To pray is simply to speak to God. But perhaps you wonder what to say to your Heavenly Father and how to present your needs to Him. Do not worry. Our divine Savior, when He was on earth, took care to teach us what we must ask of His Father above all. He gave us a prayer – the “Our Father” – which is the most beautiful of all prayers, and every true Christian loves to recite it often.
This prayer begins with the words “Our Father,” which reveal what God is for us and how far His tenderness extends. Then come the words “who art in Heaven,” to remind us that, although God is present everywhere, He dwells in a special way in Heaven, with the angels and the blessed.
After this invocation come seven petitions: three concern directly the rights of God, and four concern our needs. For the greater glory of God, we ask:
That His Name be hallowed – that is, known and honored.
That His Kingdom come into all hearts.
That His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
To help us reach eternal life, we then ask:
For our daily bread, both material and spiritual.
For the forgiveness of our offenses.
For the strength to overcome temptation.
For the grace to be preserved from all evil – especially from sin and eternal damnation.
In addition to the Our Father, every Christian concerned for his interior life should know by heart and recite daily the “Hail Mary,” which will be explained later, as well as the Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity. These acts are very pleasing to God, because they express the thoughts and sentiments proper to a disciple of Christ.
You now know what to say to God. But perhaps you ask another question: when should we pray? The answer is simple. Just as you naturally speak throughout the day to those you love, you are invited to turn often toward your Heavenly Father. You have so much to entrust to Him.
First, in the morning upon waking, make the sign of the Cross and say: “My God, I give You my heart.” Once dressed, take a few moments, kneeling if possible before a crucifix, to say your morning prayer: Our Father, Hail Mary, offering, and so on.
During the day, if temptation arises – if a bad thought or action threatens you – call upon Jesus, the Blessed Virgin, or your guardian angel with a short invocation. A brief but sincere and trusting prayer is often enough to overcome the struggle.
Before and after meals, make the sign of the Cross, ask God to bless the food He gives you, and then thank Him for it.
Finally, in the evening, before going to bed, take a moment for night prayer, if possible with your family and aloud. Then, once in bed, if sleep does not come, entrust your night to God with a few simple prayers – for example, ask the angels to watch over you, tell Jesus that you love Him, and ask Mary to obtain for you the grace to live well and to receive Holy Communion worthily.
In the fourth century, in Africa, there lived a Christian woman named Monica. She loved God with all her heart and was deeply grieved to see her son Augustine living a life of disorder and moral wandering. She wept unceasingly over this son whom she loved more than anything, and her sorrow was no less intense than that of a mother who sees her child carried to the grave. In the eyes of faith, this son, still trapped in sin, appeared to her as one already dead.
One day, Monica went to the great bishop of Milan, Saint Ambrose. She confided her sorrow to him and begged him to speak to Augustine in order to bring him back to God. The bishop, moved by her suffering, answered with words that have become famous: “Go, continue to pray as you do; it is impossible that the son of so many tears should be lost.” Monica received this promise as though it had come from God Himself.
Strengthened by this assurance, she persevered and even intensified her prayers and penances. For a long time, she continued to shed tears and to raise her prayers before the altar. She went to church every day, attended Mass, multiplied her supplications, and gave alms for the salvation of her son. She asked neither for wealth nor for honor, but for one thing alone: the healing of Augustine’s soul and his eternal salvation.
At last, God allowed Himself to be moved by this steadfast intercession. Augustine was converted; he recognized the misery of his former life, renounced his errors, received baptism, and later became a priest and a bishop. He would become one of the greatest Doctors of the Church, honored today as Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo – one of the great friends of God.