Prayer is the response of a human person to an invitation from God, a tap on the shoulder, a beckoning. Prayer has begun long before we sit down with our book or make the sign of the Cross. My response to God's call began as soon as I said yes to the suggestion and began to set aside other preoccupations to be WITH Him.

Any time we think that we have learned all we need to know about prayer, we are in trouble. Even the apostles who had been living intimately with Jesus had to beg Him, Lord, teach us to pray. It would be well to use this plea as an introduction to all our prayer. As weak fallen human beings we have to remind ourselves at the outset of our prayer period just Who it is that we are addressing and who is this that sets out to pray. Although every so often it is good to make this an in-depth reflection, most of the time it takes the form of a simple act of loving Faith and humble love. If I just plunge in without a good introduction I my not be focused and ready for the message the Lord wants to give me.

Personal prayer is the communion with God which should flow from our liturgical prayer and gradually permeate more and more of our waking moments. We begin with two hours of private prayer each day. This is the formal period when we set aside all other tasks and concentrate exclusively on the Lord. We gradually become more fluent in this heavenly language, or perhaps I should say, more comfortable in this stance before the Lord. It is well if we take from that precious time a tidbit on which we can refresh ourselves at odd moments during the day between tasks or when waiting for something or someone.

There are many methods of prayer. As Dominicans we emphasize Lectio Divina. This does not mean that we exclude all other forms of prayer. Any kind of prayer that works for me is good for me. But Lectio is particularly appropriate for the Order of Preachers - men and women devoted to the word of God. In this type of prayer we read a chosen text usually from Scripture. We read it again and again as often as it is helpful. Sometimes it is possible to read it aloud so that it penetrates our mind through the senses of hearing and speaking as well as through the eyes. This is the moment of prayer called Lectio or Reading. Then we might move on to Meditatio or Meditation, where we mull over what we have just read, questioning the text, letting it challenge us, noticing what it meant to the author of the Sacred Book, and what it might mean to me today. When this thinking has led me into the depths of the text, I come to Oratio or Prayer. Here I express to the Lord how I feel about this. Does it frighten me, thrill me, console me, encourage me? This Prayer is the conversation between myself and the Lord. He may do much of the talking and then I should listen, but He may leave the talking all to me and He will listen. The supreme moment of this method of prayer is Contemplatio or contemplation. The Lord gives this gift as often and at the moment that He knows it is good for me. It never lasts very long and I can't crank it up by myself. My job is to dispose myself for it and be open to the gift. The four moments of Lectio Divina are not like steps, where we finish one and then leave it to go on to the next. It is more like a spiral where we go back and forth, in and out, to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

There are many other methods of private prayer that we can use. The Rosary is also very Dominican and is not only a vocal prayer but a very contemplative and scriptural one. Centering Prayer has become very popular in the last few years and there are many books written about it. And there is mantra prayer like the Jesus Prayer which also is described in a number of books. Prayer books (books of prayers composed by saints or holy people) are also good. If they help us in prayer, we feel free to use them. Some people at some times in their lives find it difficult to relate to the words someone else has used in prayer, even though it may be a very holy person. There is nothing wrong with this. You may think that this prayer or book of prayers expresses exactly what you feel, in words better than you can find. On the other hand you may need to say it in your own way.

Besides the Scriptures, there are books about prayer, books of prayers, and books which stimulate thoughts and feelings that lead you into prayer. One should never hesitate to use a book at prayer time unless you notice that you are using it to avoid direct contact with the Lord. That is quite possible, especially when He seems to be pointing out to you something rather uncomfortable. But at other times a book can be very helpful. In times of dryness, discouragement, anxiety, distraction, temptation, a book can help us focus and make the contact with God.

Between our periods of formal prayer each day there are a multitude of times when we are mentally free for God when the work we are doing takes little concentration, or when we are walking down the halls, or waiting for someone. These are wonderful times to recall a phrase, thought, or emotion from our last prayer period or use something like the Jesus Prayer or other ejaculations. These ways for keeping our minds and hearts centered on God are part of the plan that, as the Constitutions states, The whole life of the nuns is harmoniously ordered to preserving the continual remembrance of God.