Expert: Fr. Michael - 6/11/2009

Question
"St. Thomas Aquinas, the Church's principal theologian, says.  The principal purpose of prayer is to adore the God who created us.  Secondly, to give thanks to God for the gift of life, the Sacraments, grace, etc., to which we have no claim.  Thirdly, to do reparation for our many offenses to God's dignity."

So why petition God with anything else? Anything short of, "Thy Will be done," seems like we are asking Him to change his mind or to bend His Will to our own.

Why include the petitions in Mass if, all we should really be praying about is adoration, thanksgiving, and reparation?

Answer
These are the three principal ends of prayer.  However, we may also ask God for what we need, primarily spiritually, but also materially.  There are several passages in Scripture, with which you are undoubtedly familiar if you have religiously assisted at Holy Mass, in which Our Lord mentions this.  Yet it is true that
our principal prayer should be adoration of God, our Creator, then our gratitude to him for his many benefices to us, and then to repair for the injuries to the majesty of God that we have committed through sin.