Prayer Is Not A Bad Word

 Is it popular now to end a conversation with “Prayers and love”?

I’ve noticed it happening a lot. Facebook has tons of people sending prayers for other people, or asking for prayers for themselves.

General conversation might well include the phrase, “praying for you (or the family, or a particular person.)”

I think it’s a wonderful thing. Others think it’s a superficial, trendy, empty phrase, like “See ya,” or “Have a good day.”

Thinking back to my Catholic upbringing, I believe prayer was part of my DNA in both its casual and formal way. I don’t remember whether my mother and father taught me and my eight brothers and sisters to think of God as accessible, but we did. I do remember that the nuns who taught us in school made sure we had the formal Catechetical knowledge about God’s place in our universe. Prayer seemed more private then. We prayed, but didn’t announce it.

So, where am I going with this?

Well, it seems a lot of us have learned some things about prayer.

First, it isn’t a dirty word. We feel pretty good about letting others know we care about them and saying so out loud or in writing.

Then, we feel secure enough in our beliefs to acknowledge there is A Supreme God who listens to us. (Or maybe we feel so insecure in a disintegrating world that we desperately need to believe in a God who listens and works miracles.)

You know what? It doesn’t matter. It only matters that we have faith; that we know there are things we can’t control and that there is a far greater Someone who can help if we ask.

Do I believe God answers every prayer?

Yes. I do.  But I believe He answers in ways we don’t always understand, which is why we have to trust. It isn’t always easy.

I know absolutely that asking God to take care of others makes us better people. I know that asking God for counsel can open us to new ways of thinking.

I know that right now, when I say, whoever you are, whatever your need, I pray for you, it is meant to be a blessing.

Prayer. A good thing.