Summary
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Reflective Study Guide Questions
“Prayer is, for me, an outburst from the heart; it is a simple glance darted upwards to Heaven; it is a cry of gratitude and of love in the midst of trial as in the midst of joy! In a word, it is something exalted, supernatural, which dilates the soul and unites it to God. Sometimes when I find myself, spiritually, in dryness so great that I cannot produce a single good thought, I recite very slowly a Pater or an Ave Maria; these prayers alone console me, they suffice, they nourish my soul.”
St. Therese of Lisieux, Story of A Soul, Chapter X
“For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”
St. Therese of Lisieux
- In this talk, Matthew Leonard lists multiple reasons for why we should pray more. What are your personal reasons for wanting to pray more? What do you need most from our Lord? What are you looking for out of your prayer life?
- Prayer changes along with our circumstances. Which form of prayer most aligns with your circumstances today — meaning, which form of prayer do you feel called to use in your life today? (The five forms of prayer: Blessing, Adoration, Petition, Intercession, Thanksgiving and Praise).
- Our soul was made to be in conversation with our Creator. We’re made to pray. But sometimes it may take us a while before we figure this out. And instead of praying, we fill our time with other things — things that we think will bring us satisfaction, or feelings of fulfillment. And yet, those things don’t even come close. That’s because there’s a place in our heart that only our Lord can fill. Nothing else we try to fit in there will fit as perfectly as He does. Are there things getting in the way of you praying more this Lent? What are those obstacles and how can you remove them?
- Has your prayer life become mechanical lately? Are you rushing to get through a prayer, to finish it, and to move on? What are some ways you can slow down and enter more fully into your conversation with the Lord? Are there some things you need to change to be able to do this — like praying in the morning instead of at night, or giving yourself a few more minutes to pray, or a few more minutes to sit in silence after Mass?
- The way that you communicate with our Lord changes as time goes on and as your relationship grows deeper. How is your prayer life today different than it was just a few years ago?
About Matthew Leonard
Matthew Leonard is an internationally known speaker, author, podcaster, filmmaker, and Vice President of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology (founded by Dr. Scott Hahn). A convert to Catholicism and former missionary to Latin America, Matthew is a frequent guest on radio and television programs across the country appearing on SiriusXM, EWTN, CBS, and the Magnificat. He hosts a podcast on iTunes titled “The Art of Catholic.” Matthew is the Executive Producer and host of the best-selling Journey Through Scripture video series and is a featured speaker by Lighthouse Catholic Media. He also holds a Masters in Theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville. In addition to numerous articles, he is the author of two books, Louder Than Words: The Art of Living as a Catholic and Prayer Works! Getting A Grip On Catholic Spirituality. Matthew lives in Ohio with his wife Veronica and their five children.