In ordinary Spanish speech, \u201crezar\u201d and \u201corar\u201d are used as synonyms. In liturgical usage<\/strong> the clue is even clearer. The Both words come from Latin, but by different paths.<\/p>\n This etymological difference is not incidental: it explains why The Catechism devotes numbers 2700-2704<\/strong> to vocal \u201cVocal prayer, founded on the union of body and soul Catholic praying (rezar) has three characteristic features:<\/p>\n The CCC adds a decisive warning: \u201cVocal prayer is an The Catechism opens part IV with a definition that is the keystone:<\/p>\n \u201cPrayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of And a little earlier:<\/p>\n \u201cChristian prayer is a covenant relationship between God and To pray (orar), therefore, is broader than to pray (rezar)<\/strong>: it includes The CCC, in its article 3 on the life of prayer (numbers \u201cThrough his Word, God speaks to man\u2026 Prayer is interiorized It is the form common to all: children, the elderly, communities. It unites body and \u201cMeditation is above all a quest. The mind seeks The classic method: to read (Sacred Scripture, the Gospel of the day, the life \u201cWhat is contemplative prayer? Saint Teresa answers: \u2018Contemplative It is the summit: a simple gaze toward God, a loving silence, \u201cthe hearing of the The Teresian quotation is probably the most beautiful definition of Christian \u201cMental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing The context is autobiographical: Teresa confesses the years in which her Here is the bridge: to pray (rezar) the Our Father well is already This is the question that gives this site its name. The answer of Saint John Paul II<\/strong>, in the Apostolic Letter \u201cThe Rosary, in fact, is nothing other than a method of contemplation\u2026 Without The structure of the rosary explains it: the vocal repetition of Four classic counsels so that praying (rezar) may become Magisterium<\/strong> – Catechism of the Catholic Church, part Mystics and doctors<\/strong> – Saint Thomas Aquinas, Scripture<\/strong> – Mt 6:5-15 (the Our Father); Lk 11:1-13; Mt Language<\/strong> – Royal Spanish Academy, Dictionary of To Pray and to Pray: two words, one single Christian soul 1. Starting point: a pious confusion In ordinary Spanish speech, \u201crezar\u201d and \u201corar\u201d are used as synonyms. We say \u201cI am going to pray (rezar) the rosary\u201d, \u201cwe pray (rezamos) for the sick\u201d or, in a more solemn register, \u201clet us pray (oremos)\u201d at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"To Recite and to Pray: the Difference - Reza el Rosario","description":"To Pray and to Pray: two words, one single Christian soul 1. Starting point: a pious confusion In ordinary Spanish speech, \u201crezar\u201d and \u201corar\u201d are used as synony"},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5071","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rezaelrosario.org\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5071","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rezaelrosario.org\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rezaelrosario.org\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rezaelrosario.org\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5071"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rezaelrosario.org\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5071\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rezaelrosario.org\/ar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nWe say \u201cI am going to pray (rezar) the rosary\u201d<\/em>, \u201cwe pray (rezamos) for the
\nsick\u201d<\/em> or, in a more solemn register, \u201clet us pray (oremos)\u201d<\/em> at the beginning
\nof the liturgy. The Royal Spanish Academy<\/strong> records that
\ncloseness: it defines \u201crezar\u201d as \u201cto address to God, or to a divine
\nor holy person, the prayers of a set text\u201d<\/em>, and \u201corar\u201d as
\n\u201cto pray to God, vocally or mentally\u201d<\/em>. The boundary,
\napparently minor, is exactly the one that interests us: rezar
\ntends toward a fixed text; orar embraces every raising of the soul to God,
\nwith or without words<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
\npriest never says \u201crecemos\u201d<\/em> before the collect; he says
\n\u201coremos\u201d (let us pray)<\/strong>. And immediately afterward there is silence: because
\npraying (orar) includes interior silence, while praying (rezar) calls for a text.
\nWhen, on the other hand, we together lead an Our Father, we say
\nnaturally \u201cwe are going to pray it (rezarlo)\u201d<\/em>. Language, wisely, has
\npreserved the difference that theology specifies.<\/p>\n2. Etymology: from orare<\/em> to
\nrezar<\/em><\/h2>\n\n
\norare<\/strong>, which means to speak solemnly, to ask,
\nto beseech<\/em>. The same root gives oratio<\/em> (discourse, prayer),
\norator<\/em> (one who speaks in public) and os, oris<\/em> (mouth).
\nOriginally orare<\/em> was the verbal act of one who addresses
\nwith authority or with entreaty someone superior. The Christian tradition
\napplied it to dialogue with God.<\/li>\n
\n(to recite, to read aloud, to repeat from memory<\/em>), composed of
\nre-<\/em> (again) and citare<\/em> (to call, to summon,
\nto pronounce). In the Romance evolution: recitare > rezar<\/em>
\n(Castilian), rezar\/rezar<\/em> (Portuguese), recitare<\/em> in
\nItalian is preserved as such while the devotional sense passes to
\npregare<\/em>. The semantic root of \u201crezar\u201d therefore carries
\ninscribed in it the idea of a text that is repeated, cited,
\npronounced<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nrezar<\/em> points more naturally to vocal prayer with a
\nformula<\/strong>, and orar<\/em> to the interior act of raising oneself to
\nGod<\/strong> in any of its forms.<\/p>\n3. To pray (rezar)
\naccording to the Catholic tradition: vocal prayer<\/h2>\n
\nprayer, which is the proper sphere of \u201crezar\u201d in the strict
\nsense.<\/p>\n\n
\nin human nature, associates the body with the interior prayer of the
\nheart, following Christ’s example of praying to his Father and teaching the
\nOur Father to his disciples.\u201d<\/em> (CCC 2722<\/strong>,
\nverify wording)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\n(Mt 6:9-13; Lk 11:2-4), the Hail Mary composed of the angelic salutation
\nand that of Elizabeth, the Apostles’ Creed, the Psalms, the Liturgy of the Hours, the
\nlitanies, the Angelus, the Rosary.<\/li>\n
\nmine, the Church or Christ himself gives them to me<\/strong>. That
\nis why the one who prays is never alone: he is inserted into the prayer of the whole
\nMystical Body.<\/li>\n
\nbreath, the rosary beads, bowing, making the Sign of the Cross. The
\nCCC 2702<\/strong> recalls that \u201cthe need to involve the senses
\nin interior prayer corresponds to a requirement of our human
\nnature. We are body and spirit, and we experience the need to translate
\nour feelings externally\u201d<\/em> (verify).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\nindispensable element of the Christian life\u201d<\/em> (CCC
\n2701<\/strong>), but \u201cit is not enough to pronounce the words
\nof a prayer outwardly; the attention of the heart is also necessary\u201d<\/em>
\n(CCC 2700<\/strong>, verify). To pray (rezar) without praying (orar) is, Saint
\nTeresa would say, to move the lips without the soul looking out.<\/p>\n4. To pray (orar): to raise the soul to
\nGod<\/h2>\n\n
\ngood things from God.\u201d<\/em> \u2014 Saint John Damascene<\/strong>,
\ncited in CCC 2559<\/strong> (verify).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\nman in Christ. It is the action of God and of man; it springs from the Holy
\nSpirit and from ourselves, wholly directed to the Father, in union with the
\nhuman will of the Son of God made man.\u201d<\/em> (CCC
\n2564<\/strong>, verify).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nvocal prayer, but also meditation on the Word, the
\nsilent contemplation, the spontaneous aspiration, the simple being
\nbefore the Lord. That is why all praying (rezar) well done is praying (orar), but not
\nall prayer requires praying (rezar)<\/strong>. Saint Thomas expresses it with sober
\nscholasticism: \u201coratio est ascensus intellectus in Deum\u201d<\/em>, prayer
\nis the ascent of the intelligence toward God (Summa
\nTheologiae II-II, q.83, a.1, ad 2<\/strong>, verify). And he adds that
\nprayer is properly an \u201cact of the practical reason\u201d<\/em> by which
\nwe ask of God what is fitting, but springing from the affection of charity.<\/p>\n5. The three
\nforms of prayer according to the Catechism<\/h2>\n
\n2697-2724), distinguishes three fundamental
\nexpressions<\/strong>:<\/p>\na) Vocal prayer \u2014 CCC
\n2700-2704<\/h3>\n\n
\nto the degree that we become aware of him to whom we speak.\u201d<\/em>
\n(CCC 2700<\/strong>, verify).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nsoul. Its perfect model is the Our Father.<\/p>\nb) Meditation \u2014 CCC 2705-2708<\/h3>\n
\n
\nto understand the why and how of the Christian life, in order to adhere and
\nrespond to what the Lord is asking.\u201d<\/em> (CCC 2705<\/strong>,
\nverify).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nof a saint), to think, to let oneself be challenged, to decide. The lectio
\ndivina<\/em> of the monks and the Spiritual Exercises<\/strong>
\nof Saint Ignatius of Loyola<\/strong> (composition of place,
\napplication of the senses, colloquy) are supreme examples. Meditation,
\nsays CCC 2708, \u201cengages thought, imagination, emotion and
\ndesire\u201d<\/em> (verify).<\/p>\nc) Contemplative prayer
\n\u2014 CCC 2709-2719<\/h3>\n\n
\nprayer is nothing other than a close sharing between friends; it means
\ntaking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us.\u2019\u201d<\/em>
\n(CCC 2709<\/strong>, citing the Book of Her Life<\/em>, chap.
\n8).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nWord of God\u201d<\/em> (CCC 2716), in which the soul \u201clets God act\u201d<\/em>.
\nSaint John of the Cross<\/strong> describes it as a \u201cloving, general
\nand obscure knowledge\u201d<\/em> of the Beloved (The Ascent of Mount
\nCarmel<\/em>, II, 13-14, verify), and situates it in the dark night,
\nwhen God weans the soul from sensible consolations
\nin order to lead it into union.<\/p>\n6. Saint Teresa: to pray is
\nto share with a friend<\/h2>\n
\nprayer ever written. In the Book of Her Life<\/em>, chapter 8,
\nnumber 5, she writes:<\/p>\n\n
\nbetween friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves
\nus.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nprayer was \u201cpraying (rezar)\u201d<\/em> without interior prayer, and she discovers that
\nmental prayer is neither technique nor intellectual effort, but
\na relationship of friendship<\/strong> \u2014 and, like every friendship, it requires
\ntime, frequency, solitude and the certainty of the other’s love. In
\nThe Way of Perfection<\/em> (chaps. 24-29) she will teach that even
\nthe Our Father, prayed (rezado)<\/strong> slowly, leads to mental
\nprayer: \u201cI am not asking you now to think about Him, nor to draw out many
\nconcepts, nor to make great and subtle considerations with your
\nunderstanding; I am asking nothing more than that you look at Him\u201d<\/em> (The Way<\/em>,
\nchap. 26, 3, verify).<\/p>\n
\nto pray (orar)<\/strong>, if the soul looks upon him who speaks to it.<\/p>\n7. Is praying the
\nRosary only \u201crezar\u201d or also \u201corar\u201d?<\/h2>\n
\nthe Magisterium is categorical: the rosary is vocal and
\ncontemplative prayer at the same time, and if the second dimension is missing it ceases to be
\na Christian rosary<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
\nRosarium Virginis Mariae<\/strong> (16 October 2002),
\nnumber 5<\/strong>, writes:<\/p>\n\n
\ncontemplation, the Rosary is a body without a soul, and its recitation runs the
\nrisk of becoming a mechanical repetition of formulas,
\nin violation of the admonition of Christ: \u2018In praying do not heap up empty
\nphrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many
\nwords\u2019 (Mt 6:7). By its nature, the recitation of the Rosary calls for
\na quiet rhythm and a lingering pace, helping the
\nindividual to meditate on the mysteries of the Lord’s life as seen through the
\neyes of her who was closest to the Lord.\u201d<\/em> (RVM
\n12, often cited together with no. 5; verify the exact
\nattribution).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nthe Hail Mary is a vehicle, not an end<\/strong>. The soul prays with the lips
\n\u201cHail Mary\u2026\u201d<\/em> while the mind and the heart
\ncontemplate the mysteries<\/strong> \u2014 the Annunciation, the scourging,
\nthe Resurrection \u2014 seen \u201cthrough the heart of Mary\u201d<\/em>. That is why
\nthe rosary is at once recitation (a fixed, communal, repeated text) and
\nmental prayer (meditation, savor, loving gaze).<\/p>\n8.
\nPractical application: from mechanical praying (rezar) to praying (orar) from the heart<\/h2>\n
\npraying (orar)<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n
\nfirst point of the Ignatian Exercises<\/em>: \u201ca step or two before the
\nplace where I am to contemplate\u2026 to lift up my mind and consider how
\nGod our Lord beholds me\u201d<\/em> (Annotation 75, verify). Without this,
\nthe lips move by themselves.<\/li>\n
\nthe Introduction to the Devout Life<\/em> (part II, chap. 1): \u201cit is better
\nto say fewer prayers with devotion than many in haste and with
\ndistraction\u201d<\/em> (verify). The hurried rosary kills
\nmeditation.<\/li>\n
\nif in the middle of the Our Father an affection draws you to remain gazing at
\nthe Lord, remain<\/strong>; \u201cdo not weary yourselves in reasoning with
\nthe understanding\u2026 to love much and not to think much\u201d<\/em> (Fourth
\nMansions<\/em>, chap. 1, verify).<\/li>\n
\ndistracted.<\/strong> The Catechism recalls with realism: \u201cthe habitual
\ndifficulty in prayer is distraction\u201d<\/em> (CCC
\n2729<\/strong>, verify). It is not a defeat: it is an occasion to begin again
\nwith humility.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n9. Common errors to avoid<\/h2>\n
\n
\nphrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many
\nwords\u201d<\/em> (Mt 6:7<\/strong>). It is not the quantity of
\nHail Marys that moves God, but the love with which they are said.<\/li>\n
\nChrysostom, recalls that \u201cto pray is to speak with God\u201d<\/em>: if the
\nheart is absent, we speak to the air. That is why attention is a duty, not a
\nperfection reserved to mystics.<\/li>\n
\ntechniques<\/strong>. The Letter Orationis formas<\/em> (Congregation
\nfor the Doctrine of the Faith, 15 October 1989, signed by Cardinal
\nRatzinger) warned against the danger of reducing prayer to a
\npsychological state, a bodily technique or an emptying of the mind. Christian
\nprayer is always a personal relationship with a God who
\nspeaks<\/strong>, not an immersion into the impersonal. Posture,
\nbreathing, silence can help; they never replace the You<\/em>
\nof the Father, the Son and the Spirit.<\/li>\n
\nto adore, to bless, to give thanks, to praise and to intercede. The CCC 2626-2643
\ndistinguishes five forms: blessing, adoration, petition, intercession,
\nthanksgiving and praise.<\/li>\n
\nprayer\u201d<\/strong>. This is the opposite trap. Saint Teresa, doctor of
\nmental prayer, prayed the Divine Office and the rosary until her last
\nday. The soul needs vocal bread, not only contemplative air.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nSources<\/h2>\n
\nIV \u201cChristian Prayer\u201d, nn. 2558-2865 \u2014
\nhttps:\/\/www.vatican.va\/archive\/catechism_sp\/p4_sp.html – Saint John Paul
\nII, Rosarium Virginis Mariae<\/em> (16-X-2002) \u2014
\nhttps:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/john-paul-ii\/es\/apost_letters\/2002\/documents\/hf_jp-ii_apl_20021016_rosarium-virginis-mariae.html
\n– Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Orationis formas<\/em>
\n(15-X-1989) \u2014
\nhttps:\/\/www.vatican.va\/roman_curia\/congregations\/cfaith\/documents\/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19891015_meditazione-cristiana_sp.html<\/p>\n
\nSumma Theologiae<\/em> II-II, q.83 \u201cOn Prayer\u201d – Saint Teresa of
\nJesus, Book of Her Life<\/em> (chap. 8), The Way of
\nPerfection<\/em>, The Interior Castle (The Mansions)<\/em> – Saint John of the Cross, The Ascent
\nof Mount Carmel<\/em>, The Dark Night<\/em>, The Spiritual
\nCanticle<\/em> – Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual
\nExercises<\/em> – Saint Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout
\nLife<\/em><\/p>\n
\n6:7 (vain repetition); Rom 8:26-27; 1 Thess 5:17<\/p>\n
\nthe Spanish Language<\/em>, entries \u201crezar\u201d and \u201corar\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"