How Do I Pray?

Introduction & Welcome (1 min.)

I. Opening Prayer (5 min.)

Grace: To become more aware of how we pray.

Use the grace or a suggested scripture above to create your own prayer, or use CLC Opening Prayer.

NOTE: Place the pictures everyone took of places where they have prayed or experienced God in the center as a focal point.

II. Check-In (5 min.)

• What were some of your high and low points of the week?

III. Focus Exercise (40 min.)

Materials Needed: Bible, pens, pencils, markers, paper, prayer cards

Introduction

This exercise will allow each person to spend time in a way they are used to praying in order to increase their awareness of how they are comfortable praying and then become aware of others’ ways of praying.

Exercise: My Ways of Praying

• Invite everyone to spend about 10 minutes in prayer. Encourage each person to pray the way they are used to praying (e.g., talking to God, saying church devotional prayers, journaling or writing, using the bible, listening to music, drawing, saying a Rosary, taking a walk, watching a sunset, lying down, kneeling, etc …).
• Let them know they are free to use whatever has been provided in the room. Suggest that if the room is not conducive to the way they usually pray, they can imagine themselves in their usual place or atmosphere.
• Reassure them that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to pray. Just encourage them to pray the way they are used to and share with the group afterward.

Suggested question to pray with:

• What is the most pressing thing on your heart right now? Something joyful? Stressful? Something that brings you peace or worry?

Note: Emphasize that this is merely a suggestion. If they have other questions or topics they want to pray about, they are most welcome to do so.

Sharing

1. How do you usually pray? In one way or in many ways?
2. How often do you pray?
3. When and where do you pray (refer to your picture or someone else’s if helpful)?
4. Which way of praying do you find to be the most helpful? Least helpful?
5. When you pray, do you feel that God is present, God answering or responding to you? Please give one specific example.

Listening Deeper

• What has struck you as you have been listening to others share? Do you notice any patterns or commonalities?
• How have you been feeling throughout the meeting? Comfortable? Anxious? Curious?
• Is there anything you would like to share after listening to another person share?

IV. Moving Forward (5 min.)

• Wrap-Up: Thank members for their openness and participation.
• Action:
  1. Pay attention to the way you pray. Perhaps, pray for the awareness that service can become a prayer, a way of encountering our living God as Ignatius calls “Contemplatives in Action.”
  2. Switch prayer partners.
• Announcements: Topic for next meeting and upcoming CLC events.

V. Closing Prayer (5 min.)

Invite members to pray for one another... End with the prayer that Jesus taught us to call God “Abba.”

Our Father,

Who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name;

Thy kingdom come;

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.