5. Praise Praise
Praise, although similar to blessing and thanksgiving, is a different prayer. It is a prayer “that recognizes in the most direct way that God is God. He sings for himself, gives glory not for what he does, but for what he is “(2639).
The Catechism explains: “Like the inspired authors of the New Testament, the first Christian communities reread the book of Psalms singing in it the Mystery of Christ. In the novelty of the Spirit, they also compose hymns and songs from the unprecedented event that God has realized in his Son “(2641).
This prayer is also found in the book of the Apocalypse, where “the prophets and the saints, all those who were slaughtered on earth to bear witness to Jesus, the immense crowd of those who, coming from the great tribulation, have preceded us in the Kingdom, they sing the praise of glory of Him who sits on the throne and of the Lamb “(2642).
It is a prayer that simply praises God for being God, not in reference to any specific benefit or favor received. The celebration of the Eucharist is often called “the sacrifice of praise.”
