Prayer:

Hello Readers and everyone else listening to the person reading this blog out loud,

It seems that there is some change in the wind on The Former Senator’s Blog. Recently Professor Michael Barber has asked his students to prepare a short, mental dissection on prayer. And because I admire this particular Professor of Theology and Catholic Thought I have decided to obey, also because I want to get an A or A+. Anyway these posts will be happening a lot, this one about prayer. Unlike my other posts I will pledge seriousness out of necessity of A.

I have often defined prayer as communication between God and man. After reading The CCC I have divulged a new definition, “Prayer is raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.” I guess that my original definition was correct, however the Catechism expounds on it. After reading the selections Professor Barber gave us I was surprised by the new knowledge I had found besides the definition of prayer.

For instance, I was excited to see the progression of prayer through the Bible. Prayer, also defined by the CCC to be “search of God”, seems to me to be not necessary for Adam and Eve. Because if Adam and Eve were perfect and in full communion with God as God intended then why would then need to search for Him. Until the fall they were “good”. From there prayer starts very simply. One of Abraham’s first prayers according to the Catechism was building an alter. This was a prayer of action, which reminds me of a Saint Francis quote, “Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary use words.” Then Jacob wrestles with an unnamed being who blesses him. Jacob’s prayer did not take on words, but did come into closer physical contact with God. Moses encounters God in the form of a burning bush and then on top of mountains. His prayers seem like a conversation between himself and God. The idea that came to mind and that I am trying to explain is that God might have evolved prayer as He grew His people. It also seems to me that God can encounter His sons and daughters in different ways according to the way in which He created them.

Also another interesting thought that came up in my readings is that prayer was first made as an essential action in man much like breathing. To stay physically alive one must breathe and eat and so on. To stay spiritually alive one must pray. That is why Adam and Eve died when they ate of the fruit of the tree. Prayer was suppose to be easy and natural to humanity, now it is a struggle for us to pray since the fall. To get back to where we were spiritually in Eden, we need o be in prayer constantly. But besides prayer we need something else to live. “Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you shall have no life within you.” I think Jesus is talking about a spiritual death here.

I was forwarded a striking statement from Pro. Barber’s freshmen class, something to the effect of, “Abortion is a horrible thing, but at least they still have their souls intact. However the millions of teenagers who look at pornography may still have their earthly life, but their souls are dead.” That statement reminds me of the where my focus should be in the short life I have. Sometimes I forget where I could end up if I died, and I certainly forget the beauty and fullness of heaven as well. How wonderful it must be to experience the Lord for a minute? I can remember times in the past where my relationship with God was much stronger and my prayers were more meaningful and plentiful, and I remember the beauty of life and the joy and grace that entered my into heart. I can only imagine that sort of feeling of God’s presence forever. To know that I can reach closer to that peace and joy by prayer at any moment is encouraging to me, so I am going to stop typing and go appreciate the beautiful life God has blessed me with and raise my mind and heart to God.