When you became a member of COMPASS you committed to "never let a day go by without spending time in heartfelt prayer." Prayer is as necessary for a healthy soul as breathing is for a healthy body. It is an art. You learn it by doing it (sorry, there's no shortcut), but a few tips here and there can certainly help. COMPASS hopes to help you fulfill that most worthy commitment by giving you these little gems of advice and example right in the middle of your busy week.
What is "Praise"?
Praise means: "To speak well of someone's good qualities or deeds. It implies awareness of someone's excellence, internal approval, and manifesting approbation of that which is praised." When that "someone" happens to be God, the praise becomes a prayer.
St Francis of Assisi composed an exemplary prayer of praise entitled "Praises of God". It goes as follows:
You are holy, Lord, the only God, and your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong. You are great. You are the Most High, You are almighty.
You, holy Father, are King of heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all good. You are Good, all Good,
supreme Good, Lord God, living and true.
You are love, You are wisdom. You are humility, You are endurance. You are
rest, You are peace. You are joy and gladness. You are justice and
moderation. You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.
You are beauty. You are gentleness. You are our protector, You are our
guardian and defender. You are courage. You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation. You are our eternal life, great and
wonderful Lord, God almighty, Merciful Savior."
(excerpted from Fr John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, published by Doubleday)
Past Spotlights
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