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Opening to God: A Guide to Prayer
Often, people feel drawn to prayer but are timid and unsure about how to pray. For over thirty years, this book has demystified prayer for countless thousands. Friendly and inviting, Opening to God , now available in a revised, updated edition, explains what prayer is all about, then turns to techniques that ready the soul to encounter God. Mining his rich experiences as a Jesuit missionary and spiritual director, Thomas Green, S.J., shakes away the cobwebs and banishes stodgy assumptions about spiritual life that is fed by the practice of prayer. A must-have resource, both for beginners and practiced 'pray-ers' who want to cultivate a more meaningful prayer experience.
130 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 1976
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October 23, 2010
About a year ago, I decided to cease my efforts, for the most part, at personal “structured” prayer. This decision was an outcome of my continued dissatisfaction with my prayer experience, particularly with the rigid and forced nature of my prayer. On a positive note, I was encouraged in this decision by my increasingly rich encounters with "spontaneous" prayer. These prayers seemed to be a more genuine expression of my heart and certainly less forced and legalistic. On the downside, I could not help but feel that I was not growing in my prayer life, that there was something important missing in my relationship with God – probably in the area of prayer. To be honest, I also struggled with the old guilt messages associated with my perceived “failure” in prayer.
I was therefore encouraged by the reminder of Thomas Green in Opening to God that “the desire to pray is itself a clear sign of the Lord’s presence” (p. 19). But the prayer I desire is a very different kind of prayer than what I had decided to abandon. Green helpfully admitted the limitations of his own religious background that tended to “reinforce this stress on a ‘pulling-myself-up-by-my bootstraps’ kind of spirituality” (p. 34). Green’s revision of the Baltimore catechism, accomplished by simply exchanging the one word “lifting” for “opening” ("opening the heart and mind to God"), succinctly captures the primary premise in his book – that prayer occurs primarily at God’s initiative and our efforts are simply to predispose ourselves to his initiative. God is always the initiator and the dominant partner in prayer! The rigid structure that I had been taught and since abandoned – that I now see as so performance based – was to pray according to ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication). It is almost laughable that I would imagine reducing something as intimate as “adoration” to a stepwise formula! So when Green actually made specific reference to this very “catalogued prayer” of ACTS and stressed that we need to go much deeper than “acts” of our own, I was helped to see the limitations of my past prayer efforts and affirmed for abandoning such efforts in a quest for something deeper. I am tired of making formulaic speeches to God and desire for listening to become a more crucial element of my prayer.
I have always found it so much easier to encounter God by listening to him through scripture than by talking to him in “prayer”. I wondered why my scripture meditation could be so rich while my prayer life so empty. Green very helpfully reminded me, through his statement that our “principal sourcebook of Christian meditation is the scripture”, that my consistent discovery of God though scripture meditation constituted prayer proper, albeit the prayer of the beginner. Furthermore, he suggested that “the first breakthrough in our life of prayer is when our meditation or contemplation becomes easy and joyous. When we find much fruit in just a few verses of scripture” (p. 115-116). In recent years, my meditation of scripture has indeed become increasingly easy and joyous and Green’s reassurance that this may represent a “breakthrough” is most validating for a struggling pray-er like myself. However, I view myself as still a “beginner” and recognize that there is more. Green reassures the reader of this prospect by entitling his final, brief chapter “Prayer Beyond the Beginnings”.
I was therefore encouraged by the reminder of Thomas Green in Opening to God that “the desire to pray is itself a clear sign of the Lord’s presence” (p. 19). But the prayer I desire is a very different kind of prayer than what I had decided to abandon. Green helpfully admitted the limitations of his own religious background that tended to “reinforce this stress on a ‘pulling-myself-up-by-my bootstraps’ kind of spirituality” (p. 34). Green’s revision of the Baltimore catechism, accomplished by simply exchanging the one word “lifting” for “opening” ("opening the heart and mind to God"), succinctly captures the primary premise in his book – that prayer occurs primarily at God’s initiative and our efforts are simply to predispose ourselves to his initiative. God is always the initiator and the dominant partner in prayer! The rigid structure that I had been taught and since abandoned – that I now see as so performance based – was to pray according to ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication). It is almost laughable that I would imagine reducing something as intimate as “adoration” to a stepwise formula! So when Green actually made specific reference to this very “catalogued prayer” of ACTS and stressed that we need to go much deeper than “acts” of our own, I was helped to see the limitations of my past prayer efforts and affirmed for abandoning such efforts in a quest for something deeper. I am tired of making formulaic speeches to God and desire for listening to become a more crucial element of my prayer.
I have always found it so much easier to encounter God by listening to him through scripture than by talking to him in “prayer”. I wondered why my scripture meditation could be so rich while my prayer life so empty. Green very helpfully reminded me, through his statement that our “principal sourcebook of Christian meditation is the scripture”, that my consistent discovery of God though scripture meditation constituted prayer proper, albeit the prayer of the beginner. Furthermore, he suggested that “the first breakthrough in our life of prayer is when our meditation or contemplation becomes easy and joyous. When we find much fruit in just a few verses of scripture” (p. 115-116). In recent years, my meditation of scripture has indeed become increasingly easy and joyous and Green’s reassurance that this may represent a “breakthrough” is most validating for a struggling pray-er like myself. However, I view myself as still a “beginner” and recognize that there is more. Green reassures the reader of this prospect by entitling his final, brief chapter “Prayer Beyond the Beginnings”.
January 13, 2025
A favorite analogy of mine was when the author talked about prayer pictured as a dad and his child who can only crawl. Green said that when you see a dad take his baby to go on a walk and he is carrying the baby, look at the baby’s face. Full of wonderment and pride, the baby can’t comprehend that it is the father who is holding him/her. The baby thinks they are doing it themselves and they can’t believe that they are. They have now tasted and seen how far walking can get them, and they don’t want to go back. Inevitably, the baby must be returned to the ground, and when he/she are they feel frustrated, because they can’t move as fast. Green relates that to how we are with prayer. Sometimes when we pray we feel excited thinking that we have accomplished so much, looking at the work we are putting into ourselves. However, it is only through God’s transforming work that we can change in prayer. Sometimes, God gives us consolation before character out of grace and excitement for what is to come. We sometimes mistake that for ourselves, but God is teaching us to walk with Him, and sometimes He shows us what that looks like by carrying us through!
January 18, 2019
It is said to be a guide to prayer for beginners; but indeed it has covered topics and discussions which you will find valuable, no matter whether you are novices in prayers or have been followers of Christ for half of your lifetime ... also briefly covered discussions on discernment (a topic I am much interested in)
read about his intro somewhere: he is a Jesuit priest but also love reading about traditions in Carmelites and Cistercenses ...
read about his intro somewhere: he is a Jesuit priest but also love reading about traditions in Carmelites and Cistercenses ...
May 13, 2025
Fr. Thomas Green was encouraged to make a book about prayer from his teachings.
This book is the fruit of that labor and has endured for nearly five decades. It is readily approachable and inspires the reader to have an open heart to what prayer is and how to approach it.
Anyone on a faith journey will find this book encouraging and inspiring.
This was the book the Ministry of Care program at our parish selected to read throughout the year.
It is a very good discussion book.
4.5 stars
This book is the fruit of that labor and has endured for nearly five decades. It is readily approachable and inspires the reader to have an open heart to what prayer is and how to approach it.
Anyone on a faith journey will find this book encouraging and inspiring.
This was the book the Ministry of Care program at our parish selected to read throughout the year.
It is a very good discussion book.
4.5 stars
March 25, 2016
Wonderful little short book on prayer.
March 21, 2021
A good little practical book on prayer based on Ignatian spirituality and on the works of Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross, and useful as a summary of this particular approach.
The framework is based on meditation on scripture (intellect) and contemplation on scripture (imagination). So it is a formulated 'lectio divina' approach (though he never uses that term), that also hints at a more expansive form of prayer ('infused contemplation'). It is all communicated with warmth and grace, by a highly experienced Catholic spiritual director.
I found it refreshingly open - truly post-Vatican II, with even some positive things said about Protestantism!
Though, theologically, a couple of points sat uneasy. His is a theology of fundamental separation from God. And in one place (seemingly at odds with other parts of the book) he frames spiritual exercises in terms of being purged from those things which make us *unworthy* to be in the presence of God.
We are not separated from God by the span of infinity as he suggests (though God is infinitely greater), rather God fills the span of infinity to be right up next to our skin, as it were. Furthermore God indwells us, interweaves us. This is radical non separation.
Any unworthiness is / has been taken care of by God (the Christ). We respond, albeit with humility in the face of the Holy, by opening to God (to use the book's title) and the possibility of that space and dynamic.
My understanding is that Spiritual exercises are not to make us worthy of the Presence but rather to enhance our ability to notice the Presence, as it were, to move us into a space of openness, and help shed those things that weigh us down and distract us from us from love and peace - that hamper our enlivened flourishing.
The framework is based on meditation on scripture (intellect) and contemplation on scripture (imagination). So it is a formulated 'lectio divina' approach (though he never uses that term), that also hints at a more expansive form of prayer ('infused contemplation'). It is all communicated with warmth and grace, by a highly experienced Catholic spiritual director.
I found it refreshingly open - truly post-Vatican II, with even some positive things said about Protestantism!
Though, theologically, a couple of points sat uneasy. His is a theology of fundamental separation from God. And in one place (seemingly at odds with other parts of the book) he frames spiritual exercises in terms of being purged from those things which make us *unworthy* to be in the presence of God.
We are not separated from God by the span of infinity as he suggests (though God is infinitely greater), rather God fills the span of infinity to be right up next to our skin, as it were. Furthermore God indwells us, interweaves us. This is radical non separation.
Any unworthiness is / has been taken care of by God (the Christ). We respond, albeit with humility in the face of the Holy, by opening to God (to use the book's title) and the possibility of that space and dynamic.
My understanding is that Spiritual exercises are not to make us worthy of the Presence but rather to enhance our ability to notice the Presence, as it were, to move us into a space of openness, and help shed those things that weigh us down and distract us from us from love and peace - that hamper our enlivened flourishing.
March 16, 2023
This is a wonderful little book on prayer. The why, how, who and what of prayer. It's a book for both the novice and experienced prayer.
I particularly appreciated Green connected prayer with love. We pray in response to being loved and wanting to love another, God.
The book is broken into 2 parts: the first being the "What and Why of Prayer" and the second, "The How of Prayer". I enjoyed how Green outlined the importance of allowing ourselves to receive communication from God. He uses the analogy of a radio receiver. God is always imitating communication with us, we need to be present to Him to receive it.
Further, Green discusses we only love someone we know, so the second step in learning how to pray is to learn more about God. I think for many of us this is what stops our prayers: we simply don't know God sufficiently. Green suggests two methods: meditating on Scriptures and imaginatively considering God. He believes that most prayers will use a combination of both methods over time.
This is a short book, being only about 120 pages but is full of tremendous wisdom and I believe everybody who reads it will enhance their prayer experience accordingly.
I particularly appreciated Green connected prayer with love. We pray in response to being loved and wanting to love another, God.
The book is broken into 2 parts: the first being the "What and Why of Prayer" and the second, "The How of Prayer". I enjoyed how Green outlined the importance of allowing ourselves to receive communication from God. He uses the analogy of a radio receiver. God is always imitating communication with us, we need to be present to Him to receive it.
Further, Green discusses we only love someone we know, so the second step in learning how to pray is to learn more about God. I think for many of us this is what stops our prayers: we simply don't know God sufficiently. Green suggests two methods: meditating on Scriptures and imaginatively considering God. He believes that most prayers will use a combination of both methods over time.
This is a short book, being only about 120 pages but is full of tremendous wisdom and I believe everybody who reads it will enhance their prayer experience accordingly.
November 3, 2020
A short and simple introduction to prayer. I didn't resonate with it all, but the basic definition of prayer - opening one's heart and mind to God - is very useful.
Green's three part discussion of how to begin prayer - preparation, meditation, contemplation - is also useful. In preparation, we note ahead of time when we plan to pray, set an intention, set out anything we plan to read, possibly even look it over, make sure the space is ready for us. I wouldn't have thought about or taught this, but it proves useful in my own life of prayer. Mediation is the reading of a text from the Bible - or, in my mind, anything we read, listen, or watch that we believe holds some beauty or truth from God that will engage our mind and heart with God. And contemplation is imaginative engagement with God's presence.
Lastly, I appreciate being reminded of Teresa of Avila's beautiful line from the Interior Castle: "The important thing is not to think much but to love much." Amen.
Green's three part discussion of how to begin prayer - preparation, meditation, contemplation - is also useful. In preparation, we note ahead of time when we plan to pray, set an intention, set out anything we plan to read, possibly even look it over, make sure the space is ready for us. I wouldn't have thought about or taught this, but it proves useful in my own life of prayer. Mediation is the reading of a text from the Bible - or, in my mind, anything we read, listen, or watch that we believe holds some beauty or truth from God that will engage our mind and heart with God. And contemplation is imaginative engagement with God's presence.
Lastly, I appreciate being reminded of Teresa of Avila's beautiful line from the Interior Castle: "The important thing is not to think much but to love much." Amen.
December 3, 2022
With personal stories and plenty of experience as a spiritual director, Thomas Green covers the basics about prayer.
He presents it as a love relationship with God, beginning with his calling to us, continuing with our response, and fuelled by His grace.
According to Green, our part is to prepare ourselves to receive, to make ourselves favorably disposed to His grace. As we engage in such disciplines, coming to know God through Jesus Christ revealed in the Bible, we come to love Him and show the fruit of love to others - the ultimate goal.
It's an older book, and at times a little foreign sounding if you're not familiar with Jesuit spiritual directors :-)
He presents it as a love relationship with God, beginning with his calling to us, continuing with our response, and fuelled by His grace.
According to Green, our part is to prepare ourselves to receive, to make ourselves favorably disposed to His grace. As we engage in such disciplines, coming to know God through Jesus Christ revealed in the Bible, we come to love Him and show the fruit of love to others - the ultimate goal.
It's an older book, and at times a little foreign sounding if you're not familiar with Jesuit spiritual directors :-)
October 14, 2021
It is fantastic to find a beginners book on how to pray that is so good I found that there is a wealth of experience to lead anyone deeper into prayer. It is my first Catholic book on prayer that I have read, unless I add Theresa of Avila, Interior Castles to the list. Fantastic, wholly recommend it to all Christians. It is a blight on protestant that not many good books on beginning in prayer can be found especially in a season where the new generation of young people don't know what prayer is or how to do it. I highly recommended this book to all.
October 24, 2020
A great little read about prayer; what prayer is, why we practice it, and some methods of doing it. It emphasizes that prayer, and methods, are really unique to each individual. There is lots of encouragement in the writing to persist despite roadblocks or stumbles. I wish I read this before Interior Castle! I will be rereading this, then Saint Teresa again.
September 24, 2023
3.5 Stars. A good read and primer into the Spiritual Life. Some interesting conclusions and points I am not sure I totally agree with. Although I read this alone, I feel like the provided discussion questions at the end of each chapter wouldn't provoke much discussion. They feel like a yes/no answer to if you agree with the author's conclusion for that chapter.
July 19, 2025
Easy reader on prayer (although not quite as lay-friendly as it suggested). More than anything, I was encouraged by the idea that prayer is about an encounter with God in love, and that there's a spontaneity that is part of prayer's essence. Prayer is a response to the "sacrament of the presence," or eucharist as Fr. Schmemann would say. :)
December 2, 2017
Fine book that helps to set the foundations for a good and strong spiritual life. It's speacially helpful for lay people. Fr. Thomas Green explains in a wonderful, simple and exact manner the basic concepts that surround the experience that everyone who stumbles with this book thirts for--prayer.
September 3, 2024
a guide to prayer
This was a great refresher for me. Unfortunately I read when the well run drys before opening to God. But in the end it gave me an insight and different perspective to my prayer life. Thank you
This was a great refresher for me. Unfortunately I read when the well run drys before opening to God. But in the end it gave me an insight and different perspective to my prayer life. Thank you
December 2, 2024
Libro sencillo y práctico… Empecé leyendo el #2 entonces este se me hizo muy corto a diferencia del otro. Gran apoyo para aprender a rezar…
Lo recomiendo bastante. Todo lo de este autor es increíble y tiene grandes ejemplos.
Lo recomiendo bastante. Todo lo de este autor es increíble y tiene grandes ejemplos.
June 28, 2017
This book is a great place to start if you wish to begin spending time with God. I will have to re-read this book in order to gain the most benefit. You can not go wrong, read this book!
June 3, 2019
This was my initial encounter with actual mental prayer, and mixes gentleness with a sincere enthusiasm for actual encounter with God.
July 22, 2019
Everyone is a beginner at prayer. This book was very helpful.
December 3, 2022
Some good nuggets in a dated booked.
February 6, 2024
A new (ish) Christian spiritual classic
June 23, 2025
A fantastic guide to prayer. I found it exceptionally helpful. 🙏🏻✝️
July 21, 2008
Fairly traditional approach, but very sound and helped me deal with some of my struggles with prayer.
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May 9, 2011its really an aid for those who want to start a deep relationship with God through prayer. two thumbs up for the late Thomas H. Green, SJ.
November 20, 2012
The best introductory book about prayer I have ever read. And you can keep re-reading it-- it always refreshes and energizes your prayer experience. A miraculous and easy-to-read little book.
January 13, 2013
This book had great insights for me. As someone who has struggled with prayer, and continues to struggle with it daily, it contained a lot of practical advice for the novice of prayer.
May 13, 2014
Encouraging, insightful, real, and practical. This was a wonderful book. I recommend it for everyone!
December 22, 2014
A wonderful book on prayer. This book beautifully describes what it means to pray and gives a lot of helpful information for anyone looking to enhance his or her prayer life.
June 11, 2012
An excellent book on prayer and opening to God.
July 26, 2014
Short easy read, simple but powerful message.
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