My flip-flops slapped at the grass as I did my best to sprint across campus in the dark. It was nearly 9 p.m., and the cool night air lay still, as if waiting for me to sweep through the quad. Moments earlier I had been seated at my desk in the corner of a cramped room on the fourth floor of McVinney Hall, alternating my gaze from the glaring, empty computer screen to the still unfamiliar walls, as I willed myself not to cry. I spotted the Mass schedule that I had conveniently tacked to the wall, and out of curiosity -- or boredom -- I read the Mass times. I barely managed to mumble a quick, "I'll be back later," to my roommate, before slipping out the door.
I stumbled into one of the dark wooden pews, just as the priest began his short, solo procession from the sacristy to the altar. I had run toward the chapel to be on time, but I was running from some things, too: the work that had already piled up, the hideous dorm showers, the loneliness that I had felt since my arrival a few weeks earlier.
The chapel was nearly silent. It was not the awkward silence of sharing a room with someone I hardly knew, or the silence of sitting alone at lunch. It was a warm, comforting quiet that felt like home, and I felt no pressure to speak. Here, in the presence of God, I was no longer a nameless freshman, walking in a wandering herd. I bore no label. I was still scared, unsure and looking for the place where I fit in. But I was no longer alone. God knew me, knew why I was there, and felt no need to make small talk about my major, or my hometown.
I began to go to daily Mass whenever I could make the time. I made a habit of talking to God no matter where I was, or how I felt -- grateful, angry, excited, lonely -- and I gained strength from our prayerful friendship.
One year later, I hurried toward the chapel for what felt like the millionth time. The construction of a new, larger chapel had been completed since my freshman year, and I could see the steeple from across the quad. I had made a hasty exit after my Habitat for Humanity meeting, and as I walked I checked my watch. I would make it. I slid into a pew beside a group of my friends. After Mass we would probably head to the student center where, over a cup of hot chocolate and a bag of gummy worms, we could discuss anything from my Shakespeare class, to the adventures of being a resident assistant, to my preparations to study abroad. But now, we sat together in the familiar silence.
In the months since my desperate sprint to Mass, it had become obvious that the comfort I felt there extended beyond the walls of the chapel. It was available in all places, at any time, whenever I turned to God in quiet prayer. Sometimes, the hardest part is simply finding the words to begin. This process can seem overwhelming, but a dialogue with God does not need to take on a specific form, and we do not need to be intimidated by the idea. God shares our desire for this intimate conversation in prayer, too, and welcomes us whether we rush in desperation toward Christ's comfort, or simply sit quietly, letting the peace of Christ wash over us, like a still night air anticipating our arrival.
Kerry Weber is an associate editor for America, and author of 'Keeping the Faith: Prayers for College Students' (Twenty-Third Publications). This piece is an excerpt from that introduction to the book. Reprinted with the permission of Twenty-Third Publications, which retains all rights. Follow her on Twitter: @Kerry_Weber.
Follow Kerry Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Kerry_Weber
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After having carefully considered all of the alleged forms of communication with god (any god), I have come to the conclusion that if god(s) has spoken to Man, there is no evidence of it. I am talking of evidence admissible in a court of law. I say this because hearsay, dreams, angels, myths, legends and more are not admissible evidence.
If supernatural communication is invoked, then any and all presumed supernatural contact is as valid as any other. In other words one religion is as valid as any other when it comes to communicating with god(s).
The principle of Inaccessism stipulates that Man cannot access any divine entity and that such an entity cannot access Man, reciprocally.
Moreover, if there is no communication, it is as if there were no entity.
Who will here proclaim it?
Whence was it produced?
Whence is this creation?
The gods came afterwards, with the creation of this universe.
Who then knows whence it has arisen?”
OK, not never. When he does answer, it's usually instructions for shooting everyone in an ice cream parlor.
After all, when and if a god communicates through natural means, He can, theoretically be detected, I presume, and thus scientifically revealed, bringing hope of scientific proof. However, if this god, or any other, resides in a supernatural domain and He can only communicate essentially, if not strictly, through supernatural means.
And, you cannot have it both ways. Either one can access god by natural means, and therefore can, in theory, prove it, or one can access Him only through supernatural means, in which case one has to admit to possess supernatural powers.
The principle of Inaccessism stipulates that Man cannot access any divine entity and that such an entity cannot access Man, reciprocally. Moreover, if there is no communication, it is as if there were no entity.
I welcome your thoughts.
His answer was; “pray to god, ask Him, and He will tell you”. Sounds nice and easy, but it is a disingenuous, self-destructive response. Why?
Because if god were to give an honest response to this prayer, and god is not mischievous (I hope), we would have all received the same answer, over the last two thousand years, and we would all be members of the same unique, true religion.
I welcome your thoughts.
Would you sacrifice your children for him? I think not. I sure wouldn't.
Trust yourselves. You are giving outside sources WAY too much credit for your consciousness. Im not saying I have the answers, but I am saying that Im certain that the God of Abraham is a fictitious bread winner for the church. There is no sin. Just guilt.
Having conversation with God is a traditional Jewish meditation. There are many forms of meditation. Conversation with God is one of many. In form Jewish meditation shares much with the East.
God makes a great friend and is an excellent listener.
How does one validate (prove) the communication through prayer or sacrifice. Secondly, how does one recognize and validate a response from, say god(s)?
I am all for finding one's own concept of the universe, or Belief, but I find Religion obsolete and too imperialistic.
You may be completely correct, but how does anyone know that God is calling? In modern times, at least, God appears to be undetectable. If a person is looking for a feeling, that is not proof that the feeling that arrives is a message from God.
John 9:31 makes it very clear that God does not listen to everybody's prayer.
"We know that God listens only to people who love and obey him. God doesn't listen to sinners"
God listened to the plea of one of the worst kings in the Bible, a man who married the evil Jezebel and who was a sinner all his life. Ahab was given help by God as a way of showing God's power. God listened in this case simply to prove his power in battle.
God is also loving and merciful. "He does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) Constantly giving in to weakness hinders us from attaining God's favor. Since God does not ignore our weaknesses, neither should we.
We cannot deliberately continue to disobey God's commands and expect to have to just be forgiven about everything.