Abstract / DOI
Becoming Engaged in the Prayer of Jesus: Joseph Ratzinger on Christian Prayer. On several occasions, also apart from his wellknown liturgical-theological reflections, Ratzinger comments on the nature of Christian prayer. «Prayer is faith in practise», a response to the revelation of the personal, triune God. The deepest reason for the difficulty of prayer, especially of supplication, can be found in the fading of the Christian understanding of God. Ratzinger emphasises that in prayer, and in contemplation, the «encounter of two freedoms» takes place: God does not dissolve human freedom, but calls the human person to an encounter in love, whereby, however, an ever deeper transformation of the praying person (purification) takes place. This is also reflected, e.g., in the letter of the Congregatio pro doctrina fidei «Orationis formas» (1989) – A very special emphasis Ratzinger puts on the prayer of Jesus: Whoever sees him praying will come to recognise in him «the Son». Thus the Christological creed emerges from understanding and participating in the prayer of Jesus.