Liturgical Prayer, Prayer of the Church

Last updated on: June 8, 2022 at 9:36 am by Father Pablo Migone

Liturgical Prayer, Prayer of the Church 2022-06-08T09:36:16-05:00 Father Pablo Migone

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My Canon Law professor in seminary came from the beautiful Mediterranean island of Sardinia. He taught the introductory course to only eight of us: and we each came from a different country except my two Syrian classmates. Father Urru always began class with a prayer in Italian which he prayed very quickly. Since I only had this class on Friday mornings, I caught more and more of the prayer as the weeks went by. Finally, I decided to be ready with my pen in hand to write the prayer as he offered it. The first attempt only got me half way. The following Friday, I was able to get it all. It was a beautiful prayer!

The weekend passed, and on Monday morning I was in the seminary chapel half awake at 6:15am for Morning Prayer. When the priest uttered the words of the closing prayer for Monday, Morning Prayer, Week 1, I could not believe it. He prayed: Father, may everything we do begin with your inspiration and continue with your saving help. Let our work always find its origin in you and through you reach completion.

There it was. Father Urru’s prayer in my own Breviary – which is the book that contains readings from Scripture and prayers every priest promises to pray when he is ordained a deacon. I had already prayed Father Urru’s prayer in English every four weeks ever since I had become a seminarian! I was a little disappointed that Father Urru had not composed the profound prayer himself, but he had done well to draw from the Church’s liturgical tradition a prayer to begin every single class.

At the conclusion of a Funeral Mass, it is not uncommon for one of the attendees to approach me and say something along the lines of, “Father, that was so beautiful,” or “Those were some of the most beautiful prayers I have ever heard.” The prayers that surrender the deceased into the merciful hands of God and beg for comfort for those who remain are among the most poignant of the Church. The liturgical prayer of the Church is deeply rooted in the meditation of Sacred Scripture and the lived experience of the Church throughout the centuries. These prayers may oftentimes go in one ear and out the other, but there is much grace to be found in listening carefully, especially the Opening Prayer or Collect of the Mass which is prayed right before the readings.

On the 27th Sunday of Ordinary time the Priest prays, “pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask.” I may not pray with these words when I sit quietly in prayer, but this prayer from the liturgy stretches my mind to consider the most difficult moments of life which conscience dreads to remember, and what precisely are those things I do not ask in prayer because I am too afraid to request them.

Saint Teresa of Avila said of the most perfect prayer, “As we repeat the Our Father so many times… let us delight in it.” Jesus has taught us the most complete prayer, from which every prayer we lift up to God has its origin and inspiration. The prayer of the Church leads us through life by facilitating our conversations with God, so that our lives may find a joyful completion.

Picture is property of the Diocese of Savannah. June 4, 2022, Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Baptist.

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