Writing project: on prayer (part 2)

On the way home from Holy Mass (or was it last night before I fell asleep?) I was thinking about what I was going to write here, and how I might begin to get some order into the many curious ideas I could examine under this topic of prayer.

The first thing I realized is that, true to my discipline as a Computer Scientist, I must set up the definitions or axioms upon which I will build the rest of the structure. And the first one is what prayer is.

What is prayer?

As you may know from this Blogg, or from your own, there is a thing called a "template" which is a kind of starting point - a framework - into which one's own special distinctions are introduced. (I am not getting formal on you, so don't worry.) But I am going to use this idea of a template and make an analogy in order to help get things started.

And so I ask: What is a cow?

Or, to put it another way: When I say the word "cow" what comes into your head? For me, I see a black-and white cow, with a bell around its neck, standing by a fence in a grassy meadow. It is facing left, and chewing some of the grass. You, if country-born, may see a completely different view (involving getting up early and certain smells) than one who is city-born (as I am). But there are going to be some common elements, and I will answer them as a child, not as a scientist.

What is a cow? (1) it is a kind of animal. (2) It gives milk. (3) It eats grass. (4) It usually lives on a farm or ranch. Oh yes, scientists know that the child's "cow" is the common word for the female of the domestic ox (Bos taurus); "cow" is a general word for the female of a variety of mammals. But the "female of the domestic ox" is a kind of animal that gives milk, eats grass, and generally lives on a farm or ranch - how to balance these two views and get more information? (The best answer is to go and see a cow, if you dare. But we are not dealing with cows so let us proceed.)

So what is prayer? What do you have in your mind about it? (This book is part of what is in mine.) Do you see a kneeling child with folded hands? The "Our Father" aka "The Lord's Prayer"? A rosary? A book of prayers?

It's harder to explain "prayer" than "cow" because it is not a substantial thing, something we can see or touch, or even draw pictures of, for then we might imagine the grass it stands on, or the bell around its neck.

But in each case there are some common things which even a child knows, and some things which specialists will point out. The first common thing is prayer is a means of communication. The second is that it is a personal act, though it may also be done with other people. The third is that it has to do with God. The fourth is that (all too often) a prayer is a request or entreaty that something be done or accomplished or altered.

Now I also recognize that there are some very bothersome aspects about this term for some people. Some take a narrow view and make "pray" identical to "worship." For them, this whole study may be borderline or blatant blasphemy. Others take a vague view and class it with anything from "daydream" or "contemplate" to "meditate" - though this last word has two totally opposite meanings. [I may explore this in an appendix; I don't know yet.] Still others broaden "prayer" to any act relating to, or suggestive of, religion or religious activity.

"Prayer" comes from the Latin prex, which means a prayer, request or entreaty. "Pray" is currently used in certain legal settings, and simply means "ask." Sometimes, in older novels we might read phrases like "What have you been up to, pray tell?" - just a fancy way of saying "I ask you to tell me." "Pray" also has the meaning of "the offering of adoration, confession (others say contrition), thanksgiving, supplication to God." Clearly, for those who adhere to the First Commandment (however they are numbered, it comes out the same) that "adoration" can only apply to God, though most of us certainly will say words of contrition, thanksgiving, or supplication to our fellow human beings.

Just what to do, then? Hmmm ... then, is it a terrible sin to ask someone to pass the mustard? To apologize for spilling it on her dress? Or to thank her for passing it? Wait a second. What is going on here? OK, this must mean we need to get into this meaning more precisely. And among the most interesting and critical points to be explored are these:

1. Are there perhaps different kinds of prayer?
2. What about asking someone to pray for someone else? Is that a prayer too?
3. What about those who have died? Have they been disconnected from our communications? Or is it perhaps merely that we never hear them reply?

We shall proceed after this pause for more typing, and your comments. Please do not push as you attempt to get to the keyboard, you may spill the mustard.

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I know you are all screaming "Hurry up, Doctor, we all wanted to read the high tech stuff about heaven." Sorry, but it will take some work to get there. Just be patient. If you have a nice Beethoven symphony (like say number 9) get it out and listen to it. You'll need it later.