The Chicago Trib (registration required, sorry) this morning ran a compilation of religious leaders’ answers to the question, “Is it OK to pray for the Cubs?” and our own local hero Trevor Bechtel was one of the luminaries they consulted. (Coincidentally, this was the general topic on which Griff, who went under the knife yesterday and for whom prayers are undeniably appropriate, and Si and I spent a long discussion at Logan Airport waiting for our plane to O’Hare.)
Most of these thinkers indicated greater or lesser degrees of scorn for so mundane a prayer. Trevor, on the other hand, said,
As Christians, we are taught to pray for everything, and that shouldn't ever be construed to exclude the Cubs. The Cubs, certainly in Chicago right now, are an important part of many people's lives. It seems kind of strange that we would leave that out of our prayer life.I think he’s right on the button. We learn to pray well by praying honestly, and Scripture repeatedly admonishes us to pray for whatever we desire — and although I agree with all the heavyweights that there are objects of prayer of more global importance, yet I wonder that theologians think it important for people to censor prayers (and that they know which prayers are justifiable or unjustifiable). “Better not to pray at all than to pray in a way I disdain”? I think not.
Pray for what your heart longs for, and keep learning how to desire most wisely, perhaps in the end learning not to “desire” at all (depending on how you’re deploying that verb). But don’t keep yourself from praying for that which you’ve longed since 1908 — or 1918.
Posted by AKMA at October 9, 2003 11:04 AM | TrackBackOne quality that endeared Father Mills Schenck to me (at St. Luke's) was his prayerful concern for everyone, regardless of whether they moved in church circles. Many's the Monday 7:00 a.m. Mass (at which he celebrated) where he'd offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the birthday of one of his favorite baseball players, or for the health of another one. No compartmentalized prayer life there!
Posted by: Juli at October 9, 2003 09:12 PM"Censor" What a great coincidence this word would come up again. I have been giving a great deal of thought to our conversation around this subject (perhaps a livejournal post?) and am warmed by your words and Trevor's.
Posted by: Jen at October 11, 2003 08:21 PM