Mental Prayer
Mental prayer is a personal, heart-to-heart conversation with God. We speak to Him in our own words about our joys, struggles, hopes, and desires. We also listen for His gentle voice and rest quietly in His presence.
The beautifully written prayers of the Church are precious gifts that teach us how to pray. Yet they need not be our only way of communicating with God. They can become a springboard into a more spontaneous and personal conversation—one that arises from our own lives and our unique relationship with Him.
Love is the heart of all prayer. When we pray using written words, we should seek to make them our own: understanding what we are saying and offering each word to God sincerely, from the depths of our hearts. These prayers form and guide us, teaching us how to speak with the God who knows us completely and loves us perfectly.
"If you are speaking to someone you really love,
you don't say 'Wait a minute', and pull out a book and read to them.
No, you speak from your heart."
-Ady Castañeda (paraphrased quote)
Listen to Ady's testimony (especially at the 1.25 minute point)→
Learn more about the difference in vocal prayer, mental prayer, and contemplative prayer.
(from the website: catholicus.eu) →
Download their pdf with this same information. ↓
Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the Rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.
Catechism of the Catholic Church #2708