MODULE 6: Sacred Prayers PDF

MODULE 6: SACRED PRAYERS Prayer = Communing with the Divine SACRED ELEMENTS Silence ❑ Stop other activities/empty noises ❑ Spend time with undivided attention ❑ God speaks in silence Sacred Place ❑ Important to have a special place dedicated to God alo...

MODULE 6: SACRED PRAYERS Prayer = Communing with the Divine SACRED ELEMENTS Silence ❑ Stop other activities/empty noises ❑ Spend time with undivided attention ❑ God speaks in silence Sacred Place ❑ Important to have a special place dedicated to God alone (though one may pray anywhere) ▪ temple, altar Starting and Closing ❑ Essential part ❑ Not to be disregarded ▪ Song, Reading, Sign of the cross (Catholics) Position & Sacred Gestures ❑ Praying with our body ▪ Not in a lazy, disrespectful position ❑ An act of deep reverence ▪ Kneeling, bowing or prostrating before God ▪ Closed hands or spreading arms ▪ Closed eyes THE WORD “PRAYER” Etymology: Latin precaria – “petition” Noun oratio Verb orare: “to pray” Filipino Orasyon (oracion) and dasal (rezar-pray) from Spanish Tagalog: panalangin or dalangin - pakiusap, samo or hiling: requesting or begging to be granted favors, wishes or desires. Simple Definition of Prayer Prayer is a way of talking to God. Process of relating and communicating (conversation) Convey thoughts or feelings to God Speaking to God, and God listens and understands God answers in our hearts or conscience, and through the life we live (we are sure) Prayer is a religious experience, and expression of spirituality (goodness, power, mercy) Prayer in Catholic Catechism God’s gift (Blessing) "Raising one's mind and heart to God or requesting good things from God.” Humility “Man is a beggar before God.” Covenant Relationship between God and man in Christ. (To remain in His grace) It is the action of God and of man, springs from both the Holy Spirit and ourselves, wholly directed to the Father. Communion “A living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit…. Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of being in the presence of God and in communion with him.” Forms of Prayer 1. Adoration: Worshipping God 2. Praise: Giving glory to God 3. Blessing: God’s presence, goodness and protection 4. Petition: Asking favors from God 5. Contrition: Asking forgiveness from God 6. Intercession: Asking God in behalf of another 7. Thanksgiving: Offering gratitude for God’s help Prayer MT 26:40-41 40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you keep watch with me for one hour?” 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Model of Christian Prayers: Taught by Christ THE LORD’S PRAYER (Mt. 6:9-13, Lk. 11:1-4) Adoration and Praise Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Petition Give us this day our daily bread; Contrition and forgive us our sins Intercession as we forgive those who sin against us; Petition lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil “AMEN” Emotive term used to end Christian prayers. Also used in Judaism and Islam. Declaration of affirmation From Hebrew meaning “so be it,” “truly,” “verily” Tagalog: Siya nawa “Amen”: Amin translated as “Ours” Aminin: “to make it ours,” “to affirm” or “confirm” MEANING OF PRAYER IN JUDAISM Jewish people pray because it is commanded by God. Offered for the sake not of God but of those who pray Humble acceptance of one’s limitation, and recognition of God’s greatness Jews consider God as their Father, the provider of needs and security They pray to acknowledge their dependence on God as their Father. “In God we trust”: Jewish motto since the covenant. (Rely on God) Symbol of prayer: Jacob who saw angels climbing up and down a ladder By praying, the Jews reach to God, and attain salvation Siddur: Jewish Prayer Book Codification of Jewish prayers started about 850 CE, resulting to the production of Siddur  Many revisions and editions from a Hebrew root word meaning “order” Have standard formulations, with passages from the Psalms Siddur is likened to Catholic breviary or Liturgy of the Hours By tradition, Jews recite their prayers in Hebrew Prayers for weekdays: Shacharit (morning prayer) instituted by Abraham Mincha (afternoon prayer) instituted by Isaac Arvit (night prayer) instituted by Jacob. Siddur Sim Shalom Literally means “the order to grant peace” Contains prayers for the Sabbath, weekdays and holidays THE SALAH IN ISLAM Acknowledgement of God’s greatness Salah (or salat) literally means “prayer” One of the Pillars of Islam Offered five times a day Recited only in Arabic Includes recitations from the Quran Face towards Mecca Manner/way:  standing, bowing, kneeling, sitting and prostrating hands raised, and on the chest, lap or knee different positions of the head, the feet and the fingers Some parts enunciated either aloud or silently Muslims pray five times a day: Dawn (Fajr) Noon (Dhuhr) Mid-afternoon (Asr) Sunset (Maghrib) Evening (Isha). ISLAMIC SALUTATIONS OR GREETINGS AS PRAYER (Ordinary event becomes spiritual) Basmala: “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” (Every chapter of the Qu'ran begins with it; used in daily prayers) Salawat, “Peace be upon him” or “pbuh” Recited whenever the name “Mohammad” is mentioned. Salam, literally means “peace,” origin of the world “Islam”. As-salāmuʿalaykum - “Peace be upon you.” (Complete) As-salāmu ʿalaykum wa-raḥmatu-llāhi wa-barakātuh “Peace be upon you, as well as the mercy of God and his blessings". (Response) Wa ʿalaykumu s-salām - “Peace be upon you, too”. CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER AND MYSTICISM Metaphysical meaning of Prayer: Communion between human beings and the ultimate reality. The person who prays becomes one with God or the universe by immersing the self within it, like a little drop of water united with the vast ocean. Christian mystic Therese of Avila on Meditative Prayer “The soul abandoning itself fully into the arms of God” “Union of the entire soul with God”. Stages of prayer in Teresa of Avila's "Interior Castle" 1. Meditation (Vocal Prayer) Conscious effort using spoken prayers or reflections. 2. The Prayer of Quiet Stillness of thoughts and a sense of peace. 3. Union Deep connection with God, aware of surroundings. 4. Rapture (Ecstasy) Rarest stage, complete absorption in God, losing awareness of surroundings. Not a linear progression, experience elements at different times. Goal is to deepen your relationship with God through prayer. While praying, she experienced spiritual ecstasy when her soul seemed to have got out of her body, and she attained the level of sublime bliss for beholding the face of God in the moment of beatific vision. Fasting The duration, practice, and specific reasons differ With similar goals of prayer, sacrifice and cleansing oneself. Practiced by Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Taoism, Jainism, and Hinduism. Hinduism Meditation, recitation of scripture, and ritualistic acts. Mantras are often used to focus the mind and awaken spiritual consciousness. MANTRA: HINDU MEDITATIVE PRAYER (Through it, Hindu monks experience mystical oneness with the divine or temporary Moksha) Mantra: short word or phrase uttered repetitively as prayer From Sanskrit man: “to think”, tra: “tool” - “instrument of thought” Basic mantra: Ohm or Aum (all-pervading sound of the universe) Shiva mantra: Om Namah Shivaya (“I bow to Lord Shiva.”) All Hindu mantras start with Ohm/Om (Aum-Sanskrit) Christian mantra: “My Lord and my God” Philosophy behind it Relation of the self with the world and the ultimate reality. Absorb it in your breathing Live in harmony with the rhythm of the universe Withdraw from the illusory world (maya) Be lost into the ultimate reality of the brahman. Buddhism Buddhist prayers (Chants) a form of mindfulness or meditation. Prayers often involve showing devotion to the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma (his teachings), and Sangha (the monastic community). SIMPLICITY AND DEPTH OF BUDDHIST PRAYER Express spirituality and mysticism Brief and simple, but deep With figurative allusions to nature and inner life Japanese Zen Buddhism Grace before meal putting hands together, saying “Itadakimasu” or “We humbly receive”. Koan in Buddhism  Koan: a story or a riddle or paradox Sometimes stated as question with no answer “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” “What am I before I was born?” Questions, not prayers, but means to prayer. Exercising one’s mind. To train the monks in analytical and intuitive thinking Path towards prayerful meditation. When that spiritual level is achieved, the koan is abandoned, it has already served its aim.