Q U I C K S C A N

What do we mean by mystery?
Who is the God we pray to?
Did Jesus teach us to pray?
Why pray? Doesn’t God know everything?

Readers reflect on Friar Jack’s musings

by Friar Jim Van Vurst, O.F.M.

The topic of prayer might cause some readers a bit of conflict.  On the one hand, our faith tells us that God undoubtedly listens and responds to our prayers. But on the other hand, some of us might wonder whether or not God has really responded to our requests in the past. This is an honest concern about one of the deepest mysteries of our faith.

In fact, we can add a few other questions about prayer that might consume us: If God knows everything, then why bother praying? Is prayer a waste of time? Would a person show greater faith if he or she didn’t beg for things, trusting that God would always provide? Other good questions about prayer might rumble around in our minds from time to time. By the way, such questions are not a sign of lack of faith on our part; they are simply our desire to try to find answers.

What do we mean by mystery?

First of all, we have to understand that our relationship with God is filled with mystery. I’ve mentioned before, however, that a mystery is not when we don’t know anything; rather, it is when we don’t know everything.

Imagine this setting: You are sitting on the beach in California, looking out at the vast Pacific Ocean. In your hand you hold a teaspoon. If the Pacific Ocean represents God’s wisdom and knowledge and the teaspoon symbolizes your human capacity to understand the mysteries of God, then you have some little idea of how gigantic the distance between God’s knowledge and ours is. In fact, it’s infinite. Thus, it is essential that we accept the reality that we can never fully understand almighty God more than Job could when he was trying to figure out what he had done so wrong to suffer so much. But that does not mean that we are in a hopeless situation. Not at all.

Who is the God we pray to?

God is creator, giver of all life and the one whom Jesus called Father (Mt 9:1). Jesus talks about the relationship we have with God and God with us. We are dear to God beyond our wildest dreams. We are not just God’s creation; we are his children, made in God’s image and likeness. God loves us so much that he would die for us—and as a matter of fact, Jesus, son of God, did exactly that. Parents truly love their children, but God’s love for his children is infinite. Even knowing that, we still have questions.

Did Jesus teach us to pray?

There is one thing we can never doubt: Praying is what God wants us to do. It’s what Jesus taught his disciples to do with the incomparable Our Father. It is what Jesus, in his human nature, did himself. Jesus prayed before choosing his apostles (Lk 6:13-14); he prayed in raising the dead to life (Jn 11:41ff); he prayed during the Last Supper (Jn 17:1-26); he prayed during the Passion in the garden (Mk 14:35); and he prayed as he hung on the cross (Lk 23:34). 

What is marvelous about all this is that, in more than one instance, we know the very words Jesus offered to his Father in his prayer. We really don’t need to find another reason to pray: It is Jesus’ teaching for all his disciples.

However, we would pray even if Jesus didn’t teach us, because that is our nature. When we find ourselves in great danger or struggling with a major problem, we inevitably discover that we are praying. When in danger, we feel very small, helpless and inadequate. We instinctively seek the aid of the person we believe the most powerful. Even as children, our first reaction to fear was to turn to mother, who in our little eyes could keep us safe. Ever hear the saying, “There are no atheists in foxholes”? An atheist may deny that, probably not from the foxhole.

Why pray? Doesn’t God know everything?

Yes, indeed. God knows all. But we are called to prayer to inform God of our needs. God doesn’t need our prayers. We pray because we need to remind ourselves of our relationship with God and to remind ourselves of our needs and the needs of others.

Would we display more faith if we didn’t pray and just let God help us? Well, that’s what we do most of the time. We trust the Lord to care for us. In fact, there are simply too many things that we are not even aware of. We could never completely know our needs much less the needs of all those people important to us. Practically speaking, part of our faith is putting ourselves in the providential hands of God.

As far as God knowing the future (and he surely does), some might ask, “What does prayer matter since the future is going to happen anyway?" It does matter. What happens down the road is determined by what we do in the present. God knows the future certainly, but our lives today, with our unique circumstances , are very much involved in bringing about the future. And so we pray for what we believe to be best for us and our loved ones just as Jesus said, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Friar Jack’s Inbox

Readers respond to Friar Jack’s musings on “‘I See His Blood Upon the Rose’: Revisiting a Great Love Poem.”

Dear Friar Jack: Thank you so much for this wonderful poem, which I learned at school in Dublin, Ireland. It has always been one my favorites. I visited Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin where Joseph Mary Plunkett’s life was taken. I can picture those terrible events but thank God for the words written to his Lord on his last days on this earth. Thank you so much for bringing me back to my childhood days in Dublin. Rosalie

Dear Friar Jack: Thank you for republishing this poem for those of us that were not on board for the first time. I am always aware of God's gifts to me when looking at nature. But this poem helps me to focus on him in nature. I love planting a flower garden and thank him for how beautiful it looks when it's grown. Then, I see wildflowers and think, “I can’t beat that!” Kay

Dear Friar Jack: What a beautiful poem that not only describes God's universe and his love for mankind, but also the life of Christ. It took a severe illness and my heart to stop to get me to notice God’s green trees, his birds singing and the awesome flowers that he created. My life is now in service to others, and I thank God and you for the opportunity to stop and read a poem of such majesty. Thank you so much for sending me this e-mail. Gordon

Dear Friar Jack: I have loved this poem from the first time I heard it recited by Bishop Fulton Sheen on an audiotape. This poem fills my heart with such love for our Lord as I look around this earth and see him reflected in all of nature. What a gift to be a poet like Plunkett and to capture the beauty of nature with the face of Christ. Thank you for your thoughts and reflections on each line. I appreciate your thoughts. Also, I thought you did a good job when you did the same type of reflection on the Anima Christi. I printed it out and often read it during eucharistic adoration. God bless you. Susan

Dear Susan: I thank you and all the others who responded enthusiastically to “I See His Blood Upon the Rose.” I received a lot of e-mail this time. To tell you the truth, it was Bishop Sheen who first introduced this poem to me on one of this weekly television programs called Life Is Worth Living back in the late 1950’s. What a great voice Bishop Sheen had and what a precious poetic and religious experience this has been for me! Thanks again for your letters. Friar Jack

Send your feedback to friarjack@americancatholic.org.

The best-selling spiritual classic is now available in an unabridged audiobook!
Listen to a sample clip.

A free monthly e-newsletter for catechetical leaders. The focus is parish catechesis beyond textbooks and classrooms.
Click here to find the latest issue.

The classic primer on prayer is now available in an unabridged audio edition.
Listen to a free sample clip online.

Sample book chapters, audio clips and video clips before purchasing items from St. Anthony Messenger Press. Click here to find new releases by your favorite authors.

The essential handbook for all those seeking to pray and live the Franciscan way.
Click here for details.

Send beautiful, free Catholic e-greetings for birthdays, summer vacations and many other occasions.
Click here for details.

Our daily meditations offer a quiet spot in your busy day for prayer and reflection.
Learn more here.

This book gathers a diverse selection of prayers and devotions from the rich traditions of the Church, both ancient and contemporary. A Servant Book.  
Read a free sample online.

This enduring best-seller for family prayer makes a wonderful gift for weddings, anniversaries and many other occasions.
View a free sample online .

Sr. Karen Berry offers a comprehensive, user-friendly resource for community prayer.  
Read a free sample online.