As Catholics, prayer should be an integral part of our Lenten journey of faith. Catholic author Scott Richert says that prayer is a form of communication, a way of conversing with God. Prayer may be formal or informal. The word “pray” means to “ask earnestly.” Mr. Richert states, “In praying, we strengthen that recognition of the presence of God, which draws us closer to Him. That is why the Church recommends that we pray frequently and make prayer an important part of our daily lives.” There are many different types of prayer. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the primary types of prayer are: prayers of adoration, prayers of petition, prayers of intercession, prayers of thanksgiving, and prayers of praise.

Pope Francis has stressed the importance of prayer in our lives. In one of his daily homilies, he stated, “This is what prayer is, opening the door to the Lord, so that he can do something.” He also stated, “The first task in life is this: prayer…gazing on the Lord, hearing the Lord, asking the Lord.”

When we pray prayers of petition it is important that we pray for the right reason. We should pray for those things that may help us spiritually, physically or emotionally. We are reminded about this through reflection on the following:

As we consider the words of Our Holy Father, we are challenged to engage in daily meaningful prayer so that our Lenten experience may truly reflect a clear and compelling witness to our faith.