The Church invites us to pray in a community but also to pray alone. The practice of prayer is fundamental for the Christian. Saint John Paul II said: “Prayer is like the breathing of the Christian life”. But why? What happens in prayer? What are the benefits of prayer? The Bible, like the lives of the saints, shows us how powerful prayer is. Jesus himself, in the Gospels, is very often in prayer. But are we convinced that prayer can have a real impact on our daily lives?
1- Because prayer works!
God listens to all our miseries, even the smallest ones. No, God is not too busy elsewhere to pay attention to us. No, our problems, even daily ones, are not insignificant in his eyes.
The Lord is concerned about everything that happens to us. We can entrust everything to Him: every little question, every fear, the least of our worries… Let us not be afraid to ask Him. God joins us in what makes up our daily lives, our little and big joys, our little and big sorrows. And He is ready to perform miracles every day for us!
By creating us free, he made himself dependent on our consent to act in our lives. In prayer, we allow God to act. This is why prayer is strong and powerful. Through it, we show our faith and it is our faith that makes the impossible possible.
2- Because prayer allows us to disconnect… and reconnect with what is essential to God
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that prayer is “a living and personal relationship with the living and true God” (no. 2558).
In prayer, we also learn to be silent and to listen to God. The thoughts and images that we may have in prayer are all messages that God gives us to guide us. Prayer allows us to discern, to better understand a situation, and to make the right decision. Today, we are so solicited. In prayer, God asks us for nothing and offers us everything. We can draw from the source of his love and quench all our thirsts. Fill up with energy.
3- Because prayer is the best path to oneself and allows one to know oneself better
Prayer develops our interiority. It is a space of freedom in which we place ourselves under the benevolent gaze of the one who created us and loves us infinitely. To pray is to let ourselves be looked at by God, as Saint Teresa of Avila said. By letting go of our masks, and the roles we play in the world, we discover ourselves as lovable and loved as we are.
Saint Augustine said, “Become what you are .” Now, it is under the gaze of God that we can reveal ourselves to ourselves, and it is in prayer that God reveals to us who we are.
I acknowledge in your presence that I am wonderful and wonderful; * your works are wonderful, my whole soul knows.
4- Because prayer makes you beautiful
And yes, this reason may not be the one we first expect from prayer, and yet it is true. Prayer soothes us, cheers us up, relaxes us, energizes us, and illuminates us… Every prayer we make, and every moment we spend with God, makes our beauty grow. The transfigured Christ is proof of this!
Turning our gaze to God changes our face. “He who looks to him will shine, without shadow or trouble on his face.” (Psalm 33:5)
It has happened to all of us to be touched by a radiant face. This is what happens when we develop our prayer life.
With Hozana, discover all the many other benefits of prayer!
Hozana does everything to support you in your prayer life. With hundreds of online prayer communities, there is bound to be one made for you!
Among all the novenas and online retreats offered, there are specific ones to accompany you each day in your prayer: choose to receive a different prayer each morning to start the day, or the gospel of the day in images.
But you can also discover with these videos from the YouTuber, Brother Paul Adrien, how prayer will transform your life, or with an introduction to Christian meditation with these 8 audio meditations, or advice for praying with this online retreat.
