Prayer as an act of reason

Summa Theologica, Part II-II (Secunda Secundae) primary

In answering whether prayer is proper to rational creatures, Aquinas argues that prayer is an act of reason directed to a superior, and thus belongs to rational humans, not to divine persons as such or dumb animals.

intellectual creatures which are the angels are distinct from rational creatures, and sometimes are included under them. In this sense prayer is said to be proper to the rational creature. Reply Obj. 3: The young ravens are said to call upon God, on account of the natural desire whereby all things, each in its own way, desire to attain the Divine goodness. Thus too dumb animals are said to obey God, on account of th…