Prayer is the light of the soul
A homily of St. John Chrysostom
The highest good is prayer and conversation with God, because it means that we are in God’s company and in union with him.
When light enters our bodily eyes our eyesight is sharpened; when a soul is intent on God, God’s inextinguishable light
shines into it and makes it bright and clear. I am talking, of course, of prayer that comes from the heart and not from
routine: not the prayer that is assigned to particular days or particular moments in time, but the prayer that happens
continuously by day and by night.
Indeed the soul should not only turn to God at times of explicit prayer. Whatever we are engaged in, whether it is care
for the poor, or some other duty, or some act of generosity, we should remember God and long for God. The love of God will
be as salt is to food, making our actions into a perfect dish to set before the Lord of all things. Then it is right that
we should receive the fruits of our labours, overflowing onto us through all eternity, if we have been offering them to
him throughout our lives.
Prayer is the light of the soul, true knowledge of God, a mediator between God and men. Prayer lifts the soul into the
heavens where it hugs God in an indescribable embrace. The soul seeks the milk of God like a baby crying for the breast.
It fulfils its own vows and receives in exchange gifts better than anything that can be seen or imagined.
Prayer is a go-between linking us to God. It gives joy to the soul and calms its emotions. I warn you, though: do not
imagine that prayer is simply words. Prayer is the desire for God, an indescribable devotion, not given by man but brought
about by God’s grace. As St Paul says: For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself
intercedes on our behalf in a way that could never be put into words.
If God gives to someone the gift of such prayer, it is a gift of imperishable riches, a heavenly food that satisfies the
spirit. Whoever tastes that food catches fire and his soul burns for ever with desire for the Lord.
To begin on this path, start by adorning your house with modesty and humility. Make it shine brightly with the light of
justice. Decorate it with the gold leaf of good works, with the jewels of faithfulness and greatness of heart. Finally, to
make the house perfect, raise a gable above it all, a gable of prayer. Thus you will have prepared a pure and sparkling
house for the Lord. Receive the Lord into this royal and splendid dwelling — in other words: receive, by his grace, his
image into the temple of your soul.
Prayer lifts the soul into the heavens where it hugs God in an indescribable embrace.
- St. John Chrysostom
Prayer lifts the Soul
Artist: Marcelo Silva1
In Prayer
Image by: Liturgical Arts 1
Variety in Prayer
Although there are many prayers that are mainstays of our Catholic faith such as the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be,
the Rosary, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Memorare, and others, it is important that we develope a rich and varied
prayer life.
When asked which is the most important or powerful prayer, responses will vary. However, the most
important prayer is the prayer that most touches your heart and inspires you to greater faith and fidelity. And this will
vary with your disposition and the circumstances of your life. Thus developing a varied prayer life is essential to the
continuing formation of our faith and the transformation of our hearts.
Types of Prayer
Prayers are generally divided into five types: Adoration, Petition, Intercession, Thanksgiving. and Praise.
Adoration: Adoration prayers exalt the greatness of God, and acknowledge our dependence on
Him in all things. The Mass and the other liturgies of the Church are full of prayers of adoration and
worship.
Petition: Outside of the Mass, prayers of petition are the type of prayer with which
we are most familiar. In them,we ask God for things we need — primarily spiritual needs, but physical ones as well. Our
prayers of petition should always include a statement of our willingness to accept God's Will, whether He directly
answers our prayer or not.
Prayers of Petition also include prayers of Contrition. In these we petition God to show us His Mercy for those
times when we have sinned or failed to fulfill our Christian obligations of humility and charity.
Intercession: Prayers of intercession – praying for others – is another form of
petition, but they are important enough to be considered their own type of prayer. As the Catechism of the Catholic
Church notes, "Intercession is a prayer of petition which leads us to pray as Jesus did." In a prayer of intercession,
we're not concerned with our needs but with the needs of others.
In our prayers of intercession we can invoke the help of the saints. There are memorials, commemorations, feasts,
and solemnities honoring the saints through the liturgical year. And, there are prayers, litanies, and novenas
where we can invoke their intercession in times of peace and times of need. Furthermore, it's important not to forget
the intercessory power of our guardian angel who is dedicated to our needs and salvation.
Thanksgiving: Perhaps the most neglected type of prayer is a prayer of thanksgiving.
While praying “Grace” before meals is a good example of a prayer of thanksgiving, we should get into the habit of
thanking God throughout the day for all the good things that happen to us and others. Consider including the Grace
After Meals prayer as an excellent practice. "So my soul shall rejoice
in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation."
Praise: Prayers of praise acknowledge God for what He is. As the Catechism of the
Catholic Church notes, praise "lauds God for his own sake and gives him glory, quite beyond what he does,
but simply because HE IS. It shares in the blessed happiness of the pure of heart who love God in faith before
seeing him in glory." The Psalms are perhaps the best-known example of prayers of
praise.