Some Questions About Prayer
by Alexandru Radulescu, Religious Education Committee

“Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)

What is prayer?

The prayer is a dialog between humans and God.  The word dialog comes from the Greek dia and logos and means “speech between two.”  It is an intimate and sublime action coming straight from our heart.

 
How should we pray?

The prayer should have quality in order to be effective.  When you pray, your attention has to be focused on this dialog.  Imagine that you are in front of a friend asking for a favor.  When you need something, you will do your best to persuade.  Do this also when you pray!  Moreover, you want to respect the person you are asking from; you maintain eye contact, your mind is not elsewhere.

The more dedicated you are, the more powerful your prayer will be.  The Fathers used to pray daily in tears.  Many performed miracles through this power.  Christ once prayed so intensely that His sweat turned to blood.  When you pray, forget about all earthly cares.  You are in front of God’s throne.

Prayer becomes even more powerful when combined with fasting and good deeds.

 
How many types of prayer are there?

Three: praise, thanksgiving and supplication.

I am sure we concentrate most on supplication – asking for something.  We forget about thanksgiving, for we are so happy we were granted our wish that we do not even remember who we asked from.  We mechanically say prayers of praise, sometimes not even realizing we already finished.

Yet, prayer is connected to the very goal of our creation as human beings: to praise God and become like Him.  So, let’s not forget to give thanks to our Creator for everything.

 
When do we need to pray?

Always. Prayer has to be persistent, but be aware that not all of our wishes will be granted right away.  Sometimes it takes years to receive an answer, or we never get one, as God sees necessary for us.  But one thing is certain: God is not deaf!  He wants us to be consistent in prayer, not opportunistic.  There is no boredom in the life of a Christian, for there is always something to do: to pray.

 
Why do we kneel when we pray?

How would you react if somebody came to you and knelt in front of you in tears asking forgiveness?  Probably you would be more inclined to forgive that person coming this way than if it came to you in a dry and mechanical way.

When we kneel we show God our humility and respect.  Put yourself in His shoes.  How would you react if somebody came to you asking something the way you ask from the Lord?

 
Prayer must be with faith, hope and love.

Faith pertains to the theological content of your prayer: that you believe God exists and listens to you.  Hope is your confidence that your good request will be granted (no matter how long you have to wait).  Love is the crown of all the virtues.  God made us out of love and expects us to return it.  When prayer is done out of love, it cannot be mistaken.  It has great power. It is like a flame of burning faith.

Prayer is essential to our Christian life because it connects us to God.  The dialog I mentioned at the beginning is our means to communicate with each other as well as with God.  How would life be without prayer?  It would be like a society where no one talks.

 
What is the simplest prayer?

Lord, may Your will be done in my life!

* from the weekly bulletin of St. George Cathedral, Southfield/Detroit MI