What is prayer? Prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. “Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or “out of the depths” of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself shall be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that “we do not pray as we ought” are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. Whether prayer is expressed in words and gestures it is the whole man who prays. But in naming the source of prayer, Scripture speaks sometimes as the soul or the spirit, but most often of the heart. According to Scripture, it is the heart that prays. If our heart is far from God, the words of prayer are in vain. Christian prayer is a covenant relationship between God and man, springing forth from both the Holy Spirit and ourselves, wholly directed to the Father, in union with the human will of the Son of God made man.