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Ejaculatory prayer
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Ejaculatory prayer
In Christian spirituality, an ejaculation, also known as an ejaculatory prayer, jaculatory prayer, aspiration, arrow prayer, or, in German, Stoßgebet, is a brief and fervent prayer directed to God. John Newton Brown defines it as “a short prayer, in which the mind is directed to God, on any emergency”. The term derives from the Latin iaculatio (“a darting” or “casting forth”), from iaculum (“dart” or “arrow”), reflecting the traditional image of a prayer suddenly shot toward heaven.
Ejaculatory prayer has historically been associated with the effort to fulfil the injunction of Paul the Apostle to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) by cultivating continual recollection of God throughout ordinary life. Such prayers are usually short invocations, acts of love, petitions, thanksgivings, or acclamations repeated inwardly or aloud during work, travel, temptation, suffering, or contemplation. John Stedman writes that “a sigh, a devout aspiration, a holy ejaculation, will oftener pierce the sky, and reach the ear of Omnipotence, than a long set exercise of prayer”.
Historically, ejaculatory prayers have been used in many forms of Christian devotion, including monastic spirituality, hesychasm, Catholic popular piety, Puritan devotion, Pietism, Anglican spirituality, and modern evangelical spirituality.
The term ejaculation derives from the Latin iaculatio, meaning a “darting” or “throwing forth”, from iaculum, meaning “dart” or “arrow”. Christian spiritual writers frequently compare such prayers to arrows suddenly shot toward God.
The German term Stoßgebet (“thrust prayer” or “arrow prayer”) was used by Martin Luther and Johann Fischart as a translation of the Latin precatio iaculatoria. Modern English-language devotional writing, especially in evangelical Protestantism, often prefers the expression “arrow prayer”.
In early modern Catholic spirituality, the synonym “aspiration” became especially common. Cardinal Giovanni Bona defines aspirations as “certain very short prayers, either wholly mental, or at the same time mental and vocal”, adding that they are called ejaculatory prayers because “like darts or arrows, they pass swiftly into the Heart of God”.
The Italian term giaculatoria and the Spanish jaculatoria likewise derive from the same Latin root and traditionally denote short devotional invocations, often memorized, repeated rhythmically, or inserted into larger devotions such as the Rosary.
The roots of ejaculatory prayer are commonly traced to Jewish and early Christian traditions of continual prayer and brief scriptural invocations. The 2002 Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy states that early Christians inherited from Judaism the custom of accompanying daily life with brief prayers of praise, supplication, repentance, and thanksgiving.
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Ejaculatory prayer
In Christian spirituality, an ejaculation, also known as an ejaculatory prayer, jaculatory prayer, aspiration, arrow prayer, or, in German, Stoßgebet, is a brief and fervent prayer directed to God. John Newton Brown defines it as “a short prayer, in which the mind is directed to God, on any emergency”. The term derives from the Latin iaculatio (“a darting” or “casting forth”), from iaculum (“dart” or “arrow”), reflecting the traditional image of a prayer suddenly shot toward heaven.
Ejaculatory prayer has historically been associated with the effort to fulfil the injunction of Paul the Apostle to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) by cultivating continual recollection of God throughout ordinary life. Such prayers are usually short invocations, acts of love, petitions, thanksgivings, or acclamations repeated inwardly or aloud during work, travel, temptation, suffering, or contemplation. John Stedman writes that “a sigh, a devout aspiration, a holy ejaculation, will oftener pierce the sky, and reach the ear of Omnipotence, than a long set exercise of prayer”.
Historically, ejaculatory prayers have been used in many forms of Christian devotion, including monastic spirituality, hesychasm, Catholic popular piety, Puritan devotion, Pietism, Anglican spirituality, and modern evangelical spirituality.
The term ejaculation derives from the Latin iaculatio, meaning a “darting” or “throwing forth”, from iaculum, meaning “dart” or “arrow”. Christian spiritual writers frequently compare such prayers to arrows suddenly shot toward God.
The German term Stoßgebet (“thrust prayer” or “arrow prayer”) was used by Martin Luther and Johann Fischart as a translation of the Latin precatio iaculatoria. Modern English-language devotional writing, especially in evangelical Protestantism, often prefers the expression “arrow prayer”.
In early modern Catholic spirituality, the synonym “aspiration” became especially common. Cardinal Giovanni Bona defines aspirations as “certain very short prayers, either wholly mental, or at the same time mental and vocal”, adding that they are called ejaculatory prayers because “like darts or arrows, they pass swiftly into the Heart of God”.
The Italian term giaculatoria and the Spanish jaculatoria likewise derive from the same Latin root and traditionally denote short devotional invocations, often memorized, repeated rhythmically, or inserted into larger devotions such as the Rosary.
The roots of ejaculatory prayer are commonly traced to Jewish and early Christian traditions of continual prayer and brief scriptural invocations. The 2002 Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy states that early Christians inherited from Judaism the custom of accompanying daily life with brief prayers of praise, supplication, repentance, and thanksgiving.