LORD, HEAR MY PRAYER

I spoke to God today. That may not seem like much of a revelation. However, actually, I must admit that I don’t pray nearly as often as I should. I experience the Divine in many ways. However, tonight, I just felt the need to talk to God. Usually, when I need to talk to God, I write a letter, but I decided I would use my time driving home from playing for church choir practice to communicate with God.

I always feel like I’m rambling when I say my prayers out loud. I’ve just never been able to make it seem like a coherent conversation. It’s just a bunch of words with little substance. Tonight, I imagine, wasn’t much different, but it did give me a feeling like I had at least reached out to God.

What did I ask God for? Well, I told God that I didn’t know why I’m going through the things I’m going through—not having a primary job, why the relationship with Wynn ended, but that I had complete faith that God is in control of the situation, so I’m not going to worry. I thanked God for the amazing people who are part of my life. Never in my life have there been so many incredible that I love and trust so much. Never have I felt such a sense of being cared for and about. That’s a wonderful, powerful thing. Truth be told, it’s probably what gets me through each day.

So, I spoke to God tonight. I spoke with St. Joseph, too. St. Joseph didn’t really help me with the selling of my house, but St. Joseph has pulled through a few other times for me…maybe I should start asking St. Anthony for help, too. HE always helps me find my lost things! Ok, so, you Protestants reading this are thinking I’ve lost it. But, while I don’t believe EVERYTHING my Catholic faith teaches me, I do believe in the powerful communion of the saints. I do believe the Saints come to our aid, if only we ask.

Here’s my confession: Prayer is something I believe in, it’s just not something I do as much as I should. Prayer is a powerful tool, perhaps the most powerful tool we have as human beings. However, as I said earlier, I experience the Divine in many ways—I experience the Divine when I sit down at the piano, when I listen to a beautiful piece of music, when I see a beautiful Alabama sunset. Maybe prayer is different for all of us. I’m not sure. What I do know is that prayer works…however we go about it—whether it is writing a letter to God, keeping a prayer journal, using prayer beads or a Rosary, if we are speaking our most eloquent words or just rambling things off the top of our heads or even if we are just sitting in the silence of a darkened room. The most important thing to remember about prayer is that it is communication. Communication is not—or at least shouldn’t be—one sided. Communication involves not only taking our needs to God in the way we choose to offer up those needs, but also listening, watching, seeking the answer to those petitions. God doesn’t always answer prayers the way we think they are going to be answered. There is rarely a booming voice from the Heavens or a clap of thunder to awaken us. But, just as there are many ways for us to petition the Divine, there are just as many (or more) ways for the Divine to respond to our prayers. So, tonight, I say what is said during the reading of the general intercessions at mass. Lord, hear our prayer.