Day 366: The End of the Journey?

The whole concern of doctrine and its teaching must be directed to the love that never ends. Whether something is proposed for belief, for hope or for action, the love of our Lord must always be made accessible, so that anyone can see that all the works of perfect Christian virtue spring from love and have no other objective than to arrive at love. [Roman Catechism, Pref 10] CCC 25

As I sit down to close this journey through the Catechism in a Year with Fr. Mike Schmitz, the paragraph quoted above keeps coming back to me.

Everything I’ve read, prayed, and reflected on this year has pointed to that: love. Not abstract ideas, not rules for the sake of rules, but love. The love of God and the love we are called to share with others.

It reminds me of what St. Paul wrote:

"So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor 13:13)

I love God, wretched sinner I may be. I see His love in the sacraments, in Scripture, in the moral teachings, in prayer, and in the life of the Church. Even on the (many) days I felt distant, distracted, or weak, God’s love never left me. Those struggles themselves have been part of His grace, teaching me patience, humility, and trust.

I began this journey at the end of June 2024 and, despite some bumps and hiccups along the way, have now reached an end of sorts. For those who have read or followed this online journal, please forgive my sometimes incoherent rambling, as well as my occasional lack of understanding. I am a simple man who loves God, with a finite mind attempting to touch the Divine the best I can. If you find anything useful here for your own journey, that pleases me. I stand by the recommendations I made back in January for anyone else on this journey, except I'd add Vol III as well.

As I finish this journey, my prayer is simple: let love be what I see, what I say, and what I do. Let it guide my thoughts, my actions, my heart. May everything I have learned become not just knowledge, but my life as a Catholic.

Amen.

Something more I'd like to add is my deepest gratitude to Fr. Mike Schmitz and the Ascension Press team. Their work, building on what St. John Paul II and his team began, has made this second go-round very rewarding.

Finally, what's next? The journey is never really over, as I will go back to the Catechism to mine it for more insights and expand into other readings. I probably won't blog daily on this, but next on my list is re-reading St. Augustine's Confessions using the Catholic Classics podcast with Frs. Gregory Pine and Jacob Bertrand Janczyk, followed by Bible in a Year podcast and then Rosary in a Year. After all these, who knows?

God bless.

Day 365: So Be It

By the final "Amen," we express our "fiat" concerning the seven petitions: "So be it". CCC 2865

In this final day's readings from the Catechism, it most appropriately finishes this journey with an In Brief reviewing what has been covered on the Seven Petitions of the Lord's Prayer over the past few days. 

The Catechism Compendium uses a good quote from that saintly Doctor of the Church, Cyril of Jerusalem, to finish out:

“At the end of the prayer, you say ‘Amen’ and thus you ratify by this word that means ‘so be it’ all that is contained in this prayer that God has taught us.” (St.  Cyril of Jerusalem) (#598)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has a final good commentary on this:

We pray these petitions out of a desire for God's name to be known, loved, and adored... By asking for what we need, we show a childlike trust in God as a Father who provides what is good for us. In praying "Amen," we are assenting to the plan of God to save us from sin. Studying the Catechism is meant to bring about a conversion in how we see God, worship him, live out our faith, and pray. We do not study the Catechism for information but for transformation. We have to apply its wisdom to our lives for it to have a meaningful impact... The transformative journey of faith is a response to the understanding that we matter to God. We each have profound worth and importance in the eyes of God. (p. 246)

And thus, the official program with Fr. Mike Schmitz comes to an end. I will be wrapping up my final thoughts on this journey tomorrow. God bless.

Day 364: Deliver Us From Evil

When we ask to be delivered from the Evil One, we pray as well to be freed from all evils, present, past, and future, of which he is the author or instigator. In this final petition, the Church brings before the Father all the distress of the world. Along with deliverance from the evils that overwhelm humanity, she implores the precious gift of peace and the grace of perseverance in expectation of Christ's return By praying in this way, she anticipates in humility of faith the gathering together of everyone and everything in him who has "the keys of Death and Hades," who "is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." CCC 2854

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the final petitions of the Lord's Prayer in asking God to spare us from the evils of Satan, the Great Deceiver. In this, we ask for the grace to resist evil and persevere, for "God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one" (Jas 1:13).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what “Lead us not into temptation” means and why we conclude by asking “But deliver us from evil”:

We ask God our Father not to leave us alone and in the power of temptation. We ask the Holy Spirit to help us know how to discern, on the one hand, between a trial that makes us grow in goodness and a temptation that leads to sin and death, and, on the other hand, between being tempted and consenting to temptation. This petition unites us to Jesus, who overcame temptation by his prayer. It requests the grace of vigilance and of final perseverance. “Evil” indicates the person of Satan who opposes God and is “the deceiver of the whole world” (Rev 12:9). Victory over the devil has already been won by Christ. We pray, however, that the human family be freed from Satan and his works. We also ask for the precious gift of peace and the grace of perseverance as we wait for the coming of Christ, who will free us definitively from the Evil One. (#596-97)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

This petition seeks the Spirit of discernment and strength. If we are not challenged, we cannot grow. We have to face some kind of opposition in order to become stronger... God wants us to freely choose the good... It is good to pray daily for the grace of final perseverance - the grace to say yes to God with our last breath. The petition "Deliver us from evil" refers not only to avoiding temptation but also to being delivered from the Evil One, Satan. Jesus defeated the Devil when he died and rose again. (p. 244)

Tomorrow is the last day in this program. I'm going to add one more day after that for my final thoughts on this journey.

Day 363: Forgive Us Our Trepasses

This petition is so important that it is the only one to which the Lord returns and which he develops explicitly in the Sermon on the Mount. This crucial requirement of the covenant mystery is impossible for man. But "with God all things are possible. CCC 2841

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the next petition of the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Interestingly, I hadn't noticed the connection between the two in the Lord's Prayer that are conditioned upon each other. I guess this is one of those things that is right there in "black and white" but unless you are looking for it can miss one's attention. Christ even explains immediately afterwards that unless we forgive others that the Father will not forgive us (Mt 6:14-15). He further stresses that our forgiveness must be limitless (Mt 18:21-22), just as that of God for us, and He also gives the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:23-45). So I guess I should say, "duh". It's pretty clear what Scripture teaches that is echoed in the Lord's Prayer: our forgiveness from God is conditioned not only by our faith, but also by our forgiveness of others who sin against us.  

The Catechism Compendium summarizes why we say “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” and how forgiveness is possible:

By asking God the Father to pardon us, we acknowledge before him that we are sinners. At the same time, we proclaim his mercy because in his Son and through the sacraments “we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:14). Still, our petition will be answered only if we, for our part, have forgiven first. Mercy can penetrate our hearts only if we ourselves learn how to forgive – even our enemies. Now, even if it seems impossible for us to satisfy this requirement, the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit can, like Christ, love even to love’s extreme; it can turn injury into compassion and transform hurt into intercession. Forgiveness participates in the divine mercy and is a high-point of Christian prayer. (#594-95)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

We live in this world that is so broken, and we are so quick to hurt each other. In asking for forgiveness, we are acknowledging our own shortcomings and failures. We admit that we have fallen short... It is true that we sin and fail. But it is false to say that we are not good. The whole truth is that we are broken and sinful but essentially good, and we are loved. Asking God to forgive our trespasses is not only an acknowledgement of our sins but a proclamation of God's merciful willingness to heal and forgive. We have to see that we have sinned and that we have a Savior who loves us... Forgiveness - love -overcomes evil. We see that love depicted on every crucifix. (p. 242) 

Day 362: Our Daily Bread

"Give us": the trust of children who look to their Father for everything is beautiful. "He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." He gives to all the living "their food in due season." Jesus teaches us this petition because it glorifies our Father by acknowledging how good he is, beyond all goodness. CCC 2828

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the next line in the Our Father prayer: "Give us this day our daily bread". In praying this, as children of God, we ask in complete trust of the Father for our daily needs and also the grace to give to others for their needs whenever possible. Finally, we can see our need for the Word of God fulfilled in this petition, as well as reception of the Holy Eucharist, which fills us with His Body and Blood for our daily needs.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what specifically is the Christian sense of this petition:

Since “man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4), this petition equally applies to hunger for the Word of God and for the Body of Christ received in the Eucharist as well as hunger for the Holy Spirit. We ask this with complete confidence for this day – God’s “today” – and this is given to us above all in the Eucharist, which anticipates the banquet of the Kingdom to come. (#593)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

Asking God for anything, even if the answer is no, is an act of acknowledging that God is good. We should come before God with our needs and not avoid prayer due to a fear of seeming selfish. Jesus ' teachings stress relying on God's care as his children. By faith, we are set free from anxiety. We have a responsibility to help others with their needs, reflecting a heart like the Father's... The fourth petition of the Our Father extends beyond physical needs to desiring the Word of God. It stresses our responsibility for bringing others the Gospel... Both Catholics and non-Catholic Christians should recognize the significance of praying for the Eucharist in the Lord's Prayer and allow this realization to deepen their desire for communion with Jesus. (p. 240)

Day 361: The Kingdom and Will of God

By prayer, we can discern "what is the will of God" and obtain the endurance to do it.108 Jesus teaches us that one enters the kingdom of heaven not by speaking words, but by doing "the will of my Father in heaven." CCC 2826

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the next parts of the Lord's Prayer, that is, "thy kingdom come, thy will be done." For the first part, we pray for the Lord Christ's return in glory and the final victory of His Kingdom. We also pray that while we tarry here on earth, the increase of those who come to know Him and greater sanctification of His own through the spread of the Gospel, as well as commitment to justice, peace, and following the Beatitudes. Marana tha (Rev 22:20)! For the second part, that is the most challenging for us: following the will of the Father. Christ ultimately is our model in doing so, but so are the Blessed Theotokos and the holy saints.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes why we pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”:

The will of the Father is that “all men be saved” (1 Tim 2:4). For this, Jesus came: to perfectly fulfill the saving will of his Father. We pray God our Father to unite our will to that of his Son after the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints. We ask that this loving plan be fully realized on earth as it is already in heaven. It is through prayer that we can discern “what is the will of God” (Rom 12:2) and have the “steadfastness to do it” (Heb 10:36). (#591)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

The Eucharist is more than a worship service, praise, or gathering; it is where the Kingdom is particularly present, and God's reign is acknowledged... Our call to live forever in heaven underscores that we must work for righteousness in the world... As humans, we cannot, on our own, completely join our will with God's... There is a distinction between recognizing what God wants and having the perseverance to act on it. Both are needed to live out the Christian life. We should pray for the wisdom to know what God wants, the courage to start doing it. and the perseverance to continue doing it with the help of God's grace. (p. 238)

Day 360: Hallowing God's Name

In the decisive moments of his economy, God reveals his name, but he does so by accomplishing his work. This work, then, is realized for us and in us only if his name is hallowed by us and in us. CCC 2808

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses what hallowing god's name is in the "Hallowed be thy Name" part of the Lord's Prayer. Man cannot "hallow" God, that is, make His Name holy, for He is the Creator and is quintessentially holy by His very nature. With Moses He revealed His name, essentially desiring the Ancient Israelites to be His people. 

The Catechism Compendium summarizes how the Name of God is made holy in us and in the world:

To make holy the Name of God, who calls us “to holiness” (1 Thess 4:7), is to desire that our baptismal consecration animate our whole life. In addition, it is to ask –with our lives and our prayers – that the Name of God be known and blessed by every man. (#589)

The Catechism Companion III has some good commentary on this:

The first petition of the Lord's Prayer acknowledges the holiness of God's name. The petition is presented expressing our yearning and what we look for. This petition plunges us into what God is and how he saves us. The revelation of God's name is a slow process in the Bible and salvation history. There is an inseparable connection between God's name and his acts. What he does is accomplished in us only if we revere and keep holy his name... We are meant to reveal the name of God through our words and deeds.(p. 236)

Day 359: The Seven Petitions

By the first three petitions, we are strengthened in faith, filled with hope, and set aflame by charity. Being creatures and still sinners, we have to petition for us, for that "us" bound by the world and history, which we offer to the boundless love of God. For through the name of his Christ and the reign of his Holy Spirit, our Father accomplishes his plan of salvation, for us and for the whole world. CCC 2806

Today's reading from the Catechism is quite short, consisting of just four paragraphs on the seven petitions in the Lord's Prayer. It's interesting to see how this central prayer for Christianity is structured and broken down. 

The Catechism Compendium summarizes the structure of the Lord's Prayer:

It contains seven petitions made to God the Father. The first three, more God-centered, draw us toward him for his glory; it is characteristic of love to think first of the beloved. These petitions suggest in particular what we ought to ask of him: the sanctification of his Name, the coming of his Kingdom, and the fulfillment of his will. The last four petitions present to the Father of mercies our wretchedness and our expectations. They ask him to feed us, to forgive us, to sustain us in temptations, and to free us from the Evil One. (#587)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this: 

The three petitions at the beginning of the Lord's Prayer are focused on loving God first. The initial petitions - "Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" - emphasize that we must reorient our hearts toward God and prioritize his glory. The final four petitions are categorized into two sets: those concerning daily life and those addressing the struggle for eternal salvation. The Lord's Prayer is transformative, enabling us to love God more than we love ourselves. A plea for assistance in daily tasks, forgiveness, and the pursuit of the heavenly goal is expressed through the petitions. In Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. God the Father saves us. (p. 234)

Day 358: Who Art in Heaven

The symbol of the heavens refers us back to the mystery of the covenant we are living when we pray to our Father. He is in heaven, his dwelling place; the Father's house is our homeland. Sin has exiled us from the land of the covenant, but conversion of heart enables us to return to the Father, to heaven. In Christ, then, heaven and earth are reconciled, for the Son alone "descended from heaven" and causes us to ascend there with him, by his Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension. CCC 2795

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the expression "who art in heaven" from the Lord's Prayer (Mt 6:9-13). God is omnipresent and not limited to the heavens or any other place. This refers to His ineffable holiness and majesty, unique to the Eternal God. As the People of God (1 Pet 2:9), we have been "hidden with Christ in God" (Col 3:3), by grace and faith in Christ as His ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20), for as long as He wills and with our true homeland in heaven (Phil 3:20). The pagan Romans used to remind their leaders memento mori ("Remember you will die"), which is apropos here as well. No one can say when their gift of life will be taken back, "for you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes" (Jas 4:14). While we tarry here on earth, we cooperate with the graces He gives us and work for the Lord, but it is our fervent hope that in Christ we "shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thes 4:17) "who art in heaven" in the life to come.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes what the phrase “Who art in heaven” means:

This biblical expression does not indicate a place but a way of being: God transcends everything. The expression refers to the majesty, the holiness of God, and also to his presence in the hearts of the just. Heaven, or the Father’s house, constitutes our true homeland toward which we are moving in hope while we are still on earth. “Hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3), we live already in this homeland. (#586)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

God does not watch from far away. He is everywhere and especially near to those with humble and repentant souls. Prayer is not merely about information transfer but about becoming people of prayer. We want prayer to transform us. God is present in this moment, in this place. This realization is essential to our prayer journey... Jesus promised to prepare a place for us in the Father's house. God's love for us is personal. As Scripture tells us, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through him, and this is a powerful aspect of prayer. (p. 232) 

Day 357: God, "Our" Father

When we say "our" Father, we recognize first that all his promises of love announced by the prophets are fulfilled in the new and eternal covenant in his Christ: we have become "his" people and he is henceforth "our" God. This new relationship is the purely gratuitous gift of belonging to each other: we are to respond to "grace and truth" given us in Jesus Christ with love and faithfulness. CCC 2787

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses addressing God as "Our" Father in the Lord's Prayer. We do not do so to "express possession" (as if such were even possible with the Ineffable and Eternal God), but because through Christ we have "an entirely new relationship with God" (CCC 2786). We recognize that the promises of the prophets have been fulfilled in Christ, and "we have become 'his' people and he is henceforth 'our' God" (CCC 2787). We pray "Our" Father because "we personally address the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," who gave us His Son to redeem us (CCC 2789). 

The Catechism Compendium summarizes why we say "our" Father:

“Our” expresses a totally new relationship with God. When we pray to the Father, we adore and glorify him with the Son and the Holy Spirit. In Christ, we are “his” people, and he is “our” God now and for eternity. In fact, we also say “our” Father because the Church of Christ is the communion of a multitude of brothers and sisters who have but “one heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). (#584)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

We pray as the Church. God is not simply mine; he is ours. Saying "Our Father" signifies our profound connection with him... In praying to God the Father, we acknowledge the Holy Trinity. When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we should be asking God to draw everyone into that love that he poured out on the whole world in sending his Son and giving his Holy Spirit. That is a great thing to long for. The point of prayer is becoming like God and having a humble and trusting heart. (p. 230) 

Day 356: We Dare to Say

When we pray to the Father, we are in communion with him and with his Son, Jesus Christ. Then we know and recognize him with an ever new sense of wonder. the first phrase of the Our Father is a blessing of adoration before it is a supplication. For it is the glory of God that we should recognize him as "Father," the true God. We give him thanks for having revealed his name to us, for the gift of believing in it, and for the indwelling of his Presence in us. CCC 2781

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the boldness of Christianity in praying to God the Father as adopted sons in Christ. In this, the Faith is unique. Other religions, like Islam, don't conceive of God as "Father," let alone their adherents as adopted children. Yet, it is because of Christ our Redeemer that we can pray the Our Father with love and complete trust that He hears us and will do as He wills for us out of love.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes how it is possible for us to address God as “Father”:

We can invoke the “Father” because the Son of God made man has revealed him to us and because his Spirit makes him known to us. The invocation, Father, lets us enter into his mystery with an ever new sense of wonder and awakens in us the desire to act as his children. When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we are therefore aware of our being sons of the Father in the Son. (#583)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

Every person shares in the image of God and is a beloved creature of God. But our adoption as sons and daughters of God occurs only through Baptism. Not every human being is adopted in this manner. We should be grateful for the privilege of being adopted sons and daughters of God. This aspect of our identity is transformative... We have to be humble, acknowledging our limited understanding of the Father. Many of us need freedom from faulty conceptions of God or fatherhood... In all of our prayers we need truth and trust. (p. 228)

Day 355: Summary of the Lord's Prayer

"The Lord's Prayer is truly the summary of the whole gospel," The "most perfect of prayers." It is at the center of the Scriptures. It is called "the Lord's Prayer" because it comes to us from the Lord Jesus, the master and model of our prayer. CCC 2774-75

Today's reading is very short, consisting of just an In Brief on the Lord's Prayer. Since it basically just provides a brief review of what has already been covered, I really don't have much to add myself.

However, the Catechism Companion Vol III does have some good commentary on this:

Essential to our relationship with God is understanding his identity, recognizing him as a loving Father rather than a tyrant or dictator. Those with a poor or nonexistent relationship with their earthly father sometimes struggle to understand the goodness of our heavenly Father. We begin with trust. Trust is crucial in prayer. It goes beyond good thoughts or feelings, involving a deep confidence in God... The Our Father seeks to transform our hearts, our ethos, our inner world to be drawn to what God loves and repelled by what God detests. (p. 226)

Finally, Bishop Robert Barron has a great video on the Lord's Prayer:

It's hard to believe that after starting this journey over a year ago, I'm finally down to the final 10!

Day 354: The Prayer of the Church

This indivisible gift of the Lord's words and of the Holy Spirit who gives life to them in the hearts of believers has been received and lived by the Church from the beginning. the first communities prayed the Lord's Prayer three times a day, in place of the "Eighteen Benedictions" customary in Jewish piety. CCC 2767

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the Our Father as the prayer of the Church. There is no other prayer that is so central to Christian prayer life, given by Christ and present in three important sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. It is in the Mass that this prayer "reveals its full meaning and efficacy" in the Eucharist (CCC 2770). In this imperfect world, the Our Father sustains hope in us "until he comes" (CCC 2772).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes the place the Our Father has in the prayer of the Church:

The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer of the Church par excellence. It is “handed on” in Baptism to signify the new birth of the children of God into the divine life. The full meaning of the Our Father is revealed in the eucharist since its petitions are based on the mystery of salvation already accomplished, petitions that will be fully heard at the coming of the Lord. The Our Father is an integral part of the Liturgy of the Hours.(#581)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

Anyone could say the words of the Our Father, but it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can say it truthfully and allow it to transform our lives. It is good to begin prayer by asking the Holy Spirit to teach us to pray, recognizing that we need the Holy Spirit. St. John Chrysostom emphasized the communal aspect of the Lord's Prayer, as Jesus taught us to say "our Father" rather than "my Father." We pray with and for one another. (p. 224) 

Day 353: The Lord's Prayer

The Lord's Prayer "is truly the summary of the whole gospel." "Since the Lord... after handing over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, 'Ask and you will receive,' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer [the Lord's Prayer] is said first, as the foundation of further desires." CCC 2761

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the Lord's Prayer given to us by Jesus Christ. He gave us this prayer after the Apostles requested of Him to teach them how to pray (Lk 11:1-4). St. Matthew in his Gospel presents Christ giving a more complete version during the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 6:9-13). As a rabbi, it is likely that Jesus would have repeated key teachings in different places and times for different audiences, which is shown in these two Gospels. It is the version recorded by St. Matthew that has become adopted almost universally by Christians, and one we see in the Mass/Divine Liturgy. As Tertullian is quoted as saying above, the Lord's Prayer "is truly the summary of the whole gospel." As noted in CCC 2763, "All the Scriptures - the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms - are fulfilled in Christ" and the Sermon on the Mount summarized the Gospel or "Good News," with the Lord's Prayer "at the center of this proclamation." It is truly "the most perfect of prayers," as St. Thomas Aquinas said, a model for how we should pray to our Father. Indeed, the very act of praying to God as Abba or "Our Father" is extraordinary in itself, for through Christ we are His adopted children, able to cry out to Him as Father (Gal 4:4-7). You don't see such an intimate relationship with the Eternal Creator in other religions, like Islam for one. 

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

Accepting God as a trustworthy and loving Father is crucial for understanding the essence of prayer... The prayer is designed to reshape our values and our ethos. It guides us to reorder what we want and prioritize spiritual values to align with God's plan. The Sermon on the Mount and the Lord's Prayer are interconnected; both contribute to the formation of a new heart. Our spiritual life will flourish if our prayer flourishes. (p. 222)

Finally, Brant Pitre has a great video on calling on God as Our Father:

Day 352: Summary of the Battle of Prayer

Prayer presupposes an effort, a fight against ourselves and the wiles of the Tempter. the battle of prayer is inseparable from the necessary "spiritual battle" to act habitually according to the Spirit of Christ: we pray as we live, because we live as we pray. CCC 2752

Today's reading from the Catechism is very short, just an In Brief summarizing what was covered over the past few days. I don't have much to add beyond what I've already been saying, other than my own personal struggle is with distractions intruding on nightly prayer. I'll be praying, and then thoughts of what I need to do the next day for work will suddenly come to mind. It can be frustrating, but it's something I continue to deal with.

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

There is hard work and struggle involved in prayer; we need to combat our inclinations and temptations. We have to be actively engaged in prayer, interacting with God's grace... There is an unbreakable relationship between praying and daily living. When we pray, God meets us where we are. We do not have to be perfect to begin or continue. Humility, trust, and perseverance in prayer are critical elements of an effective prayer life... Jesus' prayer in the garden of Gethsemane is a model for our own prayer. In prayer, we should address God as our Father, be honest about our thoughts and feelings, and trust in God's will for our good. (p. 220)

Finally, Fr. Mike Schmitz has a great video on the battle of prayer:

Day 351: The Prayer of the Hour of Jesus

When "his hour" came, Jesus prayed to the Father.43 His prayer, the longest transmitted by the Gospel, embraces the whole economy of creation and salvation, as well as his death and Resurrection. the prayer of the Hour of Jesus always remains his own, just as his Passover "once for all" remains ever present in the liturgy of his Church. CCC 2746

Today's reading from the Catechism is short, but powerful. The focus is on the prayer of the hour of Jesus, that is, at the Last Supper, when He, as our Eternal High Priest, was essentially giving a "mini-Gospel" in this prayer to the Father. For this reason, John 17:1-26 has to be one of the most profound parts of the New Testament, where the truth of who He is and His authority is shown.

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

When the Son is glorified, the Father is glorified. Jesus reveals that everything he does is for the Father's glory. There is a moment in the Bible when Jesus specifically prays for you. It is John 17:20, where he says, "I do not pray for these only" - that is, his Apostles - "but also for those who believe in me through their word." The Church is divided right now, and this is not what Jesus wants. We remember that Jesus prayed at the Last Supper where he gave us the Eucharist that believers "may all be one" (John 17:21). (p. 218)

Day 350: Persevering in Prayer

The revelation of prayer in the economy of salvation teaches us that faith rests on God's action in history. Our filial trust is enkindled by his supreme act: the Passion and Resurrection of his Son. Christian prayer is cooperation with his providence, his plan of love for men. CCC 2738

In today's reading, the Catechism finishes up with filial trust in prayer, as well as the main focus on persevering in prayer. Through prayer, we not only express that filial trust in God, but constant prayer transforms our hearts. Christ is the model who prays with and in us, making "Christian prayer an efficacious petition" (CCC 2740). More than once, St. Paul exhorts us to pray constantly, "giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father" (Eph 5:20). We need to pray constantly because it is a vital necessity as adopted sons of God, and without it "we fall back into the slavery of sin" (CCC 2744). In fact, "prayer and Christian life are inseparable" because of our need for God, the love we have for Him, and the trust we have in Him through Jesus Christ (CCC 2745).

The Catechism Compendium comments that it is always possible to pray always:

Praying is always possible because the time of the Christian is the time of the risen Christ who remains “with us always” (Matthew 28:20). Prayer and Christian life are therefore inseparable:

“It is possible to offer frequent and fervent prayer even at the marketplace or strolling alone. It is possible also in your place of business, while buying or selling, or even while cooking.” (St. John Chrysostom) (#576)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

God wants us to pray because, in his goodness, he wants our participation. Time spent in prayer allows us to get to know God's heart and become more like him. The way Jesus prayed is a guide for us, showing the importance of aligning our hearts with God, who bestows what is good... We cannot live a truly Christian life without prayer. (p. 216)

Day 349: Temptation, Trust, and Prayer

The most common yet most hidden temptation is our lack of faith. It expresses itself less by declared incredulity than by our actual preferences. When we begin to pray, a thousand labors or cares thought to be urgent vie for priority; once again, it is the moment of truth for the heart: what is its real love? Sometimes we turn to the Lord as a last resort, but do we really believe he is? Sometimes we enlist the Lord as an ally, but our hearts remain presumptuous. In each case, our lack of faith reveals that we do not yet share in the disposition of a humble heart: "Apart from me, you can do nothing." CCC 2732

Today's reading from the Catechism is short, a few paragraphs on temptations we face and matters of trust in prayer. For the first, temptations can include a lack of faith in our preferences more than anything else. The cares of the world may intrude upon our prayer life, obscuring what the purpose of prayer really is. We can look at God as an ally, or someone to turn to as a last resort, but this can be presumptuous and reveals the lack of humility and true love in our hearts. Acedia, or sloth, can also set in if we are not vigilant, bringing a laxity in our spiritual life. Filial trust is tested during tribulation, with some failing by stopping prayer because they wrongly believe that they are not being heard (CCC 2734).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes how we can strengthen our filial trust in prayer:

Filial trust is tested when we think we are not heard. We must therefore ask ourselves if we think God is truly a Father whose will we seek to fulfill, or simply a means to obtain what we want. If our prayer is united to that of Jesus, we know that he gives us much more than this or that gift. We receive the Holy Spirit, who transforms our hearts. (#575)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

A failure to believe God can be seen in our choices even if we do not deny the Faith in words. Many of us may be "practical atheists," professing the Faith but not living accordingly. Practical atheists do not live as if God exists and is Lord. Our lack of faith can be revealed by our real loves when other things compete for our attention during prayer. Sometimes we want God's help, but on our terms. Actually. we need the Lord for everything. Humility is the first quality we need in prayer... The second quality necessary in prayer is trusting God. This means that we know God allows us to experience difficulties not in order to have us fail but in order to refine us. (p. 214)

Day 348: The Battle of Prayer

In the battle of prayer, we must face in ourselves and around us erroneous notions of prayer. Some people view prayer as a simple psychological activity, others as an effort of concentration to reach a mental void. Still others reduce prayer to ritual words and postures. Many Christians unconsciously regard prayer as an occupation that is incompatible with all the other things they have to do: they "don't have the time." Those who seek God by prayer are quickly discouraged because they do not know that prayer comes also from the Holy Spirit and not from themselves alone. CCC 2726

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the battle of prayer. It may seem hyperbolic, but prayer really can be a battle. While we can pray anywhere, our surroundings can be a problem for focusing our attention on God. We also struggle against ourselves, from the concerns of this world which can intrude during prayer time, to various distractions (Did I get that right? Is this really worth God's attention? I don't have time for this! Etc.), to even dryness in how we pray. Finally, we also have the problem of spiritual attacks from the Deceiver (God doesn't hear you! You're nothing but a despicable sinner! There is no God! Etc.). It may lack spiritual profundity, but the old saying of "practice makes perfect," while not a real goal in prayer (as if we are even capable of such), does remind us that the more we pray, the closer we become to God and get better at it, even though our struggles remain. I see this as akin to forgiving "seventy times seven" from Matthew 18:22. Christ didn't mean that we must literally forgive 490 times, and then that's it. You're toast. No, He meant that forgiveness must be limitless and continual, just as His forgiveness of us is. Well, we must pray "seventy times seven" no matter the struggle.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes why prayer is a battle:

Prayer is a gift of grace but it always presupposes a determined response on our part because those who pray “battle” against themselves, their surroundings, and especially the Tempter who does all he can to turn them away from prayer. The battle of prayer is inseparable from progress in the spiritual life. We pray as we live because we live as we pray. (#572)

The Catechism Companion Vol III has some good commentary on this:

Sometimes we think that prayer is supposed to be easy, but it actually is difficult, and knowing that can be helpful. The ability to pray comes from the Holy Spirit, not solely from our individual efforts. Growth in prayer is God's work, and we cooperate with God's work through grace and effort... The Church teaches that "prayer is a battle," primarily with our own inclinations and with the temptations that divert us from union with God. If we consistently are not in a state of grace, it is impossible for us to have a deep connection with God in prayer. (p. 212)