My prayer life is so robotic - Page 2

fred conty · #16 Jun 12, '12, 8:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Student26

I have been saying a novena to the Sacred Heart and part of it involves regular recitation of the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be.

My problem is that the words have become so robotic. We Catholics are so used to saying these prayers that I feel I could be praying to the Spaghetti Monster (slight exaggeration).

The point though is surely this is wrong. We Catholics constantly recites prayers (rosary, novena, confession etc.) and I'm wondering whether they mean anything. I sometimes feel so resentful at having to say these prayers because I feel no emotion whatsoever when saying them.

I know that it's important to pray the prayers of the Church and it is not dependent upon my own subjective emotional response...but we do share a personal relationship with God and I wonder: what must He think when He hears me repeating these prayers, resentful in my heart because they mean nothing to me.

Does Catholic culture devalue the significance of prayer by prescribing it so militantly?

Please help me!

Should we look for the consolations of God or the God of consolations?

Sometimes, maybe a lot of the time, God allows us dryness in prayer.
That is the time to step up and work at it and make it work.
That means if you have to force your concentration then do it.
Show Jesus you mean it when you say that you love him.

Purpose in prayer is important.

How about praying for someone close to you.

Mary suggested several times when appearing to people that they pray for two reasons:
those going to hell because they will unless someone prays for them,and
those in purgatory, which is an act of great mercy on your part.
Then offer your boredom in prayer for them. The intent ,not success, is what Jesus looks at.

Here is something from the diary of St. Faustina P342.
"Jesus gave me to understand how a soul should be faithful to prayer dispite torments,dryness, temptations, because oftentimes the realization of God's great plans depend mainly on such prayer. If we do not persevere in such prayer, we frustrate what the Lord wanted to do thru us or within us. Let every soul remember these words: "And being in anguish, He prayed longer."

Just a thought or two.

**po18guy** · #17 Jun 12, '12, 8:32 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeniseNY

Oh, yes. Great things have happened for me in my prayer life by doing this. Sometimes I just try to follow the example of St Catherine Laboure:

"Whenever I go to the chapel, I put myself in the presence of our good Lord, and I say to him, Lord I am here. Tell me what you would have me to do. If he gives me some task, I am content and I thank him. If he gives me nothing, I still thank him since I do not deserve to receive anything more than that. And then, I tell God everything that is in my heart. I tell him about my pains and joys, and then I listen. If you listen, God will also speak to you, for with the good Lord, you have to both speak and listen. God always speaks to you when you approach him plainly and simply. "

Before I enter the chapel, I remind myself that I am coming into the presence of Greatness.

JeffersonD · #18 Jun 13, '12, 7:56 am

Vocal prayer is only one type of prayer. It can be useful in bringing one into meditative prayer and it should be used often for that purpose but try something else. I would suggest to stop the type of prayer you are used to doing, get Imitation of Christ or other similar books with meditations and pray along with that. Read Scripture, the Catechism, etc. Find some spiritual reading that you actually want to read. One of my favorite saints is Therese of Lisieux and I find myself reading Story of a Soul when I am having trouble in my spiritual life. Most importantly trust in the Lord and do everything with love. God bless

mangy dog · #19 Jun 13, '12, 8:58 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Student26

I have been saying a novena to the Sacred Heart and part of it involves regular recitation of the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be.

My problem is that the words have become so robotic. We Catholics are so used to saying these prayers that I feel I could be praying to the Spaghetti Monster (slight exaggeration).

The point though is surely this is wrong. We Catholics constantly recites prayers (rosary, novena, confession etc.) and I'm wondering whether they mean anything. I sometimes feel so resentful at having to say these prayers because I feel no emotion whatsoever when saying them.

I know that it's important to pray the prayers of the Church and it is not dependent upon my own subjective emotional response...but we do share a personal relationship with God and I wonder: what must He think when He hears me repeating these prayers, resentful in my heart because they mean nothing to me.

Does Catholic culture devalue the significance of prayer by prescribing it so militantly?

Please help me!

St. Theresa mentions in her memoirs that she too had this problem or feeling of a problem.

It's not "robotic"...it's religious. Religion is the discipline to battle through and get passed the aridity and the temptation to stop our religious discipline in favor of more "nouveau" forms of prayer.

Militant is harsh but accurate. We are the church militant-praying for the church suffering so that, we all can make it to the church triumphant.

Try reading " Seeds of Contemplation" by Thomas Merton. I truly believe it will open up a new window in your life of prayer and your life of the spirit.

JimR-OCDS · #20 Jun 13, '12, 9:14 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Student26

I have been saying a novena to the Sacred Heart and part of it involves regular recitation of the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be.

My problem is that the words have become so robotic. We Catholics are so used to saying these prayers that I feel I could be praying to the Spaghetti Monster (slight exaggeration).

The point though is surely this is wrong. We Catholics constantly recites prayers (rosary, novena, confession etc.) and I'm wondering whether they mean anything. I sometimes feel so resentful at having to say these prayers because I feel no emotion whatsoever when saying them.

I know that it's important to pray the prayers of the Church and it is not dependent upon my own subjective emotional response...but we do share a personal relationship with God and I wonder: what must He think when He hears me repeating these prayers, resentful in my heart because they mean nothing to me.

Does Catholic culture devalue the significance of prayer by prescribing it so militantly?

Please help me!

At this point, you need to start learning to pray, contemplatively instead of by rote.

When you pray, pray to God who dwells within you, and go to the center of your being to pray in silence, as this is where you will be in his presence.

Jim