Sometimes people will say, “I don’t know how to pray.” To which others try to encourage them by saying, “Just talk to God.” I find this advice less than helpful as I feel like a crazy. Not because I feel like I am talking to no one, but because if I can talk to God about anything, then what should I start with? Even improv comics have some raw material to work with. They could just “do anything” but it would be so scattered that it would not make sense, and it I would be hesitant to go see that comedy troupe again.
So yes, you can “just talk to God” in prayer, however if you are like me, and you need some raw material to work with, consider John Cassian’s different forms.
Cassian says the first form of prayer is confession of sin and petition for pardon. Often we when we pray we tend to say things we are thankful for. Thanksgiving is a great form of prayer, but do not overlook some of the more fundamental forms of prayer as well. Confession of sin and asking forgiveness is the practice of humility, and if we are not humble then our prayers are like a noisy gong.
Cassian suggests a form of prayer that seems overlooked in contemporary prayer - offering. This is the vow we make to God that completes the repentance we just made. It is stating in prayer what you are offering or vowing to God in response to the pardon and forgiveness given. I wonder how it might change us if we included an offering or vow to God in our prayers?
In his writings, Cassian says, “Third come pleas. We usually make them for others when we ourselves are deeply moved in spirit.” We offer them for those dear to us or when we beg for peace in the world…” These pleas are sometimes call prayers of intercession, but this form or prayer is common that Cassian does not spend a lot of time talking about it in his Conference on prayer.
“Forth are thanksgivings. Unspeakably moved by the memory of God’s past kindness…” Again this is a very common prayer form. It is so common that many times public prayers are a string of statements of thanksgiving. As Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, that would suffice.” While sufficient, prayer can be enriched with Cassian’s forms.
Cassian suggests that it takes all four prayer forms to encounter “fiery prayer”. Fiery prayer is when all four prayer types are simultaneously engaged. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that one receives the gift of fiery prayer. It is also prayer that comes more easily to those rooted in purity of heart (what I call orthocardia).
Perhaps it is fiery prayer that Abba Joseph was speaking about when Abba Lot came to him and said, Father, according as I am able, I keep my little rule, and my little fast, my prayer, meditation and contemplative silence; and, according as I am able, I strive to cleanse my heart of thoughts: now what more should I do? Abba Joseph rose up in reply and stretched out his hands to heaven, and his fingers became like ten lamps of fire. He said: Why not become fire?