Kinds of Prayer
While there are virtually unlimited kinds and types of prayer, the Holy Spirit has revealed to the Church some forms of prayer that can simultaneously teach us about prayer and expand our ability to pray. Check out the five forms of prayer and three expressions below to dive a little deeper into different ways to pray.
Click on each form to learn more about it.
Click on each expression to learn more about it.
Forms of Prayer
Blessing and Adoration
This is when we realize that God, the Father Almighty, Creator, the King of Glory, the Most High - when we realize that God is God there is nothing we can do except adore him and bless him. Blessing and adoration means humbling ourselves before God, quieting our hearts, and offering Him homage.
Petition
This is what St. John Damascene calls “requesting good things from God.” You might also think of it as asking, beseeching, pleading, invoking, entreating, crying out, or even struggling in prayer. (CCC 2629). The first thing we can ask for and what we always receive when we ask for it, is forgiveness. There is nothing Christ wants more than to forgive us. After that there is no limit to the “good things” we can request from God. Realize, however, that while God hears every prayer, He doesn’t always answer yes.
Intercession
If petition is “requesting good things from God,” intercession is requesting good things from God for other people. The saints do it for us all the time. When we pray the “Hail Mary” we’re asking Mary to “pray for us sinners” - we’re asking her to intercede for us. We can also intercede for each other - like we do at every Mass during the prayers of the faithful.
Thanksgiving
We are called to have hearts filled with gratitude. We have received more from God than is possibly imaginable. Even being able to pray - to communicate and develop a relationship with God - is so awesome! How can we not be thankful for all that we have received. The prayer of thanksgiving is simply thanking God for who He is and what He has done for us.
Praise
Praise is a joyful recognition of God. In praise we life our hearts up to God who is truly good. We aren’t praising God for anything He has given us - we are simply praising him because of who HE is.
Expressions Of Prayer
Vocal Prayer
Vocal prayer is probably what we’re most familiar with. It is prayer that takes the form of words - either mental or vocal. If prayer is simply spending time with God, vocal prayer is when we’re talking to Him.
Mediation
“Meditation is above all a quest” (CCC 2705). It is a quest of deeper understanding and appreciation of God. Meditation is probably best described as prayerful reflection. We might meditate on the mysteries of the Rosary or something we read in Scripture. We might mediate on a question we have about the faith or the origins of the universe. Books and spiritual writings are a great way to begin meditation. Still, our journey shouldn’t end and our thirst shouldn’t be quenched with mere knowledge of Christ - we should desire union with Christ.
Contemplation
Contemplation is an especially intense form of prayer. It is a “gaze of faith fixed on Jesus.” It’s where we look at Him and He looks back at us (CCC 2715). Have you ever noticed how two best friends or an old married couple can just sit in each others’ presence? Contemplative prayer is just that - sitting quietly in the presence of the Lord. Here’s a quote from the Catechism that might help explain contemplation:
Entering into contemplative prayer is like entering into the Eucharistic liturgy: we “gather up” the heart, recollect our whole being under the prompting of the Holy Spirit, abide in the dwelling place of the Lord which we are, awaken our faith in order to enter into the presence of him who awaits us. We let our masks fall and turn our hearts back to the Lord who loves us, so as to hand ourselves over to him as an offering to be purified and transformed (CCC 2711).
Of course there are many things that can help us pray - this website is full of them: devotions, prayers, music, books, Scripture, and the Sacraments, to name a few. Take some time later and explore a little of the depth and richness of prayer. For now, check out our next article:
