BRATTLEBORO — I am really grateful to Susie Webster-Toleno for writing this piece and to The Commons for publishing it.
If prayer were nothing more than a psychological pill or a mindless ritual, it would be cruel to disregard all the tragedy and injustice in the world with a bland “You're in our prayers.”
But I have, and I know many others also have, found tangible comfort and strength and healing in earnest and sincere prayer, and in the prayers of others on our behalf.
These words of Mary Baker Eddy seem fitting: “The test of all prayer lies in the answer to these questions: Do we love our neighbor better because of this asking? Do we pursue the old selfishness, satisfied with having prayed for something better, though we give no evidence of the sincerity of our requests by living consistently with our prayer?”
I think it's that living consistently that Susie was talking about. Prayer helps us know what we need to know to make a difference in the lives of others.