Opening Prayer

Lord God of power and might,
Nothing is good which is against your will,
And all is of value which comes from your hand.
Place in our hearts a desire to
Please you and fill our minds with insight into love.
So that every thought may grow in wisdom
And all our efforts may be filled with your peace.
We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Humility as the Foundation for Prayer

CCC 2559: “Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or “out of the depths” of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer, Only when we humbly acknowledge that “we do not know how to pray as we ought,” are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. “Man is a beggar before God.”

CCC 2631: “The first movement of the prayer of petition is asking forgiveness, like the tax collector in the parable: “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” It is a prerequisite for righteous and pure prayer. A trusting humility brings us back into the light of communion between the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and with one another, so that “we receive from him whatever we ask.” Asking forgiveness is the prerequisite for both the Eucharistic liturgy and personal prayer.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, Numbers 2559; 2631.