What does it mean to pray? The word itself, we might remember from our time reading Shakespeare, means “to beg,” as in, “I pray thee, good Mercutio…” (Romeo and Juliet, III.1). One might think of the fervor of the tax collector who stood in the back of the temple begging the Lord for forgiveness, as the Pharisee mumbled the words of his religious script in a kind of spiritual performance (Lk 18:9-14). Or, of course, we have the image of Jesus, in the garden, on the night before he died, so stressed out by the decision he has to make that he was literally sweating drops of blood, begging his heavenly father to deliver him from his impending trial (Lk 22:41-44). Are we comfortable with such a messy version of prayer? Does begging the Lord threaten the warmth and safety of our prayer cocoon? Are we willing to take a risk on real prayer at the expense of our devotional formulas and postures of piety? Lord, I beg you, make me prayerful so that my prayer may be you.
Ave Crux, Spes Unica.