Marlon De La Torre on Alleviating the Threat of Prayer

"Have you ever encountered someone who felt threatened by the mere thought of praying? One could assume that if anyone would remotely be threatened by prayer it would either by the hardened Atheist or the Devil and his underlings. But the question is; why would anyone be threatened by prayer? Perhaps its a person who is worried what he may discover about himself if he does pray. Or maybe he will come to the realization of something he's been avoiding for a long time. Regardless of the situation, it's not at all impossible to encounter someone who simply views prayer as a threat.

"The basic act of prayer simply requires us to go beyond ourselves and seek the counsel of God. One of the consequences of man's fall from grace due to original sin is that we tend to seek the glorification of ourselves rather than glorifying God. Prayer in relation to God is an act of deference toward Him. This outward-inward act can be quite a challenge for anyone who sees the art of prayer as a threat for whatever the reason."

In a recent commentary, Marlon De La Torre (Director of Catechesis for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth) reflected on why some people may be threatened by the prospect of praying and on how to counter this threat.

To access Mr. De La Torre's complete reflection, please visit:

Knowing Is Doing: Does the Act of Prayer Threaten You? (5 MAR 15)