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Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Bargaining with God

Remember when Abraham bargained with God?  Genesis 18: 20-32  God was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham asked the Lord to spare them for the sake of fifty innocent people.  I guess there weren't fifty innocent because Abraham got Him to accept ten innocent people.  Well, I was thinking of different kinds of praying and realized that bargaining with God, is a legitimate prayer.  I don't recommend it because you may get what you bargained for, besides God's sense of humour seems to be at our expense.!

As a child, I used to bargain with God.  When I was in the fifth grade, I bargained with God to win a softball game.  We tied.  The promise was to pray every night, every single prayer I knew.

Since that worked, not exactly, but that's God's sense of humor, I felt that I still obligated to keep my part of the deal.  So for quite a while, (and it was a burden) I prayed every single prayer I knew.

In the seventh grade, I was in another softball game, and I really, really, wanted to win.  And I made the same bargain.  And I knew a few more prayers--long ones!  Salve Regina, the Apostle's Creed, The Confiteor, and thank God, I didn't promise a Rosary.

We tied.  Again.  You would have thought I had learned my lesson, the first time.

I dutifully, prayed every single prayer I knew, every single night.  It was a terrible burden.  I hated it, but I did it.  I'd cry while praying, but I promised and a promise is a promise.

Finally, I talked to a priest about it, and he said I could stop.  Truthfully, I forget what the priest said, except for the important fact that I wasn't obligated to continue.

Besides, God cheated.  He knew I wanted to win, not tie.  Sometimes, God yanks our chain.




Galilean Fish Broil

BIBLICALLY BROILED FISH This Lenten recipe comes from “A Continual Feast.”  Note the beautiful story of Jesus appearing to the apostles on t...