How to Pray – All 15 Episodes
How To Pray, Episode 1 Intro
“Although people go on crying out for solutions, they become angry when they are told that the restoration of society must come from within and not from without.”
Schumacher, Small Is Beautiful
How To Pray Episode 2: Chapters 1 – 3
Transforming Love – There is only one way to perfection and that is to pray; if anyone points in another direction then they are deceiving you. Saint Teresa of Avila
The Little Back Room – We should keep for ourselves a little back room, all our own, untouched by others, in which we establish our true freedom and chief place of seclusion and solitude. Montaigne
The School of Love – “Repent and be baptized every one of you, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Saint Peter (Acts 2:38)
How To Pray, Episode 3, Chapters 4 – 6
Pray, do not babble When you pray do not babble as pagans do,
for they think by using many words they will make themselves heard.
Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:7, Jerusalem Bible)
The Parousia: The Mass should so form us that the whole
of our lives becomes the Mass, the place where we continually offer ourselves through Christ to the Father. Joseph Jungmann, SJ
A Profession of Faith: Professio (Profession)
’Twas much, that man was made like God before,
But, that God should be made like man, much more. John Donne
How to Pray, Episode 4, Chapters 7 – 9
Adoration, Praise, and Thanksgiving Adoratio (Adoration)
When we adore God a hidden highway is opened to the holiness of God. It enables his holiness to descend onto and into us as our homage rises to him. Peter Calvay (Hermit)
Reconciliation Reconciliatio (Reconciliation)
When you come to prayer inspect your heart, so as to send your prayer pure to God, and
carefully examine whether there is any obstacle to this. Abbot Macarius the Egyptian
The Morning Offering: Offerta (Offering) Christ does not offer alone, His people are Joined to Him and offer with Him and through Him. Indeed, they are absorbed into Him
and form one body with Him by the Holy Spirit who lives in all. Josef Jungmann, SJ
How to Pray, Episode 5 Chapters 10 – 12
Mystical Union – Unio (Union) I do not even begin to think of unity when the Trinity bathes me in its splendour. I do not even begin to think of the Trinity when unity grasps me. Saint Gregory of Nazianzus
Interior Stillness – Silentio (Silence) As vocal prayer is interiorized and purified it goes beyond itself into the prayer of silence which characterizes the state of union with God. Père Louis Bouyer
Prayer and Petition – Intercessio (Intercession) Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God. Saint John Damascene
How to Pray, Episode 6, Chapters 13 – 15
Preparing for Action – Actio (Action) As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me. Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:40)
Perfect Love – You will never love someone unless you know them, but you will never really know them unless you love them. William of St. Thierry
Lectio Divina – To be ignorant of the scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ. Saint Jerome
How to Pray, Episode 7, chapters 16 – 18
Prayerful Reading – Lectio (Read) Reading supplies material for the understanding of truth, meditation prepares the material, prayer elevates it, and contemplation rejoices in it. Hugh of St. Victor
Meditation – Meditatio (Reflection) You should show yourself diligent, indeed constant, in the reading of scripture, until continual meditation fills your heart and forms you as it were after its likeness. John Cassian
Heartfelt Prayer – Oratio (Reaction) If the heart does not pray then the tongue labours in vain. Saint Bernadine of Siena
How to Pray, Episode 8, Chapters 19 – 21
The Beginning of Contemplation – Contemplatio (Contemplation) ‘Contemplate and share the fruits of contemplation with others’, Saint Thomas Aquinas.
Glorified Love – ‘As the Risen Christ is a true man and the same man that He was, both in body as well as in soul before the Resurrection, so He has still the same human affections now’, Thomas Goodwin.
Food for Prayer – ‘It is not only the scriptures, but anything inspired by them, that can inspire us with the prayer that leads to contemplative union’, Francisco de Osuna
How to Pray, Episode 9, Chapters 22 – 24
Traditional Devotions – Anything that helps to raise the heart to God is Prayer. Saint Francis de Sales.
The Rosary – The Rosary is a school of silent contemplation and has an intimate connection to the Word of God. Benedict XVI
The Sacred Heart – In the New Testament the heart is the source of the divine operations which transform the Christian. John L. McKenzie
How to Pray, Episode 9: Traditional Devotions – Anything that helps to raise the heart to God is Prayer. Saint Francis de Ses.
Rosary – The Rosary is a school of silent contemplation and has an intimate connection to the Word of God. Benedict XVI
The Sacred Heart – In the New Testament the heart is the source of the divine operations which transform the Christian.
How to Pray, Episode 10, Chapters 25 – 27
An overarching principle – Pray as you can, not as you can’t. Dom John Chapman
The Essence of All Prayer – Prayer is trying to raise our minds and hearts to God. Cardinal Basil Hume
Pray at All Times – We have not been commanded to work, to keep watch and fast constantly, but it has been laid down that we are to pray without ceasing. Evagrius Ponticus
How to Pray, Episode 11, Chapters 28 – 30
The Prayer Without Ceasing – He “prays without ceasing” who unites prayer to works and good works to prayer. Only in this way can we consider as realizable the principle of praying without ceasing. Origen
True Humility – When you stop falling you are in heaven, but when you stop getting up you are in hell. Peter Calvay Hermit
The Impossible Made Possible – With love you may bring your heart to do whatsoever you may please. The hardest things become easy and pleasant, but without love you will find anything not only difficult but also impossible. John of Bonilla
How to Pray, Episode 12, Chapters 31 – 33
Childlike simplicity – Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus Christ (Matthew 18:3)
Asceticism for All – First seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:33)
The Sacrament of the Present Moment – The present moment is always full of infinite treasures. It contains far more than you have the capacity to hold. Jean-Pierre de Caussade
How to Pray, Episode 13, Chapters 34 – 36
From Meditation to Contemplation – He does not know what is the matter,
all at once God has retired to a distance. It is absolutely impossible to move the heart. He remains cold, frozen. Père Gabriel de Ste Marie-Madeleine
The Mystic Way – A naked intention directed to God, and himself alone, is wholly sufficient. The Cloud of Unknowing
The Prayer of the Heart – I called with my whole heart, says the Psalmist, that is, with my body, soul, and spirit. Saint John Climacus
How to Pray, Episode 14, Chapters 37 – 39
Purifying Love – The Dark Night is an inflow of God into the soul, purging it of its habitual ignorances and imperfections. Saint John of the Cross
Waiting on God – Waiting alone in the semi-darkness for God to do whatever He pleases, sums up what it means to follow Christ. Sister Wendy Beckett
Experiencing being Loved – You can do more in a month with contemplation than in ten years without it. Père Lallement
How to Pray, Episode 15, Chapter 40
The Only Way to Perfection – For apart from me you can do nothing. Jesus Christ (John 15:5) Epilogue