Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 501 – Part II.

YOUCAT Question n. 501 - Part II. What is vocal prayer?

(Youcat answer repeated) In the first place, prayer is lifting the heart to God. And yet Jesus himself taught his disciples to pray with words. With the Our Father he left us the perfect vocal prayer as his testament to show how we should pray.

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 2702) The need to involve the senses in interior prayer corresponds to a requirement of our human nature. We are body and spirit, and we experience the need to translate our feelings externally. We must pray with our whole being to give all power possible to our supplication.

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) While praying we should not try to think pious thoughts. We should express what is in our hearts and offer it to God as complaint, petition, praise, and thanks. Often it is the great vocal prayers -the Psalms and hymns of Sacred Scripture, the Our Father, the Hail Mary - that direct us to the true substance of prayer and lead to a kind of free, interior prayer.

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 2703) This need also corresponds to a divine requirement. God seeks worshippers in Spirit and in Truth, and consequently living prayer that rises from the depths of the soul. He also wants the external expression that associates the body with interior prayer, for it renders him that perfect homage which is his due.

(This question: What is vocal prayer? is continued)