
What this lesson teaches
- Prayer is raising the mind and heart to God, and also asking him for good things.
- God moves first: prayer is our answer to his invitation.
- The Church teaches openly that prayer is a gift and also a battle that takes effort.
- Humility, admitting we do not know how to pray, is where prayer starts.
Catechism paragraphs this lesson cites
- CCC 2559
- CCC 2560
- CCC 2564
- CCC 2725-2726
CCC means the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Saints Light teaches it in its own words and never quotes it. Look up any paragraph in a printed copy or at vatican.va. See every lesson by paragraph in the Catechism index.
Scripture read in this lesson: Luke 11:1; Romans 8:26.
A sample question from this lesson
According to the classic definition in this lesson, what is prayer?
- A technique for calming the mind and lowering stress
- Raising the mind and heart to God, or asking him for good things
- Reciting set words correctly so that God will listen
- Telling God information he does not yet have
Show the answer
Raising the mind and heart to God, or asking him for good things. St John Damascene's definition, which the Church uses, is the raising of the mind and heart to God or asking him for good things. Prayer is a relationship, not a technique.
The lesson in the app has three questions, each with an explanation.
Words to know
- Covenant
- A sacred, binding relationship God makes with his people; prayer lives inside it.
More terms in the Catholic glossary. More passages in the Scripture index.
Read the full lesson in the app
"What Is Prayer, and Why Does It Feel So Hard?" is lesson 1 of Learning to Pray. In Saints Light you get the whole teaching, the Scripture quoted in full, all three questions and a step to live it this week.
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