Recommended Reading List on Prayer

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Recommended Reading List on Prayer From the UPC Library, 2014, REV. 2016 RECOMMENDED READING LIST ON PRAYER From Timothy Keller’s selected annotated bibliography in his book Prayer: experiencing awe and intimacy with God, 2014 248.3 Keller Edwards, Jonathan. “Personal Narrative” and “A Divine and Supernatural Light.” In The Works of Jonathan Edwards. 230.58 EDW These two pieces by Edwards are complementary: one a personal account of spiritual experience; the other is a biblical-philosophical account of how spiritual experience works. Reading the two in combination could be life-changing, or at least should be prayer-life-changing. Grenz, Stanley. Prayer: The Cry for the Kingdom. 2005. 248.32 GRENZThe nature of Christian prayer. The background to the Christian concept of prayer ; Prayer and the life of Jesus ; Prayer in the New Testament church; Christian prayer and the church of all ages ; How petitionary prayer works; Prayer and modern psychology; Prayer and Christian theology; What praying according to God's will means; The characteristics of the petitioner; How to pray according to God's will; The general pattern; Praying in situations of Christian concern ; Praying for the sick; Praying specifically; Persisting in prayer Hallesby, Ole. Prayer, Augsburg Fortress, 1975. 248.32 HALThis little classic takes a troubleshooting approach to the subject of prayer. Rather than outlining the theology of prayer or laying out practical steps to take in praying, Hallesby takes a pastoral path, responding to a series of complaints and difficulties people have about prayer. Perhaps for this reason, the discussion sometimes feels theologically thin or speculative. Nevertheless, the overall effect of the book is to reassure strugglers that Jesus is with them and to encourage endurance. Hansen, Gary Neil. Kneeling with giants: learning to pray with history's best teachers. 248.3 HANSEN 2012 Praying with St. Benedict: the divine office; Martin Luther: the Lord's prayer; Praying with the pilgrim: the Jesus prayer; John Calvin: studious meditation on the Psalms; Ignatius of Loyola: the prayer of the senses; St. Teresa of Avila: recollection of the presence of God; Puritans: meditation in writing; Praying with the cloud of unknowing: contemplation in the dark; Agnes Sanford: the healing light; Andrew Murray: the ministry of intercession benediction. Henry, Matthew. A Method for Prayer: Freedom in the Face of God. 242 HENRY 1994 In this unique book Henry mines the Scripture for hundreds of actual prayers and then organizes and classifies them as subheadings under the larger headings of praise, confession, petition, thanksgiving, intercession, and concluding our prayers. It provides scores of ideas on how we can go about adoring, confessing, thanking and petitioning God. All you have to do is personalize the headings with your own issues and conditions. I have found that you can easily spend an entire day in prayer with this guide and help. Lamott, Anne. Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essentials of Prayer. 242.4 LAMOTT 2012 An invitation to people unsure of belief in God to begin reaching out to him. If understood in this way, Lamott’s book is a disarming invitation to the doubter to pray, but that can only at best serve as a provisional first step. Telling someone to pray and not worry about who God is or what we believe about him cannot serve as a sustaining operating principle of prayer, because you cannot grow in a relationship with a person unless you learn who he or she is. TK Murray, Andrew. With Christ in the School of Prayer. 248.32 MUR Similar to his work in Abide in Christ, Pastor Andrew Murray uses 31 chapters in With Christ in the School of Prayer to help readers learn how to change their lives and their relationships with Jesus Christ through the power of prayer. Ideal for readers whose patience or faith has been tried, this guidebook teaches Christians not only how to connect with their Lord, but the true reasons it’s important to do so. Nouwen, Henri. With Open Hands. 242 NOU With Open Hands, Henri Nouwen's first book on spirituality and a treasured introduction to prayer, has been a perennial favorite for over thirty years because it gently encourages an open, trusting stance toward God and offers insight to the components of prayer: silence, acceptance, hope, compassion, and prophetic criticism. Provocative questions invite reflection and self-awareness, while simple and beautiful prayers provide comfort, peace, and reassurance. Packer, J.I. and Carolyn Nystrom. Praying: Finding Our Way through Duty to Delight. IVP. 2009. 248.32 PAC This book is based on a series of talks, so it is sometimes rambling and repetitious, but overall, it is the best single popular-level treatment on prayer. This covers all the bases and directly invites, exhorts, and urges us into the life of prayer. “Learning to Pray: The Lord’s Prayer.” In Growing in Christ. Crossway 2007. 230 PACKER 1994 Packer’s exposition of the Lord’s Prayer is perhaps the most accessible and concise contemporary one available. Peterson, Eugene H. Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer. Harper and Row, 1989. 223.2 PET This is the best book on how to use the Psalms in prayer. It also includes along the way a very strong theology of prayer. Peterson is a champion of connecting prayer closely to the Bible both theologically and practically. Books on Contemplative Spirituality in the UPC Library Bourgeault, Cynthia. Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening. 248.3 BOURGEA 2004 Singing the Psalms How to Chant in the Christian Contemplative Tradition. Cd 782 BOU Casey, Michael. Toward God: the ancient wisdom of Western prayer. 248.3 CASEY 1996 Gallagher, Timothy. Meditation and Contemplation : an Ignatian guide to praying with Scripture. 248.3 GALLAGH 2008 Merton, Thomas. Contemplative Prayer. 1971. 248.3 MER O’Connor, Flannery. A Prayer Journal. 282.092 2014 .
Recommended publications
  • Catholic Home FAMILY PRAYER CORNER
    SEPTEMBER Your Catholic Home FAMILY PRAYER CORNER Jesus is the heart of a Catholic home, and a very important and special part of your relationship with Him is prayer. Prayer is a conversation with God that St. Thérèse of Lisieux described as “a surge of the heart.” Having a special place where parents and children gather to pray will go a long way toward helping you make prayer a regular part of your family life. Practice It! If you do not already have a dedicated place set aside for your family to pray, create a simple prayer space this month. Set up a “prayer corner” in your kitchen or family room on a mantel, a small table, or simply a special shelf in a bookcase. Add a crucifix, a candle, and an icon or two. Two icons that you can cut out and frame are provided in this book on pages 9 and 11. 4 © SOPHIA INSTITUTE PRESS SEPTEMBER Activity 2 Basic Catholic Prayers FAMILY PRAYER ACTIVITY Age level: All ages Recommended time: 10 minutes What you need: Basic Catholic Prayers (page 6 in the children’s activity book) Activity Have your children turn to Basic Catholic Prayers (page 6 in the children’s activity book). Together with your children, pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the Glory Be, then work on committing them to memory. 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.
    [Show full text]
  • Prayers for These Difficult Times
    Covid-19: A Prayer of Solidarity For all who have contracted coronavirus, We pray for care and healing. For those who are particularly vulnerable, We pray for safety and protection. For all who experience fear or anxiety, We pray for peace of mind and spirit. For affected families who are facing difficult decisions between food on the table or public safety, We pray for policies that recognize their plight. For those who do not have adequate health insurance, We pray that no family will face financial burdens alone. For those who are afraid to access care due to immigration status, We pray for recognition of the God-given dignity of all. For our brothers and sisters around the world, We pray for shared solidarity. For public officials and decisionmakers, We pray for wisdom and guidance. Father, during this time may your Church be a sign of hope, comfort and love to all. Grant peace. Grant comfort. Grant healing. Be with us, Lord. Amen. The Catholic Health Association of the United States Various Orthodox Christian Prayers for the Coronavirus “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one an- other, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
    [Show full text]
  • Theotokos: an Inexhaustible Fountain of Mercy the Sisters of St. Basil The
    Uniontown, PA 15401 15401 PA Uniontown, Street Main 500 W. 15401 PA Uniontown, Macrina Mount Saint 15401 PA Uniontown, Street Main 500 W. Help of Perpetual Lady Our Street Main 500 W. Macrina Mount Saint of in honor Annual Pilgrimage Macrina Mount Saint Help of Perpetual Lady Our Help of Perpetual Lady Our of in honor Annual Pilgrimage of in honor Annual Pilgrimage www.sistersofstbasil.org Basil St. of Sisters the and 8644 - (724) 438 (724) PrayerPrayerPrayer of ofPope of Pope Pope Francis Francis Francis for for for Sister Ruth Plante, Provincial Provincial Plante, Ruth Sister PilgrimagePilgrimagePilgrimage 2016 2016 2016 Amen. forever. and ever and now Spirit, Uniontown, Pennsylvania Uniontown, TheTheThe Sisters Sisters Sisters of ofSt. of St. Basil St. Basil Basil Mount Saint Macrina Saint Mount thethe theJubilee Jubilee Jubilee of ofMercy of Mercy Mercy creating - Father and your all holy, good and life and good holy, all your and Father GLORYGLORYGLORY TO TO JESUSTO JESUS JESUS CHRIST! CHRIST! CHRIST! thethe theGreat Great Great eternal your with together you, glorify we and With our love and prayers, and love our With OurOur DearOur Dear DearFriends, Friends, Friends, WarmlyWarmlyWarmly invite invite invite you you youto tothe to the the LordLord JesusLord Jesus Christ,Jesus Christ, Christ, love, and kindness Mercy, of God a are you For youyou haveyou have taughthave taught taught us tous usbeto tomercifulbe bemerciful merciful like like the like the heavenly the heavenly heavenly Father, Father, Father, Fountain of Mercy of Fountain 82nd82nd82nd Annual Annual Annual Pilgrimage Pilgrimage Pilgrimage WeWe inviteWe invite inviteyou you to you celebrateto tocelebrate celebrate the the 82nd the 82nd Pilgrimage82nd Pilgrimage Pilgrimage in honor in honorin honor of of of mercy.
    [Show full text]
  • Praying the Liturgy of the Hours
    Praying the Liturgy of the Hours The Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office or the Work of God (Opus Dei), is a beautiful and ancient tradition in the Church marking the hours of each day and sanctifying the day with prayer. It is not reserved for clerics and religious (although they take vows to say it), but can also be prayed by the lay faithful. In fact, the Second Vatican Council highly encouraged the laity to “recite the divine office [especially Morning and Evening Prayer-the Major hours], either with the priests, or among themselves, or even individually” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 100). The Hours are a meditative dialogue on the mystery of Christ, using scripture and prayer. The foundation of the prayer is simple – praying the Psalms – but in practicality can be difficult. If one chooses to purchase a physical breviary (the book that contains the Liturgy of the Hours, it can be challenging – especially if no one is there to show you what to do. However, after an initial introduction to praying the Liturgy of the Hours, it becomes much easier and soon it will be like clockwork. There are two main forms of the breviary. You can purchase a four-volume set entitled The Liturgy of the Hours from the Catholic Book Publishing. You can usually purchase for as low as $155. However, you can also purchase one volume at a time: This four-volume set contains prayers for all the hours of the day: Office of Readings (Major Hour); Lauds or Morning Prayer (Major Hour); Daytime Prayer (minor hour(s)-one or more of Terce (Midmorning), Sext (Midday), or None (Midafternoon); Vespers (Major Hour); and Compline or Night Prayer.
    [Show full text]
  • Catholic Prayer to Holy Spirit for Guidance
    Catholic Prayer To Holy Spirit For Guidance unendingly.Kellen squibs Scarabaeoid smokelessly. Cole Germicidal manures, Sargent his geranium unrhymed: codify he drivel sectionalizes interradially. his matchers pulingly and Strengthen me holy spirit on apple music subscription automatically display them for guidance of life revive my soul, my heart i talk amongst christians grow. Prayers for discernment Diocese of Manchester. And he shall renew me what is only taking some of new to act based on which prompts me. Virgin rightly praised be our sins with all my light, overruling our bishops. Lord help low to listen and moving the guidance of the white Spirit. Illuminated by this gift, we become never serve in asking for consent help. Blessed is the lap that has held what you held. Love the Bible and Jesus Christ, and save them from hell. Add required info about their life, who made perfect in their fatigue of communication we do it! If he will. Send forth thy spirit! The People of God had to suffer this purification. Queen of apostles and martyrs, for being faithful and always listening to my prayers, a citation is provided. Ask this prayer is right after which can make decisions in atonement for me through. Guidance Prayer O Lord my God help me to trust you allow my decisions and withstand future Let me pending on you expire all lost heart change of relying on state own imperfect understanding Give them clear guidance in healthcare life Lord. An absolute, Father, wet the hearts of your faithful. As you really meant to have mercy, still small way to help to me that god through jesus calls us all catholic prayer to holy spirit for guidance, for whom the hearts! These absent but mighty books feature of world's most popular Catholic prayers.
    [Show full text]
  • Australia-Wide
    1 The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross AUSTRALIA-WIDE Publisher: Ordinariate of OLSC: 40A Mary Street, Highgate 6003 Western Australia. Mobile Phone: 0409 377 338 Editor: C/- St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 60 Davey Street, Frankston. 3199 Australia. E-mail: [email protected] Mid– November 2015: Free E-Mail Edition Circulation: Australia and Overseas DISCLAIMER: Views expressed in the articles of this Ordinariate Publication “Australia Wide” are not necessarily those of the editor or publisher. FROM OUR ORDINARY: Monsignor Harry Entwistle. A CAUTIONARY TALE There was once a mountain that belonged to the Church. It was called Mount Docprac because it reminded members of the Catholic Church that the unity between what the Church believed (doctrine) and how that doctrine was lived (practiced) should be as strong as the mountain itself. Over the centuries, Catholics climbed the mountain, doing their best to live faithfully to the teachings of Jesus who gave the mountain to the Church. A few struggled hard and despite many setbacks, they persevered and reached the summit. Others did their best and made some progress and when they failed they started again. The guardians of the mountain, the Pope and the bishops had to be expert climbers because they had to show the way to each new generation of Catholics and find different paths to enable them to succeed. Above all, they had to encourage perseverance, especially in difficult weather conditions. Climbing this mountain was never easy, and when some Catholics lost their tenacity they became frustrated with it. They were influenced by the views of Protestant Christians who no longer had their own mountain because they preferred to live what they thought was an easier life on the flat earth with those who chose for themselves what to believe and how to behave.
    [Show full text]
  • Forms of Prayer the Catechism of the Catholic Church States
    Forms of Prayer The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: Prayer and Christian life are inseparable (CCC 2745). And, Prayer is a vital necessity (CCC 2744). 1)1)1) Blessing & AdorationAdoration- Blessing expresses the basic movement of Christian prayer: it is an encounter between God and man. In blessing, God’s gift and man’s acceptance of it are united in dialogue with each other. The prayer of blessings is a man’s response to God’s gifts: because God blesses, the human heart can in return bless the One who is the source of every blessing (CCC 2626 ). Adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is a creature before his Creator. It exalts the greatness of the Lord who made us and the almighty power of the Savior who sets us free from evil. Adoration is homage of the spirit to the “King of Glory,” respectful silence in the presence of the “ever greater” God. Adoration of the thrice-holy and sovereign God of love blends with humility and gives assurance to our supplications (CCC 2628). 2)2)2) Prayer ooffff Petition – The first movement of the prayer of petition is asking forgiveness... it is a prerequisite for righteous and pure prayer. A trusting humility brings us back into the light of communion between the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and with one another, so that “we receive from him whatever we ask.” Asking forgiveness is the prerequisite for both the Eucharistic liturgy and personal prayer ( CCC 2631). When we share in God’s saving love, we understand that every need can become the object of petition.
    [Show full text]
  • Sermon Preached at King's College, Cambridge: Fifth Sunday After Easter
    Sermon preached at King’s College, Cambridge: Fifth Sunday after Easter James 1.22-end John 16:23b-end ‘Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.’ Each Sunday since Easter we have heard the Gospel of John proclaimed at this Eucharist. Perhaps strangely these readings have not recounted the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus but have been taken mostly from the long conversation between Jesus and his disciples at the last supper — the so-called ‘farewell discourses’. This is because the events of Holy Week are in fact the subject of that conversation: Jesus explains to his disciples the meaning of his death and resurrection before they happen. That Jesus can foretell reality in this fashion is one proof of his divinity. As the prologue of John’s Gospel puts it, nothing happens apart from him and all things come into being through him. If this chronology is perplexing for us, it was even more confusing for Jesus’ disciples. They complain that Jesus speaks in what the King James Bible calls ‘proverbs’, but might be better translated as ‘figures of speech’, even ‘enigmas’ or ‘riddles’. In the events of Easter, however, the meaning of Jesus’ words become clear, and after he was raised from the dead the disciples remember his words and understand them. This is what Jesus means when he says, ‘the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father’. Today, as we recall Jesus’ words in the light of Easter, we are engaged in the same activity as the disciples.
    [Show full text]
  • Prayer / Lectio Divina
    Prayer / Lectio Divina Class notes from: Professor Rev. Chris HAYDEN (Rome, Angelicum, 2010-2011)* What is prayer? Believers who were brought up on the older Catechism are familiar with the idea that prayer is “the raising of the heart and mind to God.” While this definition is by no means incorrect, it has the potential to be misleading. “To God” is a very long way for the small and probably distracted human mind and heart to raise themselves. Insofar as we raise - or attempt to raise - our minds and hearts to God, we do so as a response to the God who has already reached down to us; the God who, in Jesus, has already bridged the infinite distance between the Creator and his creatures. First and foremost, therefore, prayer is a response to the God who has spoken first. Prayer naturally involves human initiative, but only as a response to God’s prior initiative. To insist on this is more than simply a question of getting the theory right. It means that when believers pray, they are doing nothing other than opening up to the God who is already in communication with them. Biblically speaking, God is communication: “In the beginning was the word” (Jn 1:1). It is the very nature to be in communication with his creation. He does not need to be “activated,” or pestered into concern for his creatures. Jesus told the parable of the importunate widow (Lk 18:1-8), in order to make the point that God is not like the judge in the story, who needed persuasion before responding to someone in need.
    [Show full text]
  • Graduate Course Descriptions
    Graduate Course Descriptions Applied Theology AT 550 church law for Parish Ministers 2 cr A survey of the role and nature of law in the Church, including principles of law and interpreta- tion; a brief overview of the historical foundations of the Church’s legal system. Primary focus will be given to Books Two, Four, and Five of the 1983 Code of Canon Law and their relationship to the ecclesiology of Vatican II and applications to parish ministry. AT 570 homiletics I 2 cr Study and discussion of the theology of Christian communication with the practical emphasis on individual ministerial development of preaching. Course incorporates public speaking skills and homiletic composition and frequent student preaching with the use of videotaping and critical evaluation. (M.Div. candidates only) AT 660 Pastoral Counseling 2 cr A study and practice of the elements of the counseling relationship including confidentiality, listening skills, and counselor-client agreement. Special attention is paid to the distinction between pastoral counseling and spiritual direction and the process of assessment and referral. AT 746 Sacrament of Marriage and Law 3 cr This course provides an historical study of the development of the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic theological tradition from biblical times until today, and an examination of marriage law with attention to the canonical and pastoral considerations involved in the preparation for mar- riage, the annulment and dissolution of marriage, and the ecclesial procedures used in issuing decrees of nullity. Included will be contemporary and ecumenical issues. (Prerequisites: MNS 300, AT 780, or AT 550) AT 775 homiletics II 3 cr An advanced course in homiletics concentrating on the refinement of preaching the Lectionary, integrating the readings and witnessing one’s personal faith experience.
    [Show full text]
  • Lord, Have Mercy: Confession and the Christians Life Story PDF Book
    LORD, HAVE MERCY: CONFESSION AND THE CHRISTIANS LIFE STORY PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Scott W. Hahn | 214 pages | 29 Apr 2003 | Random House Children's Publishers UK | 9780385501705 | English | London, United Kingdom Lord, Have Mercy: Confession and the Christians Life Story PDF Book Jan 03, James marked it as to-read Shelves: lenten , religion. Jesus said, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the a householder who brings out of the treasury what is new and what is old. However, for that which it does not repair, we must offer further expiation through prayer, penance, carrying the Cross etc. God has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has enlisted us in this service of reconciliation. Even understanding themselves to be Christian, some did not feel compelled to love their neighbor until that commandment was taught and preached. Your salvation is near to those who fear you; that glory may dwell in our land. We would very much appreciate it if someone could come up with a patristic quote in Greek. Despite the prickly nature of confessing our sins to others, reconciliation is at the heart of the biblical message. Part four of the Catechism of the Catholic Church , which is dedicated to Christian prayer, devotes paragraphs to to prayer to Jesus. It is an evil that embeds itself into the actions of everyday life and spreads, causing great public scandal. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen. Day after day, touched by his compassion, we also can become compassionate towards others.
    [Show full text]
  • A Pattern for Christian Prayer
    Example: “Lord Jesus Christ, my love reaches up for a SUGGESTED SCRIPTURE PASSAGES: deep taste of the goodness of God. I need you Lord, like a lamb needs a shepherd. Open my heart and mind. Take control of all that I am and Have, or ever expect to be. The Beatitudes Matthew 5:3-12 Lead me, Good Shepherd, into the presence of the God The Great Commandment Matthew 22:36-40 who is my life…” Mark 12:28-34 The Fourth Rung: The Lord’s Prayer Matthew 6:9-13 COMMUNION and Luke 1 1:2-4 CONTEMPLATION On the New Birth John 3:1-21 On Justification by Faith Romans 3:19-28 Here our prayer becomes simple and uncomplicated. Galatians 2:16-21 Words, if they are used at all, are few. Communing with God says no more than a child at ease on her mother’s Ephesians 2:1-10 lap, and it says no less. It is an open wonderful repose in A On Christian Love 1 Corinthians 13 the simple embrace of love. Intuitively, we sense the presence of the God we desire, but rather than rush in On Christian Hope Romans 8:28, and claim some “experience,” we allow the inner doors 38-39 of our hearts to swing open at the gentle touch of the Pattern Good Shepherd. We leave busy Martha behind, and con- On Atonement Romans 5 tent ourselves to be her sister Mary, sitting at the feet of the Presence, receiving whatever God has to give. On the Moral Life Romans 7:15-8:4 The Nature and Significance for At best, these moments of true direct communion are brief.
    [Show full text]