es ▁us . ▁And ▁this ▁person ▁has ▁a ▁face ▁which ▁we ▁can ▁cont em plate , ▁a ▁face ▁that ▁is ▁a ▁singular ▁manifest ation ▁of ▁his ▁person ." ▁▁ ▁The ▁principle ▁of ▁divine ▁action ▁The ▁first ▁important ▁principle ▁is : ▁" What ▁matters ▁in ▁prayer ▁is ▁not ▁what ▁we ▁do ▁but ▁what ▁God ▁does ▁in ▁us ▁during ▁those ▁moments ," ▁said ▁Jacques ▁Philippe ▁in ▁Time ▁for ▁God . ▁" The ▁essential ▁act ▁in ▁prayer ▁is , ▁at ▁bottom , ▁to ▁place ▁one ' s ▁self ▁in ▁God ' s ▁presence ▁and ▁to ▁remain ▁there . ▁... This ▁presence , ▁which ▁is ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁living ▁God , ▁is ▁active , ▁viv ifying . ▁It ▁he als ▁and ▁san ct ifies ▁us . ▁We ▁cannot ▁sit ▁before ▁a ▁fire ▁without ▁getting ▁warm ." ▁ ▁Allow ing ▁God ▁to ▁be ▁fully ▁present ▁is ▁key ▁to ▁the ▁highest ▁levels ▁of ▁prayer , ▁according ▁to ▁John ▁Paul ▁II . ▁" In ▁prayer , ▁the ▁true ▁protagon ist ▁is ▁God ," ▁he ▁said ▁in ▁Cross ing ▁the ▁Th reshold ▁of ▁Hope . ▁" Man ▁ach ieves ▁the ▁full ness ▁of ▁prayer ▁not ▁when ▁he ▁express es ▁himself , ▁but ▁when ▁he ▁lets ▁God ▁be ▁most ▁fully ▁present ▁in ▁prayer ." ▁ ▁The ▁bib lic al ▁reason ▁for ▁this , ▁according ▁to ▁John ▁Paul ▁II , ▁is : ▁" We ▁do ▁not ▁know ▁how ▁to ▁pray ▁as ▁we ▁ought , ▁but ▁the ▁Spirit ▁himself ▁inter cedes ▁with ▁in express ible ▁gro an ings " ▁( cf . ▁Rom ▁