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"Why he should ask us to pray, when he knows what we need before we ask him, may perplex us if we do not realize that our Lord and God does not want to know what we want (for he cannot fail to know it) but wants us rather to exercise our desire through our prayers, so that we may be able to receive what he is preparing to give us. His gift is very great indeed, but our capacity is too small and limited to receive it. That is why we are told: Enlarge your desires, do not bear the yoke with unbelievers." ~St. Augustine, Letter to Proba
The fourth section of The Catechism of the Catholic Church is a beautifully written text on the power of prayer. Below are some important selections, noting the differences among vocal, meditative, and contemplative prayer.
CCC 2697 Prayer is the life of the new heart. It ought to animate us at every moment. But we tend to forget him who is our life and our all. This is why the Fathers of the spiritual life in the Deuteronomic and prophetic traditions insist that prayer is a remembrance of God often awakened by the memory of the heart: "We must remember God more often than we draw breath."But we cannot pray "at all times" if we do not pray at specific times, consciously willing it. These are the special times of Christian prayer, both in intensity and duration.
2701 Vocal prayer is an essential element of the Christian life. To his disciples, drawn by their Master's silent prayer, Jesus teaches a vocal prayer, the Our Father. He not only prayed aloud the liturgical prayers of the synagogue but, as the Gospels show, he raised his voice to express his personal prayer, from exultant blessing of the Father to the agony of Gesthemani.
2708 Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our hearts, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.
2709 What is contemplative prayer? St. Teresa answers: "Contemplative prayer [oracion mental] in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us." Contemplative prayer seeks him "whom my soul loves." It is Jesus, and in him, the Father. We seek him, because to desire him is always the beginning of love, and we seek him in that pure faith which causes us to be born of him and to live in him. In this inner prayer, we can still meditate, but our attention is fixed on the Lord himself.
2713 Contemplative prayer is the simplest expression of the mystery of prayer. It is a gift, a grace; it can be accepted only in humility and poverty. Contemplative prayer is a covenant relationship established by God within our hearts.9 Contemplative prayer is a communion in which the Holy Trinity conforms man, the image of God, "to his likeness."
The rest of this page includes different ways of engaging in prayer.
PRayer as ACTS oF Love
PRayer as ACTS oF Love
The acronym ACTS provides a simple way of thinking about different types of prayer.
A - Adoration
C - Contrition
T - Thanksgiving
S - Supplication
Intercessory Prayer
Intercessory Prayer
Every act of service, denial, and active prayer can be a way of offering ourselves for the sake of others, echoing the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for every one of us. Our sacrifices, be they small or large, can be united for his and also transform darkness to light. The classic Catholic adage, "Offer it up," holds true.
Early into his pontificate, Pope Francis shared an easy way to pray for the world using the five fingers of one's hand:
The thumb is the 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.”
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.
The middle finger is the tallest. It reminds us of our leaders, the governors and those who have authority. They need God’s guidance.
The fourth finger is the ring finger. Even that 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.
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.
You can also make a schedule of people or groups of people to pray for every day of a given month. For example, you might intentionally pray for your mother every 1st of the month, your dad every 2nd of the month, and so on. Use this form to start praying that way. Another alternative is to pull names of intentions from the hat every day
The Examen
The Examen
God speaks to us throughout our days via our experiences in prayer, by Scripture and the sacraments, through nature, and in the words and actions of others. In the busyness of life, it is easy to lose track of the gentle ways God is showing us his love daily. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, through his development of The Spiritual Exercises, built on the insights of hundreds of years of spiritual masters and proposed a daily prayer called the Examen by which one examines his or her life each day, noting not only areas of failure and sin but, more importantly, the ways God is communicating his love in and through everyday events and circumstances; as such, an essential element of the Examen is gratitude. In other words, this goes beyond a mere examination of conscience, which focuses strictly on one's sinfulness.
As one priest mentor told me, this prayer is about reviewing each hour of one's day and recognizing when I was aware of and open to God's presence and when I was not. To me, the most important aspect is gratitude, so simply reviewing the day and praying with five things for which you are grateful is a simple way of entering this prayer.
You can find dozens of versions (usually with their own acronyms) for praying the Examen online. Jesus told us he would be with us always (Mt 28:20), and these are not empty words!
Examen Resources:
GRAFT worksheet - This version was developed by the religion department at Pensacola Catholic High School when I was on the faculty.
GRAFT Scripture and Steps - This is a great summary of some Scriptural passages that illustrate God's loving presence.
Finding God in All Things by Jesuits.org
Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina
Lectio Divina is a privileged way of praying through Scripture developed by Saint Benedict, usually reading through a passage multiple times to receive a special insight from the Lord. Please print out and read this form on Lectio Divina, developed by the Benedictine Monks of Portsmouth Abbey, Rhode Island for a wonderful method of praying with Scripture.
Another acronym for Lectio Divina is ARRR, which you can read about with this article, developed by Bishop David Toups, my former seminary rector, the excellent book Wrap Yourself in Scripture, or this Youtube video.
A - Acknowledge
R - Relate
R - Receive
R - Respond
For one example of applying these four steps to prayer in general, please watch my homily from June 13, 2026.
Some Recommended Scripture Passages for Lectio Divina:
Any of the Gospels!
Psalm 8
Psalm 51
Psalm 77
Psalm 139
Deuteronomy 1:29-32
Matthew 6:25-34
Luke 1:26-38
Luke 1:46-55
Luke 15
John 2:1-11
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Romans 8
Colossians 1:15-20
Just take a few lines and let the Lord speak to you without feeling like you have to read entire chapters. You can't go too wrong by doing what was recommended to Saint Augustine: "Take and read" (tolle, lege).
LEnten Resources
LEnten Resources
Lenten Intentions - Before seminary, I found it helpful to have a specific intention to pray with each day during Lent (often spilling over and including the Easter season). This can also be done during Advent.
Additional Prayer Resources
Additional Prayer Resources
Visit my Penance Resources page for more prayers
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