Prayer and Devotions​

​The human spirit has always longed for something beyond itself. In the Incarnation God became a human being to show us where the fulfilment of that longing lay: he became one of us so that we might become one with God. As St Augustine once famously said: ‘You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You’. We are immersed in this reality of God among us in and through the sacrament of baptism.

Christians respond to this extraordinary gift both publicly through the Church’s liturgy, and privately through personal, devotional prayer. From ancient times Christian liturgy and people’s prayers co-existed happily. Both were grounded in faith in the one mystery of Christ: from his birth to his ascension, the centre of which was his suffering, death and resurrection, commonly referred to as the ‘paschal mystery’. This was the work of the Father, in and through the power of the Holy Spirit. One mystery, but Trinitarian in nature.

When liturgy became the prerogative of clerics only, this unity of purpose between the public and private prayers of the faithful, became diffused, and for centuries the faith of the people was sustained, through the work of the Spirit, by devotional prayers prayed while Mass was being celebrated in Latin. Though different Popes tried, it was not until Vatican II in the 1960’s that the People of God began to hear a strong call back to ‘full, conscious and active participation’ in the liturgy as their baptismal right and duty.

It is because of what it always celebrates that the liturgy holds pride of place in the Church’s works i.e. the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ, the cause of our redemption. This is especially so in the Eucharist, when that very mystery is rendered present in our midst. Hence, Vatican II tells us that the liturgy is the ‘summit and source ‘ of all the Church’s activities (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy 10). Thus the liturgy, of its very nature, far surpasses any other form of prayer or activity (CSL 13).

The same applies to the Liturgy of the Hours, the prayer which sanctifies the course of each day, and is prayed mainly by the ordained and members of religious communities. While strong encouragement was given at Vatican II for this rich prayer to be brought to the faithful, to date it has generally not happened. This is deprivation for the laity, as the very core of this prayer is the psalms which were prayed by Christ, and in and with whom they are still prayed today. Such prayer is also a very fertile source for one’s personal prayer.

But our spiritual life can not be limited solely to participation in the liturgy (CSL 12). Jesus called us to ‘pray to our Father in secret’ (Matt 6:6) and Paul in his First Letter to the Thessalonians urges us to ‘pray without ceasing’ (5:17). Prayer, in private or in common, is also essential for Christian spirituality. It is meant to deepen our relationship with God and the Communion of Saints, and to fill our minds and hearts with dispositions that will lead us to celebrate the liturgy fully, consciously and actively.

Particular Examples of Popular Piety

Due to the constant presence of the Spirit in the Church, manifestations of popular piety have been myriad across the centuries, chief among them being the universal and profound devotion to the Mother of God.

With unwavering faith in her intercession, the faithful have joyfully celebrated her unique relationship with her Son, both in liturgical feasts and in the many forms of devotions that have grown up to honour her. The Rosary, a most excellent prayer encouraged by Popes and Bishops, is a contemplative praying of the mysteries of Christ’s life, death and resurrection, and Mary’s part in that salvation history. Other popular Marian devotions include the praying of the Angelus, Saturday memorials, the wearing of medals and scapulars, as well as particular cultic expressions of piety in different regions (e.g. processions).

Likewise the cult of saints and martyrs. Deeply rooted in scripture (e.g. Acts 7:54-60), it too is the work of the Spirit. Many saints and martyrs are named in the First Eucharistic Prayer still today. By celebrating their anniversaries as in the General Calendar, the Church holds them up as examples for our living of the Christian life. Hence, many popular pious exercises have emanated from their liturgical celebrations (e.g. the nine First Fridays associated with the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart), and in some cases, the liturgical celebration has come about because of popular piety (e.g. the Memorial of the Holy Rosary). Many dioceses and religious communities have their own Particular Calendars for specific feasts of saints. Popular piety has led to the formation of many prayers for both private and communal use, the reverencing of images and statues –including the use of touch – and special hymns and festivals. Such multiple and deeply-felt devotions attest to the human need for heroes and heroines in our lives.

Conclusion

The Church’s rich heritage of liturgical feasts and seasons and popular piety is the work of the Spirit. Expressions of piety will no doubt continue to unfold for Christian spirituality, but always they will be Trinitarian-based and highlight the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, in whom is our salvation, and which we celebrate fully in the liturgy.

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