Have you ever thought about prayer as participation with God in creating a new reality? What if prayer were actually a force or form of energy that God uses to mold the future? I am not saying that it is, but it is an intriguing thought—that we become co-creators with the Divine.
Many who have had Near Death Experiences describe prayer as something alive and tangible—rising like music, flowing like light, or moving like incense through the spiritual realms. They say every prayer, as an intention of the heart, penetrates the veil and is heard, even the silent ones, even the confused and unfinished ones. God hears the heart behind the words.
Scientific research confirms that intention can influence outcomes. The placebo effect is one well-known example. What if, because we are made in the image of God, we, as divine image-bearers, are endowed with the same creative potential as God? “In the beginning was the Word,” said the apostle John. Genesis states that God created the universe by speaking it into existence. Perhaps our words, our prayers, have the same power to create. Maybe when we pray, the intentions of our hearts enter the Divine matrix, the Divine Quantum Field, causing a ripple effect, and the Divine has orchestrated the universe in such a way that our prayers are woven into the divine tapestry, creating a new pattern of reality.
I don’t know how it works, and certainly, much of the time our prayers seem to have no tangible effect. Regardless, how it works may not be as important as what prayer does to us. Jesus instructed us to pray, “Thy will be done.” Prayer is not a matter of trying to change God; rather, it is a matter of aligning ourselves with the Source of all that is good and beautiful.
By aligning ourselves with the Divine, we become channels of peace, healing, and transformation for ourselves and for the world. When we pray in alignment with love and compassion, when we hold space in our hearts for the brokenness of others and ourselves, and when we extend grace and mercy, we join God in the work of creation. Our prayers, woven together by the Master Weaver, become the fabric of something new, something more beautiful. It may not always change the outer circumstances, but it often changes us, opening us to new wisdom, courage, or compassion.
Let us pray in AWE and become co-creators with God to create a better world.
Aware.
Become aware of a person, situation, or part of the world that is calling for healing, wisdom, or compassion.
Wonder.
What if your prayers matter more than you know—not because they change God’s mind, but because they help weave love, hope, and possibility into the fabric of life?
Engage.
Hold that person or situation gently in prayer. Release your desire to control the outcome and simply offer your intention to the One who is Love.
Monday Awe: The Gift of Prayer
- St. Augustine: “Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst with ours.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, quoting Deus Semper Major)
- St. Teresa of Ávila: “Prayer is the meeting of the soul with its Creator, a holy exchange of love.” (Interior Castle)
- Meister Eckhart: “The most powerful prayer is one of surrender, where the soul aligns with God’s will.” (Sermons and Treatises)
- Rumi: “There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.” (The Essential Rumi)
- Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (NIV)
AWE
Aware. Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder. Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience. What is your next step?
Tuesday Awe: Prayer as Co-Creation
- St. John of the Cross: “In the inner stillness where meditation leads, the Spirit secretly anoints the soul.” (Sayings of Light and Love)
- Thomas Merton: “Prayer and love are learned in the hour when prayer becomes impossible, and the heart has turned to stone.” (New Seeds of Contemplation)
- Julian of Norwich: “When we pray, we open ourselves to be used by God for His purpose.” (Revelations of Divine Love)
- Khalil Gibran: “Prayer is an expansion of yourself into the living ether.” (The Prophet)
- Zend-Avesta, Yasna 12.3: “Through prayer, the righteous participate in the renewal of creation.” (interpretive rendering)
- 1 Corinthians 3:9: “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (NIV)
AWE
Aware. Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder. Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience. What is your next step?
Wednesday Awe: The Transformative Power of Prayer
- St. Francis of Assisi: “When we pray, we are transformed into instruments of peace.” (Sayings of St. Francis)
- Simone Weil: “Prayer does not change God; it changes the one who prays.” (Commonly attributed to Weil)
- Thomas Aquinas: “Prayer draws us closer to the source of all truth, transforming the soul.” (Summa Theologica)
- Rumi: “With life as short as a half-taken breath, don’t plant anything but love.” (The Essential Rumi)
- The Upanishads 3.2.8: “Through prayer, the soul ascends and is transformed by the Eternal Light.”
- 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory.” (NIV)
AWE
Aware. Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder. Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience. What is your next step?
Thursday Awe: Prayer as Relationship
- Henri Nouwen: “Prayer is not just speaking to God; it is listening to the voice of love.” (Life of the Beloved)
- St. John Chrysostom: “Prayer is a conversation with God, a bond that unites us to Him.” (Homilies on Ephesians)
- Julian of Norwich: “In prayer, God reveals His love to the soul as a dear friend.” (Revelations of Divine Love)
- Tao Te Ching 62: “The Tao hears all prayers, for it dwells in the heart of the seeker.” (interpretive)
- Matthew 6:6: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (NIV)
AWE
Aware. Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder. Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience. What is your next step?
Friday Awe: The Mystery of Prayer
- St. Gregory of Nyssa: “Prayer is the ascent of the soul to the mysteries of God.” (The Life of Moses)
- St. Isaac the Syrian: “True prayer is a mystery, where words are not needed but the heart communes with God.” (Ascetical Homilies)
- Rumi: “Silence is the language of God; all else is poor translation.” (attributed to Rumi)
- Plotinus: “Through prayer, the soul transcends the material and unites with the One.” (The Enneads)
- Romans 8:26: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (NIV)
AWE
Aware. Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder. Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience. What is your next step?
Saturday Awe: Prayer: Participating in Divine Creation
- Meister Eckhart: “The most powerful prayer is one of surrender, where the soul aligns with God’s will.” (Sermons and Treatises)
- Zend-Avesta, Yasna 12.3: “Through prayer, the righteous participate in the renewal of creation.” (interpretive rendering)
- The Upanishads 3.2.8: “Through prayer, the soul ascends and is transformed by the Eternal Light.”
- Henri Nouwen: “Prayer is not just speaking to God; it is listening to the voice of love.” (Life of the Beloved)
- St. Isaac the Syrian: “True prayer is a mystery, where words are not needed but the heart communes with God.” (Ascetical Homilies)
- Romans 8:26: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (NIV)
AWE
Aware. Which quote speaks to you?
Wonder. Contemplate what this means to you.
Enjoy/Engage/Experience. What is your next step?