The Dominican Pillar of Prayer
Prayer is essential to building our relationship with God. Love of God must always take primacy over all else. When we pray, we communicate with God. We speak to Him and even more importantly, we listen to Him. The other pillars are therefore dependent on this first one which calls all members of the Dominican Order, whether friar, nun, or lay, to pray constantly and fervently.
Contemplation is central to the Dominican way of life and spirituality. When we listen to God and contemplate His Word, we can learn what His will is for us, what role we should play, what apostolates we should perform, what truths we should preach, and how best to serve our Dominican community.
Contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere
+
Contemplare et contemplata aliis tradere +
Not only does this strengthen one’s relationship with God, but praying for others both within and outside the Dominican Order is an essential part of building up the Dominican community and ensures the success of our various apostolates.
Praying for others is a highly charitable calling. Lay Dominicans pray for and benefit from the prayers of all Dominicans, including friars, nuns, other Lay members, AND those Dominicans who form part of the Church Triumphant—the saints in Heaven who intercede on our behalf with our Lord.
