The episode of Navigating the Cross, "An Introduction to Prayer," features host Spencer discussing the crucial and comprehensive topic of prayer. The episode begins by acknowledging that while prayer is vast and complex, most Christians have room to grow in their prayer lives.

The host explores various definitions of prayer, noting that the act of religion—a virtue in the Catholic Church—is the bond uniting man to God, making prayer essentially the act of uniting oneself to God. Definitions provided include:

• A simple look turned toward heaven (St. Terz Lu).
• True prayer is nothing but love (St. Augustine).
• The raising of one's mind and heart to God (St. John of Damascus).
• The vital and personal relationship with the living and true God (the Catechism).

The host details the purpose of prayer, which is to acknowledge God's power and our own neediness and dependence on Him, helping to order our desires and grow our relationship. Prayer presupposes faith (believing in God even when you do not see) and hope (the recognition that God wants good for you and can save you).

The discussion also covers how Catholics pray, emphasizing that prayer is always directed to a person (the Holy Trinity or the saints in heaven) and not objects or idols. The Mass (Liturgy) is identified as the highest and most important form of prayer. Finally, the host discusses the need for private mental prayer (recommended at least 15 minutes a day) and notes that devotions like the Rosary are tools for mental prayer meant to avoid vain repetition by focusing on meditating on the mysteries of Christ's life. The episode concludes by stressing that Catholics should always be working to improve their prayer life to achieve union with God.