What is Prayer?

Jared Brock goes all over the world asking people what is prayer?  He asks Jews, Muslims, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox monastics, and yes, even gets to amazingly ask the Pope.  One person he tried to ask but simply could not get through their security was Billy Graham.  Maybe Billy Graham has better security than the Pope? (smile)

Some of the answers he received made him disappointed, sad, mad, happy, amazed, and stirred his own faith to grow in this important area of prayer.  My initial response to Mr. Brock's question after I prayed is simply this:  Prayer is waking up to the presence of God within you and the presence of God everywhere around you.

There it is in its simplicity and complexity all joined together like one.  Here are some prayer responses he got from different groups of people. 

Can you identity who they are?


Pray the Shema: "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one" (orthodox Jew)

Prayer is silence before the Almighty (Monastic tradition)

Prayer is to become one with God (Christian mystic)

Prayer the Jesus prayer:  "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,
a sinner" (Eastern Orthodox)

Prayer is opening up your heart to God (Pope Francis)

Prayer is to make the love of God the end of all actions (Brother Lawrence)

Prayer is talking to God like a little child (Taize community)

Prayer is holding someone in the light of God's grace (George Fox)

Pray until you can't pray anymore. 
Then take the Bible and read until you can't read anymore.
After that, take a hymnbook and sing until you can't sing anymore.
Then just sit there quietly and let God love you (Dick Eastman)