2154. The Psychology of Prayer.—(a) Prayer in its nature is an act of the reason, for it is a conversation or communication with God. It belongs, however, not to the speculative, but to the practical reason, since it is not a mere process of apprehension, judgment or reasoning, but the arrangement and presentation of requests, plans, etc., before God with a view to their acceptance by Him. By prayer, then, we do not understand thinking on God, as in meditation and contemplation (though these are known as mental prayer), but speaking to God.
(b) Prayer in its origin is an act of the will, for the practical reason presents before God only such things as are desired by him who prays. Prayer is the interpreter of desire. Indeed, God may take the will for the request and grant what has not yet been asked: “The Lord heard the desire of the poor” (Ps. ix. 17); “Before they cry I shall hear them” (Is., lxv. 24). Moreover, prayer should spring out of an inclination towards God Himself and a desire for union with Him (Ps. xli. 1. 2; Ps. xxvi. 4).
2155. The Necessity of Prayer.—(a) Prayer is not necessary on God’s account, as though He needed to be informed of our wants, or could not be happy without our homage, or might be induced to change His plans; (b) it is necessary for our own sakes, for, although God could and sometimes does grant favors unasked, He wishes that ordinarily we should have the double benefit of the prayer and of the favor given in answer to the prayer. God could grant the crops of the fields without human cultivation, or even tools and finished articles without human invention or labor, but man would then lose the fruits that belong to labor of mind and body. Prayer is most beneficial, even when unanswered: it attracts man to perform his basic duty of honoring his Creator, to keep in use his spiritual powers, and to exercise the necessary virtues of faith, hope and charity; it gives him the privilege of speaking directly with God and with Christ and of asking for what he desires—an intimacy that must in time correct and elevate man’s whole spiritual life; then prayer is a pouring out of the heart to God the Heavenly Father, and this will afford relief in times of misfortune or peril.
2156. The Duty of Prayer for all Adults.—(a) Prayer is necessary from divine precept, as is declared in many passages of Scripture. Thus, we are commanded to watch and pray (Matt, xxvi. 41), to pray always and not to faint (Luke, xviii. 1), to ask and to knock (Matt., vii. 7 sqq.), to pray without ceasing (I Thess., v. 17), to watch in prayers (I Peter, iv. 7). In the Mass the Lord’s Prayer is prefaced with the words: “Commanded by salutary precepts and admonished by divine instructions, we make bold to say: Our Father, etc.” There is, however, no divine precept of vocal prayer or as to the use of the form of words given by Christ, but one must pray at least mentally and in the manner indicated by Christ.
(b) Prayer is also necessary as a means (see 360), at least generally speaking; not that God could not save man without prayer, but that He has made it an indispensable condition, as is true also of Baptism, without which salvation is not conferred. This is the common opinion and it rests on strong arguments. Thus, there are certain necessary goods (such as perseverance) that cannot be had except through prayer, and there are certain necessary duties (such as the acts of faith, charity, and religion) that are not exercised apart from prayer. Then, there is the teaching of the Church and of the Fathers and Doctors that prayer is needed in order to observe the Commandments (Council of Trent), that no one is assisted who does not pray (Gennadius), that prayer is to the soul what breath is to the body (St. Benedict), that he who prays will certainly be saved, while he who prays not will surely be lost (St. Alphonsus).
2157. Times and Frequency of Prayer.—As to the times and frequency of prayer, in fulfillment of the obligation, there are the same opinions and conclusions as for the acts of faith, hope, and charity (see 929 sqq., 1095-1097, 1593 sqq.). On this point we may conclude as follows:
(a) directly, or by reason of the precept of prayer itself, there is a duty to pray at the beginning of the moral life, frequently during life (whether daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, etc. cannot be precisely determined; but there is no practical difficulty, since those who devoutly hear Mass at the times commanded comply with the duty of prayer), and also in danger of death. At the outset of the moral life the reason and will should turn to God, and this is prayer at least in the widest sense; during life prayer should be frequent and continuous according to the words of Scripture; at the hour of death, prayer is necessary, since we are specially bidden to ask for perseverance till the end;
(b) indirectly, or by reason of some precept distinct from that of prayer, prayer is necessary whenever one needs to have recourse to God to fulfill some command or avoid something prohibited. Thus, one should pray at Mass, for according to church law Mass must be heard devoutly; one should pray when a dangerous temptation assails one, or when there are great calamities, especially of a public character, for according to the precept of charity one must help oneself and others in difficulties.
2158. Practical Corollaries about Prayer with Reference to Confession.—(a) Practical Catholics, that is, those who comply with the precepts of the Church, but who accuse themselves of neglecting morning and evening prayers or grace at meals, cannot be judged guilty of sin, even of venial sin, on account of this neglect; for there is no common precept directly obliging to such prayers. But there may often be a venial sin for other reasons, as when the omission is due to a spirit of lukewarmness, or when indirectly there is a duty to pray at those times for special reasons, such as daily needs or temptations. We do not agree, then, with the opinion that omission of morning and evening prayers, especially when it is habitual, is never sufficient matter for absolution.
(b) Unpractical Catholics, that is, those who have been away from Mass or the Sacraments contrary to the laws of the Church as habitual transgressors, and who say nothing about their neglect of prayer, should be questioned whether in all the years of absence from their duties they have also omitted all prayers. For, if this be the case, they have sinned against the duty of prayer. Morning and evening prayer and grace at table should be earnestly recommended to all, because these are customs that have come down from the earliest times, and also because those who disregard them often come to neglect all prayer, or at least expose themselves to dangers or to the loss of precious graces.