Calling on God one prayer at a time

Calling on God one prayer at a time

We learned as children that to reach God one must use prayer.  As youngsters in school the most common prayer was the Pledge of Allegiance.  It was at a later date that the words “Under God” (June 14, 1954) were added that turned it from allegiance to our country and flag alone to an inclusion of God.  Unfortunately, not too long ago the words Under God became an anomaly to some liberal persons and the battle for God’s place in the mouths of children became a right that was removed.  An article dated June 27, 2002 stated that the addition of the words Under God made the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional.  Sounds like our current leaders’ demands to change what we believe. 

Of course, that battle has been brewing for some time as the Ten Commandments is another entity that exists in most Federal Government buildings of law, and has become one of the nuances of liberal ideals and the removal has been a decry from the liberal left.

However, our quest to hold onto an ages old familiarity with God by reaching out to Him through prayer has become the surest manner of becoming familiar with our creator.

To find consolation within the atrociousness of the world we live in can become a task of finding God’s presence that must be circumvented with grace and the faith to hold on to that virtue.  Look all around and notice the many obstacles that confront each one of us no matter how often the struggle to adhere to virtue is a goal that takes immense courage and doesn’t always occur in the time we expect.

Saints, whom we admire, become our heroes and appear to have overcome the very difficulty we ourselves do not seem to emulate.  However, saints are not angels who live in an existence with God, although free will is part of their realm like ours, are human beings with weaknesses that Satan is able to reach in to our psyche and encourage sin through these weak attributes.  

That is why prayer, a most needed element in our struggle when falling from grace, must be sought, constantly.  For instance, the rosary with 50 Hail Mary’s can be used even when praying with just one bead.  Prayer comes from the heart and not in a delegated manner which requires a minimum pattern.  I love the rosary as a fulfilling exercise to God through the Blessed Mother.  There have been times when praying the rosary I fell asleep.  At other times I awoke at night going through the rosary without awareness that I started it.  

An answer to the definition of prayer is our communication with God.  But sometimes Contemplative prayer can supersede verbal prayer since it allows God to reach us without a dialogue.  We need to let God speak and savor the words he will plant in our mind and then use our heart to grow in wisdom.

Remember when Paul asked the Lord to remove the thorn in the flesh he experienced, Jesus told him  “my grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.”  (cf 2 Cor. 12: 8). 

Ralph B. Hathaway, One prayer at a time!