"Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends. We're so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside!" (1)
Warning: Today's topic is of a religious nature. If you don't care to hear it, feel free to move along.
Now, a disclaimer of sorts.
I am not a priest, pastor, or any sort of ordained minister, nor do I claim to be. Also, I'm not trying to tell you what to believe. I am simply offering my own beliefs, based on my own religious experiences.
Still with me? Good....because here we go.
Recently, I ran across this article, which had been re-posted (as "an interesting read") by a good friend of mine (2). I feel that I should rebut some of the author's statements. I preface my words with this; I am a Christian, and thus believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
I must wholeheartedly disagree with the writer's assertion that prayer "doesn't work". To illustrate this belief, let me beg your indulgence, and tell you a story of sorts.
For a moment, let's flash back to 2001. In the weeks and months following my graduation from high school (Class of 2000), things hadn't been going well for me. I found myself having strong feelings of loneliness, as well as bouts of "the blues". That's when a day of unspeakable evil occurred; September 11, 2001. I cannot adequately describe the tragedy and horror of that day; I can only say that it will forever "live in infamy" (3).
Then, things got even worse.
Soon after the 9/11 attacks, my father picked up an apparent case of tuberculosis. The prognosis was not good; I distinctly remember the doctors saying that he might not make it. For me, this was "the straw that broke the camel's back", as I fell into a deep and chronic depression. I began to have suicidal thoughts; on at least one occasion, I actually tried to kill myself. Darkness seemed to consume me; I would not wish a time like this on even my worst enemy.
At that point, I remembered something my father had always said; "when all else fails, turn to God". Having no other way to cope with my troubles, I decided to take his advice; I began to pray.
For seven days straight, I said this prayer (which I now present in an abridged version):
"May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world, now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for (me). Saint Jude, worker of miracles, pray for (me). Saint Jude, helper of the hopeless, pray for (me)" (see Note 1) (4)
Suddenly, things began to turn around, as if a dark cloud had been lifted from me.
The very day after I finished reciting the above prayer, my father's doctors called from the hospital. Lo and behold, what the doctors thought was an infection had disappeared overnight. I still recall the exact words of the head physician, which were "we don't know what happened; we can't explain it". I can only regard this as being a small miracle.
Not long thereafter, another miracle came to me. For the sake of brevity, I will simply say that I met a wonderful girl; a woman who gave me what the French call a "raison d'etre" (see Note 2).
Strange as it may seem, I believe the events that I have just described to be proof positive that God exists, and that prayer does indeed work. To this, myself and the article writer clearly have differing opinions. Keeping the earlier disclaimer in mind, here's my take on the matter.
Perhaps it is that the reason this man's petitions go (seemingly) unanswered is due to a lack of faith. It is obvious to me that he has lost all degree of trust in the Lord. Maybe I'm wrong, but to me, faith and belief go together. It is not enough to say that you are a Christian; in order to be saved, you must believe and trust in God.
Consider Matthew 21:22, which says, "and whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith". The key phrase there is "if you have faith". Indeed, "if you have faith", blessings will surely come your way. However, if you lack faith, good things might be tough to come by.
Now, let us consider Proverbs 3:5-6.
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all your ways, and He will make your paths straight" (5)
To put this another way, it's kind of like the latest movie release, in that God is the film's director. The actors (that is, us) may not understand the director's vision for the movie. Nevertheless, for the film to have any chance to succeed, that vision must be trusted. This is something that a true Christian knows and appreciates.
In any event, I suggest that our intrepid writer may need some time to reflect. Perhaps he should ask himself who he is, what he really believes, and if he likes the face he sees in the mirror. The answers to those questions are not so much found in the mind; they are found in one's soul. I pray that, through looking deep within himself, this man may once again find faith.
Note 1: Along with my personal intentions.
Note 2: "Raison d'etre", noun, French. Reason for being; purpose.
Sources:
1. Emerson, Lake & Palmer. "Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression, Part 2." Brain Salad Surgery. Manticore Records/Atlantic Records/Warner Music Group, 1973.
2. Pavlovitz, John. "Prayer Doesn't Heal People—At Least I Hope Not". Stuff That Needs To Be Said, 2019, https://johnpavlovitz.com/2019/08/27/prayer-doesnt-work/?fbclid=IwAR3qMNQiKgwRPSBcp2zBcFQRSTLiQSkOqLy4qhypYzCo38pTOOJI1RPVc9Y. Accessed 8 June 2021.
3. "Speech By Franklin D. Roosevelt, New York (Transcript)". The Library Of Congress, 1941, https://www.loc.gov/resource/afc1986022.afc1986022_ms2201/?st=text. Accessed 8 June 2021.
4. "The St. Jude Novena, For Desperate Cases". The St. Jude Novena, For Desperate Cases, 2021, https://www.stjude-novena.org/. Accessed 8 June 2021.
5. Chery, Fritz. "30 Encouraging Bible Verses About Faith (Help For Christians)". Bible Reasons | Bible Verses About Various Topics, 2021, https://biblereasons.com/faith/. Accessed 8 June 2021.
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