A Short Course on Prayer

By J.J. O'Leary, SJ

O'Leary practically explores the reality of prayer. Some of the comments are directed specifically to students or teachers. Still, all the content is relevant to anyone seeking a prayer life that touches the inner core through self-awareness.

Written for very busy people who, at the same time, desire to explore their own spirituality and enhance a dimension already present in their lives. What follows are a few practical words about prayer along with some questions to facilitate discussion about your life with God, your family, and your studies.

If you are still reading, then somehow God is truly alive in your life. Spiritual writers all agree that an infallible sign of God's presence is a desire for God. If you want to pray, you are already praying. The desire to pray is the evidence that God is already at work, at prayer, in you. The first graces we get are our desires; just by reading this, you show passion in your life.

The prayer we would mention is the prayer of the heart, intimate prayer, praying from where we are. First of all, most of us pray far more than we think we do. Anytime we reflect on our families, our children, our students, our job, or something we are grateful for, that is a beautiful prayer. Many of us think prayer is thinking about and talking to God out there. But prayer begins with reality. The first reality we have is ourselves, and that's where prayer begins.