The art of prayer

Pope Benedict gives a lesson in worship

Yesterday, Pope Benedict XVI began a new catechesis on prayer with his General Audience, adding that proper Christian prayer is an art and Jesus Christ is the supreme teacher.

"Prayer is a part of the human experience, as we see from the ancient cultures of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome," the Pope said. "There we find eloquent expressions of a desire to see God, to experience his mercy and forgiveness, to grow in virtue and to experience divine help in all that we do. In these cultures there is also recognition that prayer opens man to a deeper understanding of our dependence on God and life's ultimate meaning."

Pope Benedict also said that a life without prayer has no meaning, encouraging Catholics to pray with authenticity.