Welcome back to the Word on Fire show. I'm Matthew Petrucic, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on fire show.

Thank you for joining us. What is the nature and purpose of prayer? The question may sound simple, but it unearthed some complex philosophical and theological issues.

For example, if God, as Christians believe, is omniscient, then what is the point of speaking with him,

either out loud or in our thoughts if he already knows what we have to say? If God is eternal

and unchanging, as we also believe, then how could prayer make a difference in what God chooses

to do or not to do in our lives, the lives of others, or even in the whole course of

history. Likewise, if God is all good and all powerful, which we also certainly affirm, then why

does it sometimes appear that our prayers, especially prayers asking for the relief of what seems

to be unnecessary or unjust suffering, go unanswered. What moreover we make of the fact that Jesus

Christ himself so frequently prays in the Gospels? How can God pray to God? And more practically,

what are we to make of the great diversity of prayers? For example, liturgical prayer,

petitionary prayer, worship prayer, and praying the rosary. Are some forms of prayer more efficacious than others?

Here to answer these and related questions, and to give us some tips on how we can grow in our own prayer life is Bishop Robert Barron.

Welcome back to the studio bishop.

Matt, always good to see you.

Always good to be here.

We're talking about prayer today, getting into the,

taking a deep dive on the nature and purpose of prayer.

Before we get started, how was your Christmas and New Year's?

Great. I stayed here, so here meeting in my diocese.

I had Mass at the Co-Cathedral in Rochester on Christmas Eve, and then I went down Christmas

Day to the main cathedral in Winona.

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