What is Prayer? 9 Mental and Vocal Prayers for Meditation
So what really is prayer anyway? In a most simple explanation, prayer is a raising of the heart and mind to God. It is made for four basic reasons: 1) to adore and praise Him, 2) to thank Him for blessings received, 3) to ask pardon for and exiate (or “make up for”) our sins, and 4) to petition Him for all our needs. In order for prayer to be effective, it must contain four crucial elements: 1) it must be humble, 2) confident, 3) persevering, 4) focused (not willfully distracted) and 5) penitent (said with true sorrow for our sins).
It should also be noted that prayer is always increasingly meritorious when the person praying is in a state of sanctifying grace.
Two types of prayer
There are two primary types of prayer: mental and vocal.
Mental prayer is meditation on spiritual truths; vocal prayer consists of repeating set words. All vocal prayer has some form of mental prayer built into it. Many, if not most, Catholic prayers are vocal prayers. St. Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870) found vocal prayer much easier than mental prayer and felt Our Lord’s sensible presence more so in vocal prayer. To that end, St. Anthony became so holy through his devotion to prayer that toward the end of his life he received the extraordinary grace wherein the Blessed Sacrament was conserved in his breast.
Many other saints who ultimately achieved canonization status did so through mental prayer. Both mental and vocal prayer is powerful – especially when a soul is striving for holiness in answering the universal call to “be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48).
What all believers must understand
What all believers must understand is that everyone is obliged to pray … for without prayer, as St. Alphonsus teaches, “we shall not receive the actual graces necessary to save our souls.” We must ask for graces and our petitions through unceasing prayer. In other words, we cannot say “God knows what I need; I don’t need to pray.” Rather, Scripture admonishes us: “[i]n everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God” (Phil 4:6).
The saints concur with St. John Chrysostom (347-407) that “it is simply impossible, without prayer, to lead a virtuous life.” Thus, as holy Scripture exhorts, we must “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17).
9 Powerful and Most Known Vocal Prayers for Meditation
The following 9 powerful and most known vocal prayers can be used for mental prayer meditations as well. Slow them way down as you pray them and allow God to lead you into the contemplations of His life, being, and Church teaching. Think about every single word while praying. Remember, many saints became holy saints due to the time and contemplation they gave to these simple yet powerful prayers! Believe it or not, we could spend hours meditatively praying on just one of these.
9 Powerful and Most Known Vocal Prayers for Meditation
First, it is always good to begin our prayer time by purifying our souls with an act of contrition:
The Act of Contrition
O my GOD, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell; but most of all, because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
The Our Father
Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory Be
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the Resurrection fo the Body, and life everlasting. Amen.
The Confiteor
I confess to Almighty God, to Blessed Mary ever Virgin, to Blessed Michael the Archangel, to Blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the Saints, that I have sinned exceedingly, in thought, word and deed; through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech Blessed Mary ever Virgin, Blessed Michael the Archangel, Blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the Saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me.
May Almighty God have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
May the Almighty and Merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution and remission of all our sins. Amen.
The Act of Faith
O my GOD, I firmly believe that Thou art one God in Three Divine Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
The Act of Hope
O my GOD, relying on Thy almighty power and infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
The Act of Charity
O my GOD, I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all [my] love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
The Act of Contrition
O my GOD, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell; but most of all, because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
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