CHAPTER THREE
THE LIFE OF PRAYER
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Prayer is the life of the new heart. It ought to animate us at every moment.
But we tend to forget him who is our life and our all. This is why the Fathers
of the spiritual life in the Deuteronomic and prophetic traditions insist that
prayer is a remembrance of God often awakened by the memory of the heart
"We must remember God more often than we draw breath."1 But
we cannot pray "at all times" if we do not pray at specific times,
consciously willing it These are the special times of Christian prayer, both in
intensity and duration.
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The Tradition of the Church proposes to the faithful certain rhythms of praying
intended to nourish continual prayer. Some are daily, such as morning and
evening prayer, grace before and after meals, the Liturgy of the Hours.
Sundays, centered on the Eucharist, are kept holy primarily by prayer. the
cycle of the liturgical year and its great feasts are also basic rhythms of the
Christian's life of prayer.
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The Lord leads all persons by paths and in ways pleasing to him, and each
believer responds according to his heart's resolve and the personal expressions
of his prayer. However, Christian Tradition has retained three major
expressions of prayer: vocal meditative, and contemplative. They have one basic
trait in common: composure of heart. This vigilance in keeping the Word and
dwelling in the presence of God makes these three expressions intense times in
the life of prayer.
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