The Catholic Couple: Episode 5 When You Pray....

This week Bobby and Katie tackle the broad topic of prayer.  Jesus says when you pray...assuming we will...but sometimes it isn't easy and sometimes can be dry.  Prayer is a relationship and is as simple as "talking to God"--which is actually how their 7 year old, Avery describes it when she crashes the podcast!

Show notes:

• 3 S’s - Silence, Solitude, and Slowing down
• Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ Son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner,"
• ACTS: Adoration- sets the tone for the entire prayer, it reminds us who we are addressing and whose presence we’ve entered into.  Slow down and focus our attention on God. As we list his attributes and lift up his character we reinforce our understanding of who He is. Psalms are full of praise--those are good ways to do that.  Psalm 8, 19, 23, 100, and the Magnificat is also great adoration prayers.
  Confession/Contrition-God came for the sinners and not the righteous.  First we have to except and declare that we are sinners and that we fail to do what is right a lot of the time.
  Thanksgiving- Give thanks in all things...victim-hood and no sense of gratitude makes for bitterness. Luke 17:11.
  Supplication- Requests. Philippians 4:6 In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 
• Matthew Kelly/Dynamic Catholic Prayer Process
  The seven steps of The Prayer Process are as follows:
  1. Gratitude: Begin by thanking God in a personal dialogue for whatever you are most grateful for today.
  2.  Awareness: Revisit the times of the past twenty-four hours when you were and were not the-best-version-of-yourself. Talk to God about these situations and what you learned from them.
  3. Significant Moments: Identify something you experienced today and explore what God might be trying to say to you through that event (or person).
  4.  Peace: Ask God to forgive you for any wrong you have committed (against yourself, another person, or Him) and to fill you with a deep and abiding peace.
  5.  Freedom: Speak with God about how he is inviting you to change your life, so that you can experience the freedom to be the-best-version-of-yourself.
  6.  Others: Lift up to God anyone you feel called to pray for today, asking God to bless and guide them.
  7.  Finish by praying the Our Father.
• Pope Francis' Five Finger Prayer
  Using the fingers on your hand, start with the thumb and pray these intentions in this order:
  1.) The thumb is closest finger to you. So start praying for those who are closest to you. They are the persons easiest to remember. To pray for our dear ones is a "Sweet Obligation."
  2.) The next finger is the index. Pray for those who teach you, instruct you and heal you. They need the support and wisdom to show direction to others. Always keep them in your prayers. 
  3.) The following finger is the tallest. It reminds us of our leaders, the governors and those who have authority. They need God's guidance. 
  4.) The fourth finger is the ring finger. Even though it may surprise you, it is our weakest finger. It should remind us to pray for the weakest, the sick or those plagued by problems. They need your prayers. 
  5.) And finally we have our smallest finger, the smallest of all. Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. When you are done praying for the other four groups, you will be able to see your own needs but in the proper perspective, and also you will be able to pray for your own needs in a better way
• Authors discussed were Dr. Peter Kreeft and Dr. Scott Hahn
  
  
• Catholic Couple email: thecatholiccouplepodcast@gmail.com

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