Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 493 – Part II.

YOUCAT Question n. 493 – Part II. What are the characteristics of Christian prayer?

(Youcat answer - repeated) Christian prayer is prayer in the attitude of faith, hope, and charity. It is persevering and resigns itself to the will of God.

A deepening through CCC

(CCC 2662) The Word of God, the liturgy of the Church, and the virtues of faith, hope, and charity are sources of prayer. 

Reflecting and meditating 

(Youcat comment) Someone who prays as a Christian steps at that moment out of himself and enters into an attitude of trusting faith in the one God and Lord; at the same time he places all his hope in God - that He will hear, understand, accept, and perfect him. St. John Bosco once said, “To know the will of God, three things are required: prayer, waiting, taking counsel.” Finally, Christian prayer is always an expression of love, which comes from Christ’s love and seeks the divine love.

(CCC Comment)

(CCC 2658) "Hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us" (Rom 5:5). Prayer, formed by the liturgical life, draws everything into the love by which we are loved in Christ and which enables us to respond to him by loving as he has loved us. Love is the source of prayer; whoever draws from it reaches the summit of prayer. In the words of the Curé of Ars: I love you, O my God, and my only desire is to love you until the last breath of my life. I love you, O my infinitely lovable God, and I would rather die loving you, than live without loving you. I love you, Lord, and the only grace I ask is to love you eternally.... My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love you, I want my heart to repeat it to you as often as I draw breath (St. John Vianney, Prayer).   

(The next question is: How can my everyday routine be a school of prayer?)