How We Lift our Hearts and Minds Up to the Lord: We Call it Prayer

How We Lift our Hearts and Minds Up to the Lord:  We Call it Prayer

The priest at mass asks us, “And to whom do we lift up our hearts and minds?”  We answer, “We lift them up to the Lord.” Vianney Vocations publishes two nice little pamphlets on ways to pray.  They ask us to speak with the Lord from the heart in order to encounter Him on a very personal level. Yes, there are many Catholic prayers for us to recite but if we notice, they also follow these prayer methods as outlined in Vianney Vocations pamphlets.

1.  Prayers to the Lord is an ongoing process.  “Pray without ceasing.”   1 Thessalonians 5:  17.  First praise Him for holiness, goodness, and love for us. “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”  “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord; the earth is full of His Glory.”  Isaiah 6: 3.  We of course need to think of ourselves at the time as to our dispositional condition, what is occurring deep in our hearts.  “Lord, you have searched my heart, you know me; you know when I sit and stand, you understand my thoughts from afar.” Psalm 139:  1 - 2.

2.  As Catholics, we know we are sinners and thus we seek His mercy.  “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.”  Acts 3: 19.   We nevertheless are honest when speaking to Him about our feelings, whether they be anger or joy, envy or fear, discomfort or anxieties of any kind. “Come to me all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.”  Matthew 11: 28 - 30.

3.  Does He talk to us, communicate with us?  Do we feel peace and feel His grace? “Behold, stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter.”  Revelation 3: 20.  Hence, we thank God for His grace at that moment or when we have received grace during our lives. “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.”  Psalm 9: 1.

4. Certainly, we all have needs so it is Ok to request God for His help.  He is of course omnipotent and loving toward us and wants the best for us.  “Is anyone among you suffering?  Let him pray.”  James 5: 13.  What next?  What will you do? What direction and purpose is in line?  Any changes?  Continue in perseverance?  “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1: 6. 

Try to keep to the above formula when it is prayer time.

Related Source:

Baglino, Michael J. Editor. 2024.  “Daily Meditations from the New Testament:  Plus, Psalms, Proverbs and the Pentateuch.”