The well known prayer by Saint Richard of Chichester is suitable for each of us to say every day of Lent:
"Day by day, Dear Lord, Of thee three things I pray:
To see thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
Follow thee more nearly,
Day by day."
It is simple, direct and easily remembered.
Another rendering of it is preceded by words of gratitude to the Person to whom we pray:
"Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have given me, for all the pains and insults you have borne for me O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother . . .".
An old Irish way of talking about everything else before coming to the point irritates the caller impatient to get down to business. At least due recognition, and good manners, is established before the deal is struck! The same idea is expressed by the psalmist in words often said by way of introducing times of quiet meditation in Lent: "Be still and know that I am God." Having dwelt upon God for a while, having a refreshed awareness of His worth we are more ready to converse with him reverently and politely.
The same idea of giving attention to God and expressing appreciation of Him before making your request is noticeable in the opening words of most of the Collects:
"Almighty and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire or deserve . . ." (Twelfth Sunday after Trinity).
One day it happened that Jesus was praying, and after He had finished one of his disciples said, "Lord, teach us how to pray". "When you pray," returned Jesus, "you should say. . ." And He gave them the words of The Lord's Prayer.
Being in the company of Jesus, the disciples were more and more impressed by Him. They noticed the importance He gave to prayer. Often he "went up into a mountain to pray", or in the early morning, while it was still dark, He got up, left the house, and went off to a deserted place, and there He prayed".
The betrayer, Judas, knew where to find Jesus, because He was at His accustomed place of prayer in Gethsemane. Having grown in admiration for Jesus, and His careful attention to meditation, it is not surprising that they asked Him to teach them how to pray.
Now, nearly 2,000 years later, the magnetism of Jesus is stirring those who know Him or long to know Him better to make the same request: "Lord, teach us how to pray". The way to learn to pray is to pray (aware of God's guiding spirit). Again there is the same emphasis on thinking first about the Person to whom we speak - "Our Father, who art in heaven".
W.W.