549. How does the Holy Spirit intervene in the Church’s prayer?

549. How does the Holy Spirit intervene in the Church’s prayer?       

(Comp 549) The Holy Spirit, the interior Master of Christian prayer, forms the Church in the life of prayer and allows her to enter ever more deeply into contemplation of and union with the unfathomable mystery of Christ. The forms of prayer expressed in the apostolic and canonical writings remain normative for Christian prayer.

“In brief”

(CCC  2644) The Holy Spirit who teaches the Church and recalls to her all that Jesus said also instructs her in the life of prayer, inspiring new expressions of the same basic forms of prayer: blessing, petition, intercession, thanksgiving, and praise.  

To deepen and explain

(CCC 2623) On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of the Promise was poured out on the disciples, gathered "together in one place" (Acts 2:1). While awaiting the Spirit, "all these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer" (Acts 1:14). The Spirit who teaches the Church and recalls for her everything that Jesus said (Cf. Jn 14:26) was also to form her in the life of prayer. 

Reflection

(CCC 2625) In the first place these are prayers that the faithful hear and read in the Scriptures, but also that they make their own - especially those of the Psalms, in view of their fulfillment in Christ (Cf. Lk 24:27, 44). The Holy Spirit, who thus keeps the memory of Christ alive in his Church at prayer, also leads her toward the fullness of truth and inspires new formulations expressing the unfathomable mystery of Christ at work in his Church's life, sacraments, and mission. These formulations are developed in the great liturgical and spiritual traditions. The forms of prayer revealed in the apostolic and canonical Scriptures remain normative for Christian prayer.  

(Next question: What are the essential forms of Christian prayer?)