Lesson #3 Prayer & the Spiritual Life

Lesson #3 Prayer & the Spiritual Life

Adult Confirmation:Immediate Preparation

(Spring 2014)

Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston

Opening Prayer(1 Samuel 3:1-10)

Engage/Abordar

In your journal, quickly answer these questions: When do you pray? Where do you pray? How do you pray? Why do you pray?

Explore/Investigar:

What is prayer?

What is spirituality?

Essential Question(s) …for this lesson and for lifelong faith formation:

• How does prayer deepen our love for and relationship with Jesus?

• What is the relationship between prayer and the Holy Spirit?

Explain/Explicar

Five Basic Ways of Praying1. Adoration2. Petition3. Intercession4. Thanksgiving5. Praise

Explain/Explicar

Explain/Explicar

Activity #2:

“Prayer in Communion with Mary”(USCCA, pp470-472)

Connect/Conectar…

…to the Eucharistic liturgy/the Mass:How is Sunday Mass not only the

sacrament of sacraments, but also the ultimate prayer experience for Catholics…the rationale for our obligation to attend Mass on Sundays?

…to the Rite of Confirmation: Select a saint’s name and ask that saint to intercede for you.

Extend & Enrich/ Extension y Enriquecimiento

Expressions of Prayer(USCCA, pp. 473-473)

1. Vocal Prayer 2. Meditative Prayer 3. Contemplative Prayer

Evaluate/Evaluar

Exit Slip: Select ONE of the following quotes and explain what it means to you personally; be sure to reference, in some way, the Holy Spirit:

“Pray in order to believe; believe in order to pray.”

“Pray without ceasing.” [1 Thessalonians 5:17]

Self-Reflect/ Autorreflexion

• What new ah-ha do you now have about the Holy Spirit? About prayer?

• In what way could your participation in the Sunday Eucharist strengthen your commitment to daily prayer?

• What do prayer and spirituality say about our parish and our universal Church?

• What new insights about Jesus and the Paschal Mystery (Suffering, Death, Resurrection & Ascension) do you now have?

Personal Commitment to Action/ Compromiso Personal a la Acción

After today’s lesson, how can you renew a spirit of prayer in your home, with your family members and children? How will you better prepare yourself for celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation?

Further Reading/Lecturas Adicionales

• United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, Chapter 35, pp. 461-480.

• Compendium: Catechism of the Catholic Church, #535 - #577.

• Catechism of the Catholic Church, Part IV, “Christian Prayer,” #2558 - #2758.

For our next lesson [#4],“Moral Life & the Sacrament of Reconciliation/Penance,”…

Read USCCA: “Life in Christ,” Chapters 23-24, pp.

307-338;“Sacrament of Penance &

Reconciliation: God is Rich in Mercy,” Chapter 18, pp. 233-247.

Closing Prayerhttp://divineoffice.org