Article 1
EXPRESSIONS OF PRAYER
I. Vocal prayer
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Through his Word, God speaks to man. By words, mental or vocal, our prayer
takes flesh. Yet it is most important that the heart should be present to him
to whom we are speaking in prayer: "Whether or not our prayer is heard
depends not on the number of words, but on the fervor of our
souls."2
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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.3
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The need to involve the senses in interior prayer corresponds to a requirement
of our human nature. We are body and spirit, and we experience the need to
translate our feelings externally. We must pray with our whole being to give
all power possible to our supplication.
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This need also corresponds to a divine requirement. God seeks worshippers in
Spirit and in Truth, and consequently living prayer that rises from the depths
of the soul. He also wants the external expression that associates the body
with interior prayer, for it renders him that perfect homage which is his due.
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Because it is external and so thoroughly human, vocal prayer is the form of
prayer most readily accessible to groups. Even interior prayer, however, cannot
neglect vocal prayer. Prayer is internalized to the extent that we become aware
of him "to whom we speak;"4 Thus vocal prayer becomes an
initial form of contemplative prayer.
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