Simple rules of Prayer

“Lord, teach us to pray...... When you pray, say:"  Then Jesus gave His disciples the Lord's Prayer, "the most perfect of prayers" (CCC 2763). Let us consider a few points about Prayer.

#1.  Nowhere in Scriptures did Jesus teach that work is a  necessity. He taught that Prayer is a vital necessity:  "Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary."  (Luke 18: 1).

#2.  The experience of saints confirm the ancient axiom that a spiritual warrior advances on his knees.  "With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication.." (Ephesians 6: 18).

#3.  The fruit of prayer is peace.
"The fruit of Silence is prayer.The fruit of Prayer is faith.The fruit of Faith is love.The fruit of Love is service.The fruit of Service is peace." (Mother St Teresa of Kolkata). Everything in fact starts with Prayer.

Now let us consider the environment of Prayer.  We may call it the 4 S of Prayer. All begin with S for sacred. Sacred means set apart for a holy purpose.

1. Sacred Time:  Do you have a specific and fixed time set aside for prayer? If you don't, it will be hard to form the habit of Prayer.
2. Sacred Place:  Where do you pray? Whenever I come to a new place like a hotel room, I consecrate a part of the room for Prayer by spreading what the Moslems call the prayer mat.  In my case, I place a Bible, candle 🕯, crucifix, Rosary and a spiritual book on the table.
3. Sacred Intention: Prayer time is communion with God and my mind must be cleared of all distractions. 
4.  Sacred Posture: There is a posture for prayer and a posture for watching television or chatting with your buddy.  If you have the privilege of being in the Oval Office, how do you stand or sit?  Kings David and Solomon knelt and prostrated before Almighty God. Jesus adopted a posture of filial humility before His heavenly Father.
Cause no harm when you pray.

Saints teach us that if we understand the meaning of the Lord's Prayer and say it with faith and humility, that is the only prayer we will ever need.

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