WAYS PEOPLE PRAY

Pope John Paul II spoke to young people in Paris about prayer. He said that prayer can be built around four words:

ThanksSorry

Please &I love You

ACTIVITY

Design a ritual around these four ideas.

A ritual is a formalised set of symbolic actions generally performed in a particular environment at a regular, recurring interval. The set of actions that comprise a ritual often include, but are not limited to, such things as recitation, singing, group processions, repetitive dance, manipulation of sacred objects, etc. The general purpose of rituals is to express some fundamental truth or meaning, and/or engage a group of people in unified action to strengthen their communal bonds.

The Body as Prayer

Draw an outline of the human body.

Underneath this outline, write your own description of how the body could be used in prayer.

Write these types of prayer on the different parts of the body. For example, on the eyes you might write “praying a prayer of thanks for the wonders of creation.

In what ways could prayer be described as a friendship?

Friendship and Prayer

Jesus at PrayerScripture Reference

When did Jesus Pray

Why did Jesus Pray

To Whom did Jesus Pray

Other observations

Mt 6: 5-13

Mk 7: 32-37

Lk 5: 15-16

Lk 6: 12-16

Lk 9: 18-21

Lk 22: 39-44

Lk 23: 44-46

Jn 11: 39-44

Matthew 6: 5-13

• Salt and Light• 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its

saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

• 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Mark 7: 32-37• There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and

could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.

• 33 After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then he spit and touched the man’s tongue. 34 He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means “Be opened!”). 35 At this, the man’s ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.

• 36 Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. 37 People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said. “He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Luke 5: 15-16

Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 6: 12-16The Twelve Apostles12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Luke 9: 18-20Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah18 Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”19 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”20 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

Luke 22: 39-44Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.[a]

Luke 23: 44-46The Death of Jesus

44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”[a] When he had said this, he breathed his last.

John 11: 39-4439 “Take away the stone,” he said.“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”