St. Catherine of Siena says: “Praise be to Jesus.”

“When you pray, the disposition of your heart is of great importance. Invite into your heart faith, hope and love. These three carry with them trust. Too often, people pray prayers of petition from hearts filled with self-interest and, often, even fear of not obtaining the desired results. I tell you, the foundation of faith, hope and love needs to be laid first in the heart to make any prayer most worthy.”

“If you pray with hearts filled with fear, you are telling God that you do not trust Him to act in your best interests. He is an All-Loving God and does not permit that which does not lead to your salvation and the salvation of others. Your confidence in Him is a barometer of your love of Him. If your prayer attitude – that is, the state of your heart when you pray – is other than one of complete trust, then your prayers are weakened.”

“Therefore, allow this prayer to prepare your hearts for prayer:”

Prayer for Proper Prayer Attitude

“Dear Heavenly Father, I know You are All-Loving, and Your Will for me is Perfect. Please fortify my heart now with faith, hope and love. I ask Your Patience as I offer these petitions. I trust Your Answer will be part of Your Perfect Divine Will. Amen.”