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Christian Prayer
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2564
Christian prayer is a covenant relationship between God
and man in Christ. It is the action of God and of man, springing
forth from both the Holy Spirit and ourselves, wholly directed to
the Father, in union with the human will of the Son of God made
man.
Prayer as communion
2565
In the New Covenant, prayer is the living relationship of
the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure,
with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit. The grace of the
Kingdom is “the union of the entire holy and royal Trinity . . . with
the whole human spirit.”
12
Thus, the life of prayer is the habit of
being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion
with him. This communion of life is always possible because,
through Baptism, we have already been unitedwithChrist.
13
Prayer
is
Christian
insofar as it is communion with Christ and extends
throughout the Church, which is his Body. Its dimensions are those
of Christ’s love.
14
12 St. Gregory of Nazianzus,
Oratio,
16, 9: PG 35, 945.
13 Cf.
Rom
6:5.
14 Cf.
Eph
3:18-21.
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