Unit 5
Lifting Up Our Prayer
“We pray our way to becoming like Christ, for he has given us his prayer as our own.”
Reflection Question
What makes it difficult for you to pray?
Reading
Into the Heart of the Father, Chapter Five and Epilogue (pp. 97–129)
Discussion Questions
See p. 125 of Into the Heart of the Father
Assignment Question
Consider someone you know who suffers in some way, whether physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, or spiritually. What do you think it would be like to make space in yourself to share in that person’s suffering through prayer? What do you imagine that kind of prayer would cost you?
Additional Resources
Augustine, “Exposition on Psalm 86,” New Advent.
Pope Francis. Evangelii Gaudium: The Joy of the Gospel.
Gustavo Gutiérrez, “Option for the Poor,” in Mysterium Liberationis: Fundamental Concepts of Liberation Theology, ed. Ignacio Ellacuría and Jon Sobrino (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 1993), 239–50.
John Henry Newman, “Rising with Christ,” in Parochial and Plain Sermon (San Francisco: Ignatius, 1997) 1316–23. .
Thomas Aquinas on the question “Whether it is becoming to pray?” Summa Theologiae II–II, q.83, a.2.
Thomas Aquinas on the question “Whether prayer is an act of the appetitive power,” in Summa Theologiae II-II, q.83, a.1.
Thomas Aquinas on the questions of “Is union an effect of love?” and “Is mutual indwelling an effect of love” in Summa Theologiae I–II, q.28, a.1–2.
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