"Prayer cannot be reduced to the spontaneous
outpouring of interior impulse: in order to pray, one
must have the will to pray. Nor is it enough to know
what the Scriptures reveal about prayer: one must also
learn how to pray. Through a living transmission
(Sacred Tradition) within 'the believing and praying
Church,' the Holy Spirit teaches the children how to
pray." Pg. 637, #2650
This Catechism quote makes two remarkably controversial
statements. Let's look at each. First:
"Prayer cannot be reduced to the spontaneous
outpouring of interior impulse:"
According to the Bible, it can! God's Word contains thousands of
examples of spontaneous outpourings... and God heard every one
of them:
"I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard
me..." Psalm 3:4
"O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast
healed me." Psalm 30:2
"In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard
me." Psalm 120:1
"Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your
heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah."
Psalm 62:8
Rather than spontaneous outpourings, Catholic prayers are an
endless repetition of written words. Interestingly, Jesus forbids this
method of praying, claiming it is a practice the "heathen" perform:
"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the
heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for
their much speaking." Matthew 6:7
Secondly, the Catechism contends:
"Nor is it enough to know what the Scriptures reveal
about prayer: one must also learn how to pray.
Through a living transmission (Sacred Tradition) within
'the believing and praying Church,' the Holy Spirit
teaches the children how to pray.' "
Here, the Catechism proclaims that the Scriptures can't teach you
how to pray. For that you must have the Catholic church.
However, long before there was a Catholic church, people prayed
and received answers to their prayers:
"Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed
Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants..."
Genesis 20:17
"...when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was
quenched." Numbers 11:2
"Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this
people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote
them with blindness according to the word of
Elisha." 2 Kings 6:18
These people spontaneously poured out their hearts to God,
without help from the Catholic church. God offers His children this
invitation:
"And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver
thee, and thou shalt glorify me." Psalm 50:15
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6-7
God's Word teaches that God not only accepts spontaneous
outpourings, He encourages them.
Bondage?
Is it a coincidence that this Catholic doctrine further wraps
members in bondage to the Catholic church? That is for you to
decide.
Conclusion
We have a standoff. The Bible condemns Catholicism's form of
prayer, and the Catholic church condemns the Biblical form of
prayer. Obviously, you must choose sides.
Will you side with God and His Holy Word, or with the traditions
of men?
"They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted
in thee, and were not confounded." Psalm 22:5
