1. Prayer—Hidden Treasure
Chapter 3

2. “ACTS” of WORSHIP Prayer is a way to worship God
A = Adoration…to be in awe of God and to praise and bless Him for who
He is
C = Contrition…to have sorrow for sin and ask for God’s mercy and
forgiveness
T = Thanksgiving…to thank God for His many gifts
S= Supplication…to ask for what we need and for the needs of others

3. Forms of prayer
VOCAL—use your voice to say set words that are read or memorized OR personal prayers that we say aloud MEDITATION—use your mind, heart, and imagination to consider God and to seek His will; go to Him with what is happening in your life CONTEMPLATION—be simply and lovingly united to God PRAYER IS THE LIFTING UP OF OUR HEARTS AND MINDS TO GOD. IT IS TALKING WITH GOD AND LISTENING WITH OUR HEARTS. HE GUIDES US TO DO HIS WILL BY PROMPTING OUR HEARTS AND MINDS WITH PEACE, JOY AND RIGHTNESS

4. ANSWER TO PRAYER
God gives us three answers for prayer: yes, no and slow (a yes but in His time)
Matt 7:  ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? 10 Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Luke 18: 1-8 Then Jesus[a] told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2 He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, “Grant me justice against my opponent.” 4 For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, “Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.”’[b] 6 And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them?8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?’

5. PRAYER REFLECTION
Take a moment to answer the following questions about prayer: What is your favorite prayer? What do you like to talk to God about? How do you like to pray? Do you offer your works as prayer? Do you ask saints to pray with and for you? Do you have a special place to pray? How do you feel when you pray? How do you feel after you pray?

6. Prayer aids—when we get distracted from prayer
PRAY ALWAYS
How can we remain in God’s presence throughout the day? Everything should remind us of Him and His love for us. We can thank him. Our encounters with other people should lead us closer to him. Our hearts and thoughts should never be apart from God. Even when we are working, or studying, or playing, we can be in union with God.
Prayer aids—when we get distracted from prayer
A prayerful posture (kneeling and/or hands folded)
Go to a prayerful place (church, in front of a special picture/statue, in you mind)
Recite or read prayers/meditations…a prayer book or Bible
Use your senses…bless yourself with holy water, hold a crucifix or rosary, light a candle, listen to special songs