In Part One, Chapter 4 of Phenomenology of Prayer entitled Prayer as Kenosis, James R. Mensch makes a point about praying to
God that I had never considered before. He suggests that by asking for objects
or even “trading” with God for an object or favor, we are limiting ourselves to
an “earthly economy.” Not only does God not need our favors, but he probably
doesn’t understand the want for objects as he has no need for them. The point
of religion is often to be a more perfect human being and, in a way, trying to reflect
the perfection of our preferred God. By asking for favors or objects, we are
actually often separating ourselves from our preferred God, quite the opposite of
what was intended. At least that is how I understood it.
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