Some may think that the point of prayer is to get our own way with extra-terrestrial help, or to save us from facing the problems of life, or to provide an escape from 'reality', or to give an emotional uplift that makes you feel food. Some may think that prayer is a way of expanding our consciousness which is achieved by our own discipline and personal effort at self-improvement. These are caricatures of what Christian prayer really is. There may be a strand of truth in some of them, but they miss the real point of prayer.
The Rule of St. Benedict offers a rich opportunity to explore a grounded devotional practice, and this book’s fresh perspective will bring the Rule into your daily life. Praying with Saint Benedict was written for the thousands of lay Christians who are drawn to the Rule of St. Benedict and desire to incorporate it into their daily devotional practice. Those who study the Rule aspire to apply the Benedictine values of community, hospitality, humility, simplicity, and prayer in their daily lives. This unique book incorporates the passage of scripture that Benedict cites, three contemplation questions that facilitate lectio divina, and a concluding prayer. Unlike other commentaries on the Rule, the reflections here tend not to be historical or theological, but rather present personal, relatable thoughts and applications.
Just what did the Apostle Paul mean when he said, "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess 5:17)? In this perceptive and timely book, celebrated spiritual teacher Benedict Groeschel demonstrates how the combination of grace with enduring Christian truths and practices will enable you to experience a deep, rewarding prayer life that in effect premeates everything you do. But Groeschel is not implying everyone should join a monastery. In fact, he points out that half of the communication equation has already been solved by ordinary Christians. God, who created humans in His image, is constantly trying to get in touch with us. He uses the gift of our senses, the beauty of creation, and the riches of music, art, and literature as a kind of celestial "call-waiting" system. The challenge confronting us is to "answer the call" by cultivating an awareness of God's loving presence. The foundation for doing so is to establish and maintain a schedule of daily prayer, thereby creating a framework for communication with God. In addition, the Church offers a lavish variety of resources to support our personal efforts, from daily Mass attendance, to praying the Rosary, to engaging in the ancient practice of lectio divina. As we let God touch our spirits, we will begin to practice contemplation, a prerequisite for regarding everything in our lives as spiritual exercises. This remarkable book uses the testimonies of Scripture and of the lives of saints through the ages to show how you can make your words and actions a river of unceasing prayer.
The Complete Edition Prayer is essential to the life of faith. In this superb book, based on Pope Benedict's weekly teaching, he examines the foundational principles of the life of prayer. Believers of various backgrounds and experience in prayer-from beginners to spiritually advanced-will be enriched by this spiritual masterpiece. Benedict begins considering what we can learn from the examples of prayer found in a wide range of cultures and eras. Next, he turns to the Bible's teaching about prayer, beginning with Abraham and moving though Moses, the prophets, the Psalms to the example of Jesus. With Jesus Christ, Pope Benedict considers not only the Lord's teaching about prayer, but also his example of how to pray, including the Our Father, his prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane, and prayers on the Cross. The prayers of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the early Church are also explored. Benedict also draws on insights from spiritual masters, the saints, and the Church's liturgy. He challenges readers to live their relationships with God "even more intensely, as it were, at a ಘschool of prayer'." Although Benedict provides a sweeping survey of great figures of prayer, his discussion centers on Jesus Christ and even invokes him in the study of prayer. "It is in fact in Jesus," writes Benedict, "that man becomes able to approach God in the depth and intimacy of the relationship of fatherhood and sonship. Together with the first disciples, let us now turn with humble trust to the Teacher and ask him: ಘLord, teach us to pray' (Lk 11:1)."
people beyond those who dwell in monasteries. For those looking for an everyday grounding in Benedictine spirituality and who wish to pray according to the Benedictine style of liturgy of the hours, "The Work of God" is an ideal resource. Beautifully bound with gilt-edged pages and one ribbon marker, it is a handsome addition to any book shelf.
A translation of the biography written by Pope Gregory the Great, this official biography is also known as the Second Book of Dialogues. It is the earliest and thus the most valuable biography of St. Benedict.
2021 Catholic Media Association Award first place award in backlist beauty Benedictine Daily Prayer provides an everyday edition of the Divine Office for people who desire to pray with the church in a simple manner. Based on fifteen hundred years of liturgical prayer within the Benedictine monastic tradition, Benedictine Daily Prayer offers a rich diet of classic office hymnody, psalmody, and Scripture. This fully revised edition includes: • A new organization for the Office of Vigils, structured on a two-week cycle • Daily Offices also arranged on a two-week cycle • Patristic readings for each Sunday • Concluding prayers for the daily and seasonal offices • A more user-friendly layout and slightly taller format Benedictine Daily Prayer is designed for Benedictine oblates, Benedictine monastics, and men and women everywhere. Small enough to fit in a briefcase for travel, it is arranged by date. Scripture readings are from the NRSV.
Benedictine monks and nuns pray the psalms seven times a day, seven days a week. Every week they pray each of the psalms at least once. They do this because St. Benedict required this in his Rule. More importantly, they do it because the psalms are the prayer book of the Church, because they were the prayer book of Jesus. Praying the psalms is a transformative experience. About this book, the author/editor, Fr. Thomas McKenzie, says this: "For many years, I looked for a simple prayer book of the psalms. He wanted a way to pray along with the monks. Not that I think I can always devote that much time to daily prayer (though I'd like to). Rather because I'd like to make the psalms more central to my life of prayer and meditation. However, I was frustrated because I couldn't find the book I needed. So I decided to make one for myself. The project was more involved than I thought it would be. Towards the end of my work, I realized that there might be other people who would benefit from this prayer book. So I've made it available to the world at a low price. I am not the author of this book. I'm not even the one who decided what it would contain. I'm merely the person who laid it out. This really is just the psalms, along with a very few canticles, prayers, and ancient hymns. I chose to use the translations found in the Book of Common Prayer (1979). These translations are in modern language and are designed to be said or sung aloud. I hope it will be a blessing to your life of prayer."
