Prayer

Prayer lies at the core of the religious life in most religions. The passages collected here discuss the efficacy of prayer and give guidance on how to pray. Through prayer, we develop a relationship with God, exposing our inner life to Him and receiving His grace. In prayer we repent for our sins, ask God for help, and receive God’s guidance.

We learn to trust in God to fulfill our prayers, and to follow His guidance for what we should do to progress in our life of faith. Conversely, God can begin to trust us as we declare our intention in prayer to do good, and then strive to fulfill it. Thus, prayer life can develop into a living relationship with God, as substantial as with a friend or indeed, with our own parents.

Prayer directs our heart to God and purifies it, providing a natural defense against temptations and the evil promptings of our fallen self. As we cultivate a taste for prayer, it nourishes our spirit and brightens our entire life. We receive divine energy in our conscience to do what is right, strength of character to endure hardships, and comfort in our heart as we seek to love.

Some of these texts give instruction on how to pray. Prayer should be done constantly, sometimes with vigils far into the night. Prayer should be honest; it is quiet and sincere conversation from the heart. Prayer should be accompanied by deeds; the prayer of the hypocrite is without effect. Among the best prayers are those that put the welfare of others ahead of oneself and, as Father Moon teaches, prayers to comfort God’s heart. Some representative prayers can be found in the Invocation which opens this anthology.