The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture

WOF 031: 5 Ways to Pray Better Today

Jul 12, 2016

Discover the transformative power of prayer with insights on conversational prayer and how God communicates with us. Learn about various prayer techniques like Lectio Divina and the benefits of rote prayers, including the Rosary. Explore the significance of the Liturgy of the Hours as a universal prayer, and how the Holy Mass serves as the pinnacle of prayer in Catholicism. The conversation also touches on the balance of modern teachings from notable Christian writers. Elevate your spiritual journey with these engaging topics!

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ADVICE

Conversational Prayer

Take time out of your day for prayer, focusing your mind and heart on God.
Express your longings, fears, and hopes to God in simple, conversational language.

INSIGHT

Listening to God

God speaks to us not through audible voices, but in more subtle ways.
Look for answers in unexpected places, through friends, media, and deepened senses of purpose or joy.

ADVICE

Practicing Lectio Divina

Start Lectio Divina by reading a small scripture section slowly and attentively.
Meditate on a phrase, pray about your thoughts, then listen contemplatively for God's response.

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Whenever there's a survey asking Christians, "What's one area in your spiritual life you'd like to improve?", the answers almost inevitably center around prayer. In today's episode, Bishop Barron explains what precisely prayer is and then offers some simple steps as well as some more advanced techniques to help us all grow in intimacy with God. With this goal in mind, Bishop Barron leads listeners down five different avenues of prayer that range from informal dialogue to the mass itself. Finally, the listener question comes from a seminarian in Phoenix who wonders where Catholics should draw the line when it comes to the teachings of a notable 21st-century Christian writer.

Topics Discussed

0:18 - Bishop Barron discusses his upcoming trip to World Youth Day
4:00 - What is prayer and how does conversational prayer begin?
8:42 - How does God speak to us in prayer?
10:58 - What is "Lectio Divina" and how do we pray it?
14:45 - What are some forms of rote prayers and what is their benefit?
20:40 - What is the Liturgy of The Hours and how do we access it?
24:00 - How is the Liturgy of The Hours a universal prayer?
26:00 - How can enter into the Holy Mass specifically as a prayer?
28:00 - How might we advance through these five forms of prayer?
29:25 - What does Bishop Barron's holy hour entail?
35:20 - Listener Question: Where should we draw the line with N.T. Wright?

Bonus Resources

Videos
- Bishop Barron on the Disorienting Quality of Real Prayer (Bishop Barron)
- Bishop Barron on the Lord's Prayer (Bishop Barron)
Articles
- The Hundreth Anniversary of Thomas Merton's Birth (Bishop Barron)
Homilies
- Hearing the Voice of God (Bishop Barron)
- The Mystery of the Mass (Bishop Barron)
- The Shepard's Voice (Bishop Barron)

Books
- Praying with The Pivotal Players (Pre-Order)
- And Now I See: A Theology of Transformation (Bishop Barron)
- The Resurrection of the Son of God (N.T. Wright)

Find bonus links and resources for this episode at http://WordOnFireShow.com and be sure to submit your questions at http://As kBishopBarron.