JS F ) ▁ ▁Military ▁ ▁Health ▁Systems ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : American ▁military ▁personnel ▁Category : Mil it ary ▁ranks ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States <0x0A> </s> ▁M ental ▁prayer ▁is ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁prayer ▁recommended ▁in ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁where by ▁one ▁lov es ▁God ▁through ▁dialog ue , ▁med it ating ▁on ▁God ' s ▁words , ▁and ▁cont empl ation ▁of ▁Christ ' s ▁face . ▁It ▁is ▁distinguished ▁from ▁vocal ▁pray ers ▁which ▁use ▁set ▁pray ers , ▁although ▁mental ▁prayer ▁can ▁proceed ▁by ▁using ▁vocal ▁pray ers ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁improve ▁dialog ue ▁with ▁God . ▁And ▁no ▁prayer ▁is ▁purely ▁vocal , ▁as ▁it ▁has ▁tradition ally ▁been ▁defined : ▁" P ray er ▁is ▁the ▁raising ▁of ▁one ' s ▁mind ▁and ▁heart ▁to ▁God ." ▁ ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁for em ost ▁writers ▁on ▁mental ▁prayer , ▁Ter esa ▁of ▁Av ila , ▁stated : ▁" Cont empl ative ▁prayer ▁[ ora ción ▁mental ] ▁is ▁nothing ▁else ▁than ▁a ▁close ▁sharing ▁between ▁friends ; ▁it ▁means ▁taking ▁time ▁frequently ▁to ▁be ▁alone ▁with ▁him ▁who ▁we ▁know ▁lov es ▁us ." ▁Here ▁the ▁emphas is ▁is ▁on ▁love ▁rather ▁than ▁on ▁thought . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁C ate ch ism ▁of ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church , ▁med itation ▁and ▁cont empl ation ▁which ▁take ▁place ▁in ▁mental ▁prayer ▁are ▁" major ▁expressions ▁of ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁prayer " ▁in ▁the ▁Christian ▁tradition . ▁The ▁practice ▁of ▁mental ▁prayer ▁is ▁necessary ▁for ▁reaching ▁the