How to Pray Well
Part 6


Prayer means simple, loving converse between the soul and God, as between a child and  its father, yet is is quite obvious that certain dispositions of soul are indispensable to this holy exercise.  The Sacred Scriptures  admonish us, in the first place, to prepare ourselves:  "Before prayer prepare thy soul, and be not as a man that tempteth God"  (Ecclus. iviii. 23). This preparation is not difficult, consisting simply in humility, sorrow for sin, a wish to improve our lives, confidence in God and His mercy and freedom from hatred of our neighbor.   During prayer the chief things required are:  a realization of the presence of God, attention to what we are saying, sincerity and fervor.  If, while praying, we are purposely or consciously distracted we become like those irreligious worshipers of whom our Lord said: " This people honoreth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me" (Matt. xv.8).  Finally, for good prayer it is necessary that we pray with entire submission to the will of our heavenly Father who knows what is best for us, and with perseverance, which means that we should continue to implore God's help and grace as long as we live.  Christ the Lord has said: "We ought always to pray"  (Luke xviii.1).  Our prayers will be greatly enhanced in value and efficacy, if we add to them works of charity and mortification.