Infinite combinations, but only four types

"Thank God."

"Oh God, help me."

"Lord, have mercy."

"My God, what a beautiful day."

Each of these phrases presents one of the four types of prayer, each type offered for a different purpose.

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We all pray. Sometimes we pray formally, as in church or using familiar prayers. At other times, our prayer is spontaneous and unpolished. Sometimes we read a prayer, and sometimes it just blurts out. St. Paul even tells us that, guided by the Spirit, we can pray without using words, but through the help of the Spirit's "inexpressible groanings" (Rm 8:26)

But no matter its form, all prayer has the same goal, what St. Thomas Aquinas called "the 'raising up of one's mind to God'" (II:II:83). And why do we raise our minds to God? For four basic reasons: Adoration, petition, thanksgiving and contrition.

All prayer takes at least one of these forms, but two, three or even all four forms can appear in a single prayer.

PETITION: The most frequent type of prayer is petition, asking for something we need, or for help. Whether for ourselves or for others (called intercessory prayer), we place our needs before God in hope and trust. It is a form of prayer Jesus himself urged us to do -- "ask and it will be given you" (Mt 7:7).

"Frequently in the Gospels," Fr. John Dietzen writes, "God strongly urges us to put pressure on him with our prayers, not because he is reluctant to help us, but because perseverance and urgency in our prayers helps us to realize our dependence upon his help and increases our openness to the good gifts he can give."

Why would God be so fond of petitions? Because of what they do for us. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that petition requires us "to turn back to God" (2629), to acknowledge our reliance upon the Lord. Such a turning back to God puts us in right relationship with the God who created and sustains us. Once we return to that good relationship with God, we will realize all the times we have not been in that good place, in right relationship with God. Such realization can then lead us to another type of prayer.

CONTRITION: Fr. Richard McBrien says, "In prayers of contrition, we acknowledge our failure to respect this fundamental relationship with God and deliberately open ourselves anew to God's abiding presence within us, a presence which makes it possible for us to become someone other than we are, someone better than we are."

With contrition -- sometimes called prayers of reparation -- we acknowledge that we have not always lived up to our potential as children of God, have not always shared the gifts we have been given and have not always accepted the fullness of God's love in our lives. However, even as we acknowledge our sins and seek to repair our relationship, we realize that God has already come out to meet us. Like the Father with the prodigal Son, God has already welcomed us back, even before our prayer of contrition is completed -- or perhaps even begun. Whenever our hearts turn toward God, we will find him already there. Love is freely given to us, even before we ever ask. Realizing this, our wondering hearts can only respond with gratitude.

THANKSGIVING: "Thanksgiving is probably the highest form of prayer," says the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in explaining prayer on its faith web page. "A grateful heart simply wants to say thanks -- for life, for faith, for redemption, for others, for this earth."

Grateful acceptance of all that we have received from God is expressed most perfectly in the Eucharist, when we gather together to place ourselves before God and to accept his very life through the Body and Blood of Christ, who is "God With Us."

Gratitude can often leave us in awe, wondering at the gifts we have received. Giving expression to that awe and wonder is what we do in worship and through prayers of adoration.

ADORATION: Spiritual director Fr. Edward Farrell explains adoration -- also called praise -- as "the expression of fervent and devoted love, an offering of reverent homage to God's supreme dominion, and recognition of humankind's absolute dependence." In adoration, we praise God for the gifts we have received and for the very presence of God which graces us with existence. God accepts this praise and, in return, we receive blessings. In this, we experience true dialog in which life-giving communication takes place and in which true community flourishes.

That communication, that loving relationship, is the purpose for all prayer -- no matter what type.

"Praise God."