Praying a Holy Hour - silent, contemplative prayer (at least 20 minutes each day)
Enter into silent, contemplative prayer as a foundation for your Holy Hour. Below is one approach to this type of prayer. See also The Why, How, and What of Prayer and the "Mental Prayer" PDF on this website.
Opening prayer: Begin by placing yourself in the presence of God. Greet the Lord with verbal prayer, giving praise and asking for mercy. An example is the following from Opus Dei:
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
My Lord and my God, I firmly believe that you are here; that you see me, that your hear me.
I adore you with profound reverence; I ask your pardon for my sins, and grace to make this time of prayer fruitful.
My Immaculate Mother, Saint Joseph my father and lord, my guardian angel, intercede for me.
Intercession: Pray for any intentions you may have. These intentions can shape your holy hour by bringing your needs and desires before the Lord.
Spiritual reading and reflection: Read and reflect on scripture, such as the daily Exodus 90 reading. Be sure to spend time unpacking and applying what you are reading.
Silent, contemplative prayer: This is time dedicated to dialogue with the Lord. Bring forward whatever is on your mind and heart. This will often be fueled by questions from your reflection on the spiritual reading and your intercession. Honestly share with the Lord your thoughts and concerns. Then, and most importantly, give the Lord the space to respond and yourself the silence to listen.
Resolution: What inspiration have you gained from your time of prayer? Has the Lord directed you to do something in particular or to make any changes in your life? It helps to form a concrete resolution following your prayer.
Thanksgiving: Finally, make a prayer of praise and thanksgiving before the Lord, expressing gratitude especially for the graces given during your holy hour. An example is the following from Opus Dei
I thank you, my God, for the good resolutions, affections and inspirations that you have communicated to me in this meditation.
I ask your help to put them into practice.
My Immaculate Mother, Saint Joseph my father and lord, my guardian angel, intercede for me.
Praying a Holy Hour - other prayers
You may choose to add other prayer practices you find are important to your spiritual journey (for example, praying the Rosary, Divine Mercy Novena, Liturgy of the Hours). You do not need to pray the Holy Hour all at once; you may find it helpful to spread the hour of prayer across multiple prayer sessions throughout the day. For example, you may choose to carry out silent, contemplative prayer first thing in the morning to firm up a resolution for the day, follow up with praying a Rosary mid-day, and then praying a Novena and and Examen in the evening. The important thing is that you set aside the time to ensure all the elements of your Holy Hour are prioritized.