PRAYER FROM THE HEART

WHAT IS PRAYER FROM THE HEART?

This is the prayer that springs from the Holy Spirit within our hearts, where God dwells, and leads us to know and love Him more each day, establishing a relationship of trust and love with Him. The Mission promotes two main prayers that it asks to be recited daily, individually, and once a week in community: Morning Prayers and the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary

for the conversion and peace of the world. It also encourages the formation of cenacles or prayer groups under the promise of Our Lord Jesus Christ: “I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them” (Mt. 18:19-20).

The heart is the place of encounter with God. In this Mission, we teach: ‘Go now and open the door, my child, enter this place that I have made for you to meet your Father. Close the door behind you and call me from this place, your heart, and I will come.’

The Father dwells within us with a love that waits for our call to Him in faith, hope, and trust. When our prayer is built layer by layer with these elements, the result is a relationship with God that only the prayer of love from a child to their Father can obtain. That is why prayer must come from the heart. If our hearts are far from God, the sincerity of our words cannot contain the essential elements necessary for that relationship to exist, and our prayers become words with little or no value.

As made in the image and likeness of God (once lost, but through the desire to change, found again), we are now in a place of relationship with God. It is the next place where we find an alliance being established: Prayer of the Heart.

WHAT IS A MISSION PRAYER CENACLE?

The term "prayer cenacle" is used instead of "prayer group" because historically, the word "cenacle" from Latin cenaculum is known as the upper room, the place of the Last Supper; the place where the apostles stayed when they went to Jerusalem. In a sense, it was the first Christian Church; the place where the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Christ on Pentecost. Since these are all important events, they are also symbolic for our cenacles, which meet as disciples of Christ and missionaries, just like the first Christian Church.

They consist of four or more people who meet once a week to pray the Mission's Rosary. After praying, they learn the steps of the Mission and the responsibility they have as members of the Mystical Body of Christ. They encourage a return to the parish to pray together before the Lord. They create community and rebuild Catholic neighborhoods as neighbors pray together and are motivated to get involved in the good works of the Mission and in the life of their parish.

As a Mission, we use the meditations contained in the Sorrowful Mysteries to center our prayer on the person of Christ. It is in that union with Jesus where we ask "in the name of Jesus and by His precious blood" for those elements and forces in our societies that are causing the greatest destruction in our lives and in the lives of our communities, cities, and countries. It is with and by the blood of Christ that we dare to ask with renewed trust, for peace in this world, in our families, and in ourselves. It is a very effective means of communal prayer as well as a way to grow closer to our Lord through His Passion.

WHO CAN FORM A PRAYER CENACLE?

The organization and participation in prayer cenacles is open to all. We can form cenacles for children, youth, the elderly, women, men, business people, politicians, etc. For a change to be truly effective and lasting in our cities/states/countries, it must encompass all aspects of our society, which is why we seek active participation from everyone.

There may also be existing prayer cenacles that belong to other apostolates and movements, who wish to join the Mission. In those cases, they are simply asked to incorporate the prayers of the Mission (the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary with the meditations and intentions of the Mission) into their cenacles or prayer groups.

WHY ARE PRAYER CENACLES IMPORTANT?

Prayer is a gift of grace and a determined action on our part. The Second Vatican Council declares that the highest reason for human dignity lies in the vocation of man to communion with God. Man is invited to dialogue with God from his birth; for he exists only because, created by God out of love, he is always sustained by love and does not live fully according to the truth if he does not freely acknowledge that love and surrender himself to his Creator.

This is why the enemy of God, the devil, does not want us to pray, because those who do not pray remain far from union with God. The Church teaches us that the spiritual battle of the new life of a Christian is inseparable from the battle of prayer; prayer, therefore, is a struggle, a battle against our own resistance. The main difficulties and temptations that the practice of prayer faces are: distraction, dryness, indifference, forgetfulness, lack of faith, and discouragement. The remedy lies in faith, conversion, as our Catechism explains, in the vigilance of the heart. When we pray together, in public or communal prayer, like in these prayer cenacles, these difficulties and temptations are diminished by the great action of the Holy Spirit upon the entire group that is praying.

The Fathers of spiritual life in the prophetic tradition teach us that we cannot pray at all times unless we pray at specific moments, desiring it consciously. These are special moments of Christian prayer, both in intensity and duration. As Catholics, we are convinced that when we pray together, we can change the course of the world if only we could have the faith of a small mustard seed. If all of us are praying the same prayer for the same intentions every day, thousands of us, then this prayer will essentially be incessant, and the Father will hear and agree with it. Our Lord Jesus told us in Matthew 18:19-20: "I assure you that if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."

The prayer cenacles of the Mission are their most important source of intercessory prayer. The founder of the Mission used to say: "In these times, we are in a war of good against evil." Therefore, we need to "watch and pray so that we can face the trial, for the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mk 14:28). It is important that the members of the prayer cenacles be aware of this war being waged in the world and "draw their strength from the Lord and put on the armor God provides so that they can resist the wiles of the devil" (Eph 6:10-11).

HOW TO CONDUCT A PRAYER CENACLE?

Once the members of the cenacle are gathered, we suggest the following general framework to carry out the prayer:

Welcome and Greeting: This moment is important as it allows us to prepare ourselves for prayer and helps develop a relationship of trust and fellowship among the members, ensuring that they feel welcomed.

Invocation of the Holy Spirit: We always begin our prayer in "the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," and we invoke the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit among us.

Come, Holy Spirit,
Fill the hearts of your faithful
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created,
And you shall renew the face of the earth.
Oh God, who taught the hearts of your faithful
By the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us, by the same Spirit,
To be truly wise and ever to rejoice in His consolation.
Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Praying the Mission's Holy Rosary: We follow the instructions for prayer in the prayer booklet or pamphlet, and prepare to meditate on these sacred mysteries. We pray slowly, knowing that prayer is an intimate dialogue with God, becoming aware of His presence among us, and offering our petitions with sincerity and humility through the intercession of our Blessed Mother.

Teaching: Spend 10 to 15 minutes sharing one of the following topics:

The Gospel of the day: focusing on internalizing what God wants to say to us through His Word.
Writings of our Founder regarding the Four Cornerstones of the Mission: so we can understand these times and the need for personal conversion, as well as the tools at our disposal to achieve it.

Closing Prayer: We conclude with a short prayer of thanksgiving and an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be.

Final Announcements: The leader of the prayer cenacle spends a few minutes informing the members about the achievements and activities of the Mission in their city and other countries where it is present, so they feel part of a greater mission and are motivated by the fruits of their prayers.

As the members of these cenacles persevere in prayer, they typically begin to feel the need for something more, as a natural progression in their spiritual formation. Therefore, to help introduce them to "the life, liturgy, and charity of the People of God" (CCC 1248), the Mission suggests the following materials to replace what is shared in point #4 of the general cenacle framework:

An excerpt from ‘The True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin’ or ‘The Secret of the Rosary’ by St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort.
A passage from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The life of a saint.
According to the exhortations of our Church, a Papal Encyclical, as well as homilies and teachings from the Holy Father, can also be meditated upon.

Finally, material about the liturgical season can be shared: Ordinary Time, Lent, the Paschal Triduum, Easter, Advent, and Christmas.

It will be a time of reflection to deepen their faith as a daily way of life in community, with God at the center, always in accordance with the teachings of our Catholic Church.

TYPES OF PRAYER CENACLES

General Prayer Cenacle: This takes place in homes or parishes where men and women of all ages participate.
Men's Prayer Cenacle: Aware of the temptations, attacks, and dangers that men are currently facing, the Mission offers these prayer cenacles under the name of their Patron: "The Guard of Saint Joseph." Following the example of the one who was appointed as the Guardian and Protector of the Holy Family, they too assume their duty and responsibility to Guard and Protect the family that God has given them on earth: "Loving their wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her to purify her… so that she might be holy and without blemish (Eph 5:25-27), and raising their children in the instruction and admonition of the Lord" (Eph 6:4).
They meet every two weeks to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Mission's Rosary and receive teachings with specific tools to help them become true men of God, individually, as husbands, fathers, workers, friends, etc. They are also prepared to make their personal consecration to Saint Joseph during a Solemn Consecration Mass, which must be renewed annually. They are also encouraged to pray the Joyful Mysteries individually, to meditate on Saint Joseph's role in the Holy Family.
As they progress in their spiritual formation and commitment to God, they engage in works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual, offering the gifts and talents God has given them to correspond to His infinite love.
Women's Prayer Cenacle: The Mission also promotes specific cenacles for women, called "Disciples of the Virgin Mary." The family is under strong attack in these times, for if the family is destroyed, it is only a matter of time before faith crumbles. Therefore, it is vital that women assume their rightful place, where they contribute their sensitivity, intuition, generosity, and consistency, and live a unique vocation. They are largely responsible for educating children, transmitting faith, family harmony, and guiding the rhythm of the household. Thus, the Mission facilitates these cenacles for women, promoting attentive listening to God's Word through Mary, who "kept all these things, pondering them in her heart" (Luke 2:19), so that, following her example, they can discover God's Will for their lives, individually, as wives, mothers, workers, etc., and give their “YES” as Mary did at all times. Called to imitate the first Disciple, the model of maternal love, to whom all the disciples were entrusted at the foot of the Cross, they learn from her the true meaning of life in Christ.
They meet every two weeks to pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Mission's Rosary and receive teachings to help them become true women of God, under the loving and tender guidance of Saint Mary. They are also prepared to make their personal consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe during a Solemn Consecration Mass, which must be renewed annually. They are also encouraged to pray the other mysteries of the Holy Rosary individually to meditate on the role of the Virgin Mary in the Holy Family and in the Church. As they progress in their spiritual formation and commitment to God, they participate in works of mercy, both corporal and spiritual, offering the gifts and talents God has given them to correspond to His infinite love.
Children's Prayer Cenacle: Our priority with children is to teach them to pray: to understand what they are doing and saying, and to be able to thank and worship God and intercede for others. Therefore, when a children's cenacle begins, we start by meditating on the 5 decades of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, but between each, we only pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.
Over time, as the group perseveres and we observe their willingness to do more, we can begin by praying one decade, then two, etc., until they pray the full Rosary, always remembering to meditate properly on each mystery. Since for many it will be their first experience of praying the Rosary, they are taught not only the Sorrowful Mysteries but all the mysteries of the Holy Rosary. The children of these cenacles are consecrated once a year in a Solemn Consecration Mass to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, with the Divine Child as their Patron.
Youth Prayer Cenacle: We are aware that young people are under constant attack from the world, so now more than ever, there is an urgent need to welcome them to light their path in these times of darkness. We must reiterate the invitation that Pope Saint John Paul II made to them at the beginning of his Pontificate: "Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors to Christ!" (October 22, 1978). It was he who started the World Youth Days in 1986 when he realized that if he could accompany a small group of university students in the early years of his priesthood, he could also accompany the youth of the world and be their friend. He gained the trust of young people because he took them seriously. They felt that he understood their concerns. He challenged them to give their lives to Christ and appealed to their highest ideals, inviting them to take the lead in the New Evangelization. For this reason, he is the Patron Saint of the youth of these cenacles, and they are advised to read his Apostolic Letter “Dilecti Amici” to the Youth of the World on the occasion of the International Year of Youth.
Members of these cenacles also make their personal consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary once a year during a Solemn Mass and receive teachings every time they meet. Finally, once a month, the cenacle is held before the Blessed Sacrament exposed. In this way, instead of starting with a dynamic of singing hymns of adoration, they replace the teaching with adoration of Our Lord so that He, the only Teacher, may show them the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and they may develop a sincere and deep friendship with Him.