May our Hearts Beat with Christ
PAT GOHN
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).
What Jesus taught to his disciples, we too are privileged to pass on: a life in relationship with God and the ongoing conversation we call prayer.
Holy Influence
I remember my childhood teachers, both my parents and parochial school educators, helping me memorize and recite my daily prayers. With childlike obedience, I parroted back what I learned. Eventually, with time, the words became my own. As I matured and my heart came to know Christ, my prayer matured too. I began to understand what it means to have a new heart that yearns to know Christ. I began praying every day, and I tried to follow Jesus daily.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “prayer is the life of the new heart. It ought to animate us at every moment” (CCC, 2697).
So many of the men and women who made a positive impact on my faith were deeply devoted to Christ through prayer. Think of the people who have been holy influences in your life. How many of them led lives of prayer?
Prayer lays the groundwork for saint-making.
As we enter anew the Lenten season, let us pray for the grace of experiencing life with new hearts — hearts beating for Christ. And may we gladly share fruit of our prayer in our catechetical settings.
To Teach the Christian How to Pray with Christ
We’ve lined up a team of experts to share their wisdom about prayer. First, Marc Cardaronella’s feature helps us rediscover the fourth task of catechesis: “Teaching How to Pray with Christ.”
Sonja Corbitt and Marcel LeJeune both bring inspiration and real-world advice for growing stronger in prayer. Corbitt’s, “Prayer that Bears Fruit,” connects prayer with Scripture. And LeJeune speaks to catechists’ hearts in “Perseverance and the Prayer of a Catechist”.
Finally, Catechist.com has a wonderful series on the Our Father — “Teaching the Lord’s Prayer” by James Blankenship. Here’s part one. Find all seven segments here.
Wishing you a prayerful Lent!
PAT GOHN, MA, is editor of Catechist magazine and Catechist.com.
This article was originally published in Catechist magazine, February, 2018. It has been modified to fit this format.
PHOTOS (L-R, T-B): RENATA SEDMAKOVA/SHUTTERSTOCK
