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Who Needs Prayer?
By Nora Quiason
Prayer has been a big part of my life, starting from my mother and grandmother teaching me prayers to prayers taught in Catholic school to finding my own way of praying. In my adult years, I have taken the Jesuits' way of praying and added my yoga practice. Upon awakening, I spend a few minutes to dedicate my day and submit my will to divine will. When I do this, I am prepared to meet the day because I know that whatever happens is what is supposed to be. Not that unpleasant things or even catastrophe won't happen but events unfold because it may be a lesson I have to learn or an opportunity to play a role in someone else' path. During the day, I say small prayers for things big and small like help for Haiti or thanks for the wonder of a beautiful sunset or the smell of leaves after the rain. Before I go to bed, I reflect on what the day has been and give thanks for all that have been given, a kind act from someone, my car getting fixed, my loved ones' safety. I reflect on my unloving choices and actions. I lay them at the foot of God as part of my human condition to be transformed. This has guided me for many years that hardly anything bothers me any more for more than a few minutes. However desperate a situation may seem, I know a solution is forthcoming. Who needs prayer? God is God and certainly does not need our prayer. We pray because we need to reconnect to God as the prime source, the prime creator and the love that flows into all of creation. As we become enamored with this world, we forget where we came from. Prayer allows our soul to remember that in our true selves we are already perfect, that we were never born and we will never die and that we are always loved. We travel in a body that has forgotten its divine nature. We need to be reminded that we are from God and therefore we are good regardless of how we feel or act at the moment. We need to be reminded that God flows into all creation, thus we are all connected. Anything we do to harm anyone hurts ourselves and anything we do to help anyone and the planet simply enhances us in the end. In prayer, we can become accountable for our choices and our behaviors without anyone else' judgment. In prayer we can resolve to be the good beings that we are whose body and ego often make mistakes. In prayer, we create the reality that we ask for. In prayer, we still our minds from chatter to make that space between our thoughts wider and wider until we are able to hear the voice of God that has always been there. No, God does not need prayer. We do.
Nora Quiason is a physician and an online book seller. She also writes articles on senior living, book reviews,health care and earth consciousness.
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Prayer in the Jesuit Tradition
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 |  | gembiz agreed with this intel. Feb 23, 2011 |
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Nora, I believe we ARE our own souls, rather than we HAVE a soul. Having been raised Catholic, too, I see that the perfection you describe within us all is true, yet I take that to a point of "cause" and not "effect." What I mean is, we are capable of changing what happens to us by intending or postulating such events and conditions into existence.
I respect your viewpoints and your beliefs and I consider there is knowingness above belief, too.
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks for the comment. I agree with your point. I see people taking hold of their destiny time after time and creating the reality they choose.
Thank you for sharing this inspiring intel, Nora.
Best to you.
Frederick
I believe that all people need prayer, especially those who profess not to believe in God. I try to remember unbelievers when I pray.
Like you, I begin my day by praying while I lie in bed. Most days it is a very simple 'Here I am God, ready.'
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thank you for the comment. I agree, we all pray in our own way whether or not we acknowledge praying. It's as easy as saying thank you to no one in particular.
Great intel. I loved reading your thoughts on prayer, thanks.
By maintaining a relationship with God, we will get the spirit to overcome all the problems
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Amen and thank you.
Statistically prayer is not good for the ill. Those that rely on and know they are being prayed for are likely to die faster than those that did not rely on prayer
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
It is a good point. There is a saying. Pray as if everything depended on prayer. Work as if everything depended on work. There are avenues given to us to solve our problems. I believe that even as we pray, we must also take responsibility for our own well being. Why must God have to do everything?
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