Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Prayer fulfills nature, women say
The horrors of the Holocaust. The world wars and what they meant on the home front. These are topics that historian Jean Pedersen teaches her students at the University of Rochester and Eastman School of Music. Still, as a matter of faith, she believes that even in the darkest moments of human history, God is there.
”I pray that I might be able to find those moments of light in the darkness … to know that there is, because of God, always reason to hope,” she says.
Women’s history, which was celebrated this month, hasn’t always been filled with joyous moments, either, but the women of today — the women making the history of tomorrow — have hope for their families, hope for their country, hope for healing and peace.
And hope for their prayers, even when life seems to be a labyrinth.
”I pray as a mother, embracing the world as a mother embraces her child,” says Patricia E. LaRosa, an Episcopalian who lives in Rochester. “There are so many places of war and struggle and pain, so I hold the world in my arms and reassure it that there is still hope because of a mother’s love. … Mothers are powerful pray-ers. Mothers are powerful people — whether you are a biological mother or not.”
Prayer brings out the very nature of women, which is often nurturing and full of unconditional love, says Walesia Cates, a physician, national lecturer and author of Holy Spirit Mother.
”The prayers that we pray tell us of our own need,” she says. “It’s just like authors: They write the books that they need to read.”
Historically, women have been marginalized in spiritual activities, Cates says, and that’s why she believes women’s prayers have the deepest hope. “Our prayers were more in a survival mode, but now we’re moving past that to a flourishing mode.”
Women today are more confident spiritually, she says, adding that instead of looking to men for answers, women are approaching God and understanding where their power comes from.
Relationships and social concerns tend to dominate.
The prayers of Poonam Mehta, a third-grade teacher at Rochester’s School 35, are proof of that.
”I pray for a less challenging and materialistic society,” says Mehta, who is a Hindu. “I pray that we spend time and be passionate with our children to ensure they will have a healthy youth and healthy future.”
Gerhardt’s own prayer life changed four years ago when 9-month-old Virginia Joy joined her home. Now many of her prayers center on her daughter. And her daughter prays for her, too.
Gerhardt loves listening to Virginia’s prayers, which lately have mentioned Virginia’s grandfather, who is ill. But one of Gerhardt’s favorite memories is when Virginia said, “Mommy, when I pray it feels like God is laughing in my heart.”
”I think women are very consistent when it comes to things like this,” Alfreda Brown says. “When women pray, it’s like a support group. There’s an emotional attachment to prayer.”
”People want to see spirituality in the normalness of life,” says Sue Staropoli, who for years has been encouraging people to keep gratitude journals — even before Oprah Winfrey made them popular. “If we believe God is continually showering us with blessings, how many have we received?”
Sister Ann Caufield, one of the Sisters of Mercy, is often thankful that she can get out of bed. Arthritis makes the mornings challenging for a woman who volunteers to make prayer shawls.
”Work is also a prayer,” Caufield says, mentioning feeding and clothing the poor. “When you put your heart and soul into it, God works through you.”
Permalink
