I wasn’t given much instruction about prayer when I was in seminary. It was generally assumed that we knew all we needed to know about prayer. It took years for me to discover what a mistake that was.

I began to read about prayer and participate in retreats and to expand my own practice of prayer. I am still learning about prayer in retirement. I’ve read a new book I heartily recommend, Learning to Pray by Father James Martin, S.J. At 386 pages it might intimidate some people, but I hope anyone interested in prayer will read it.

It’s a very thorough treatment of prayer. It deals with basic questions of why we pray and what prayer is, and discusses a variety of different ways to pray including petitionary prayer, rote prayer, centering prayer and nature prayer. Fr. Martin writes in an easy almost conversational style with many anecdotes about his own personal experiences and things he has learned from others.

As a Roman Catholic, Fr. Martin mentions approaches to prayer like the examen which most Protestants are unfamiliar with. As a Jesuit he has a substantial section on Ignatian spirituality. (Ignatius Loyola founded the Jesuits.) However, you won’t find a discussion of Protestants’ use of the Bible to frame their spirituality or the role the Psalms play in Benedictine prayer. Nevertheless, these lapses do not detract from the book’s value.

One caution: reading a book about prayer isn’t the same as actually praying. Make sure you give prayer the time it needs.

Read Colossians 4:2 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne