Sunday, December 6, 2009

How do we say our prayers? Latin vs. English ?

Many these days have shown interest in saying their prayers in latin, which i find nothing wrong about. Since our rich Catholic heritage have mostly taken its roots in the middle east where during the Roman occupation then the dialect used was mostly in latin, a Roman language.

In the so-called esoteric circles, it is most widely accepted that prayers used in its original purest form are deemed to be the powerful ones in this case latin for the matter. However, if we are to look back during the times of our Lord Jesus and His disciples, the prayers and even the dialect then being used by the Jews is the Aramaic a semitic language along with arabic. Prayers uttered and taught by our Lord Jesus in the aramaic are very powerful indeed. If this is the case then, where is the place of latin prayers or to put it simply does prayers uttered in latin inferior to the original (aramaic)? Similarly, as between the latin and the english language which we are accustomed to, is the latter far inferior than the former? The answer is no. Prayers does not depend on the language in which it is being used, what is important is that what was being uttered was done prayerfully or that which proceeded out of one's heart without any hesitation, meaning the same was done in utter purity of one's own being.

The problem with the present thought espoused by some is that, the prayers they teach or proposed are powerful and worthy of clinging on to. We must remember the simple the prayer, the one which God tends to hear first. That is why in the scriptures, we are urged in the Gospels to become more like little children. Children are oftentimes seen as very simple devoid of any complexities whatsoever. When they asked for something, it more of direct and in plain language. If we should follow this teaching, then it will not really matter what medium of language should we used, what is really important is that we have FAITH. And it is faith which makes our prayers heard. God bless to all.

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