IS PRAYING TO GOD NECESSARY?
IS PRAYING TO GOD NECESSARY?
Children are a special gift from God and each time a child raises a question, it normally manifests their innocence and behind this innocence, is the need to clarify and catechize. In this edition we are going to respond to an innocuous question of one of our children, to Grandma Abiodun, on “Why Pray if God Already Knows Our Needs?”
This is a simple but profound question which has lingered in the minds of people both skeptics and devout believers. It appears simple, but for the Catholic heart, however, this is no empty question. This is an invite to reflect not only on the nature of prayer, but on the nature of God and our relationship with Him.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that “prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God” (CCC 2559). It is not simply a mechanism for notifying God of our needs, it is not merely of petitioning for favors. Rather it is sacred dialogue with the living God. It is building a relationship, a participation in divine life, and a means of transformation. The Catechism further explains, that even though The Lord “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8), God wills that we come to Him in prayer- because it deepens our trust, forms our hearts, and draws us into communion with Him (CCC 2735-2736)
St. Catherine of sienna, describes prayer as a way of living in constant awareness of God’s presence, and this she practiced by turning even the daily work into a dialogue of love. Pope St. John Paul II, too, explains that prayer is an “indispensable” part of Christian life. In his apostolic letter Novo Millennio Inuente, he reminded us that without a life rooted in prayer, there cannot be holiness, no authentic discipleship. So, to pray is to allow God form our soul into the likeness of Christ.
Let’s try to explain why prayer is necessary for us as children of God
Prayer Is a Relationship, Not Just a Request
While asking for our needs is one form of prayer, it is not the whole. Prayer is first and foremost about communion with God. It reflects our desire to be in a living relationship with our Creator. Though God knows our needs, he invites us into a relationship through prayer. The catechism explains: “Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours. God thirsts that we may thirst for Him.” (CCC 2560)
Prayer is not merely a list of requests, it is a means by which God draws us into His life, to participate in His loving plan- not manipulation, but cooperation. As St. Augustine famously said, “God does not need our prayers, but we need to pray to God.”
Jesus Himself Prayed
The most compelling reason for prayer is that Jesus Himself prayed. Despite being the Son of God, one in being with the Father, Jesus spent nights in prayer (Luke 6:12), prayed before major decisions (Luke 5:16), taught His disciples to pray with the words of the Our Father, and even in agony in Gethsemane, He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
If Jesus, who shares in divinity of the Father, saw the need to pray, how much more should we? The Gospels do not show Jesus praying to change God’s mind, but to conform His human will perfectly to the Father’s. Prayer unites us with the will of God. It is also the expression of love and trust. Jesus’ example shows that prayer is essential, even for those who are ‘perfect.’
Prayer Transforms and Unites us with God
Prayer forms the soul and leads to transformation. Through prayers- whether vocal, meditative, or contemplative- we look at things with new eyes. We develop virtues of patience, humility, trust- expressing our dependence on God, who is “our Father” (Matthew 6:9). Our desires are purified, and aligns with God’s purpose instead of ours. We learn to seek not just what we want, but what is truly good for us—often something different from what we imagine.
Prayer according to St. Teresa of Avila is “nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us.” And St. John Paul II also affirms this in his letter: “Prayer develops that conversation with Christ which makes us His intimate friends…” it is through this divine relationship/friendship that our lives are shaped and healed.
Prayer Changes Us More Than It Changes God
God is unchanging, all-knowing, and all-loving. Our prayer does not change His eternal plan, but it can change us, and it is often the very means by which God chooses to accomplish His will in our lives. He hears every prayer we make to Him, but His response may not match our expectations. He sees beyond the moment, responding to what will bring us closer to Him as St. John Chrysostom explains: “God always gives us what we need, not necessarily what we ask.”
Prayer stretches the soul. It increases faith, fosters conversion, and prepares us to receive God’s grace fruitfully.
Prayer Is a Foretaste of Heaven
Prayer is more than communication, it is communion. In prayer, we do not just speak to God, we are being drawn into His presence, an experience of the blessed who behold God face-to-face and live in perpetual communion with Him- “… Prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice-holy God and in communion with Him.” (CCC 2697) Prayer is the beginning of that eternal dialogue.
In the Holy Mass, which is the highest form of prayer, we are mystically united with the worship of heaven, “in the earthly liturgy we take part in a foretaste of that heavenly liturgy which is celebrated in the Holy City of Jerusalem toward which we journey as pilgrims…” (CCC 1090). Hence, prayer is not only a preparation for heaven, but a participation in it.
Conclusion
So, to ask “Why pray if God already knows our needs?” is like asking why a child should speak to a parent who already knows them intimately. Yes, God knows our needs, but he invites us to pray; not to inform Him, but to spend time with Him. St. Paul in his letter offers us this exhortation: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7) Jesus also assures us of the Father’s loving responsiveness: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7)
So hey, prayer isn’t about informing God, it’s about spending time in His presence, sharing our hearts, and building a relationship with Him.
We are children of a Father who listens, who acts, and who draws us ever closer to Himself—sometimes through silence, sometimes through answered prayers, but always through love. So go ahead and talk to God. He is listening, and He loves the sound of your voice and looks forward to hearing from you always.
We hope to hear from YOU soon. Send your question to: drecatnews@gmail.com, and be rest assured we will respond to it.
God bless.