The Importance of Saints, Teaching Children to Pray and Examining Spontaneous Prayer

Dan and Melissa answer questions on the importance of saints in prayer life, teaching children to pray, and spontaneous prayer. They also discuss some important aspects of meditation as they reflect on the book Finding God Through Meditation by St Peter of Alcántara.

Topics/Questions covered in the show:

• Are the saints important in prayer life? Why?
• Should a lay person focus on one saint per year as some religious do?
• What is the best way to help children develop a regular, personal prayer life?
• Some tips for extemporaneous or spontaneous prayer.
• What is the difference between discursive and affective meditation?
• An example of discursive meditation becoming affective meditation.

Resources:

• Saint’s Name Generator – Jennifer Fulwiler link to picking a saint for the year or for a special occasion.  It asks you to pray first and picks the saint for you!
• [Saint] Elizabeth of the Trinity – Discerning Hearts link
• St. Charbel (Sharbel) Makhluf – American Catholic link
• Maronite Saints – eMaronite.com link
• 1 Corinthians 11:1 – “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” or “Follow me as I follow Christ.” – USCCB Bible link
• http://universalis.com/ – Liturgy of the Hours online
• Aspirations:
  • Aspirations of Love to Jesus Christ – Catholic Tradition link
  • Aspirations to the Holy Spirit – Catholic Tradition link
  • Short Invocations [Aspirations] to the Triune God – Catholic Tradition link
• EWTN Religious Catalogue – online
• Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
• EWTN Global Catholic Radio
• Finding God Through Meditation – St Peter of Alcántara, edited by Dan Burke
• Discursive Meditation – Also known as reflective prayer.  Definition from the Spiritual Dictionary in the book Navigating the Interior Life – Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God – Daniel Burke with Fr John Bartunek
• Affective Meditation – Definition from the Spiritual Dictionary in the book Navigating the Interior Life – Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God – Daniel Burke with Fr John Bartunek
• Luke 22:13-16 – “Then they went off and found everything exactly as he had told them, and there they prepared the Passover. When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles. He said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired [earnestly desired or longed] to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it [again] until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.'” – USCCB Bible link
• Exodus 12:42 – “…on this night all Israelite must keep a vigil for the Lord throughout their generations [as a perpetual institution or ordinance].” USCCB Bible link
• The Cenacle or Upper Room where Jesus instituted the Eucharist — Diana von Glahn’s The Faithful Traveler Slide Show link
• Lectio Divina, A Guide: What It Is & How It Helps Prayer Life – Post on SpiritualDirection.com
• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 – “May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – USCCB Bible link
• Questions? Send an e-mail to Questions@myavila.com or call 818-646-7729. Please leave your name, location, and question(s).

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