Prayer in Christmas

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Yesterday I found in NY Times an op-ed with the name The Moral Animal. It was making a conjunction between evolutionism and religion. I have encountered such opinions also before: that religion appeared at some point in the beginnings of humanity, due to the necessity of primitive communities to survive: individuals could better survive within organized communities, and religion offered the organizational backbone. Maybe it is true up to a point. The importance of myths and rituals in a Darwinian perspective: in the struggle for survival, the most fitted individuals are those that are part of a community, and the most fitted communities are those disciplined by myths and rituals. Even atheistic societies are careful to cultivate their own atheistic mythology and atheistic rituals.

This is when we consider the collective faith. Let's talk also about the individual. I had in my life moments of faith and moments of skepticism. And I am sure this will continue toward the end. Sometimes you simply need to pray. Some other times you simply cannot believe any more. Or some other times you don't need the faith, as you feel it as a too tight coat for you. Then moments come when you simply need to pray again. Then moments come when you simply cannot pray any more, as you cannot believe any more. When you loose someone very dear to you, life appears as useless, makes no sense, and faith becomes also useless, senseless. Then, when life offers you great satisfactions and great enthusiasm, faith gets again useless, as you have everything here and now. And suddenly the need for prayer will arise, through fear or through love.

I found today an article in NY Times where the author was telling in great sincerity a similar chain of experiences within faith and out of faith. I was deeply touched.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/opinion/a-prayer-at-christmas.html?smid=fb-share

(Psalter)