Pray
How to pray, if no one ever showed you
Prayer does not require special words, a certain posture, or a feeling of closeness to God. It requires only that you show up as you actually are.
What prayer is
At its simplest, prayer is turning toward God with your actual life, not a performance of piety, and not a technique for getting a desired outcome. It can be spoken, silent, joyful, furious, wordless, or a single repeated line.
You do not need to believe perfectly, feel a certain way, or use the right words before you start. Prayer is often how belief grows, not something that waits until belief is finished growing.
Five simple ways to pray
Honest words
Say what is actually true: out loud or in your head. 'I'm scared.' 'I don't believe you're there.' 'Thank you.' There is no required vocabulary. God does not need translation from your real feelings into polished ones.
Scripture
Read a short passage slowly (a psalm, a Gospel scene) and let one line sit with you. You are not studying it for an exam; you are letting it speak into your actual day.
Silence
Sit still for a few minutes without needing words at all. This is sometimes the hardest way to pray and sometimes the most restful. You are simply present, and so, Catholics believe, is God.
The Psalms
The Psalms already contain every emotion you might be embarrassed to bring to prayer: rage, despair, jealousy, joy. Reading one aloud can say what you cannot yet say in your own words.
A memorized prayer
The Our Father, the Hail Mary, or any prayer you already know by heart can carry you on days you have nothing else to offer. Using someone else's words is not a lesser form of prayer.
When it gets hard
One thing worth saying plainly: prayer never replaces emergency, medical, psychiatric, therapeutic, or safeguarding help. If you are in danger, in crisis, or need medical or professional care, that comes first: prayer can travel alongside that help, but it is not a substitute for it.
Keep going
Not sure where to start? Try a prayer for when you don't know what to say.