There is a graffitti in the town I live that reads:
“I pray God to never forget He exists”
Indeed, this seems to me a prayer quite concordant with the times. We have so many problems, unsolvable problems, that praying God for the solution is not the way. Perhaps I think God must be too busy to oblige in each and every case He is troubled by people.
Churches conduct collective prayers in the churches, they - all of them: Jewish, Muslim, Christians - try to unite their parishioners in prayer to God.
In this connection I remember the parable by Jesus that I was taught when I was a kid: The Publican and the Pharisee, both praying in the Temple.
The Pharisee prayed in a loud, boastful voice and compared his prayer to that of the Publican who very quietly prayed by his side, despising the Publican for his humble attitude towards God.
Jesus wanted, with this parable, to show the real value of prayer.
But along the years Christians who - like me - were taught to follow the teachings of Christ, have amazingly observed as those recommentations have changed considerably, at least inside the Catholic Church. Prayers are said in a loud voice, jointly by all present and led by the practicing priest.
In my opinion prayers are a very particular, inner way to try to get spiritual soothing to our problems. Prayers should be individual and, also in my opinion, collectively praying weakens the very essence of the plight we are going under. Prayers should not conform with established texts, the innermost self should compose in each case how every one should ask for help.
Not that we are going to get that help, but at least we might feel more comfortable, more satisfied that we have done everything possible to solve our problem, or any other one’s for that matter.
Posted in Religion
