February 23, 2022

Dear Nikola,

Thank you for your two telephone calls. They gave me much to think about, too much to fit into one letter. I ask myself, and I ask you:

a) in what dimensions and to what extent should one interpret prayer to God an expression of loneliness?

b) if one considers the life and the death of Jesus, his longing for and finding a heavenly father, as post traumatic distress syndromes in consequence of his being the child of a single mother, then should religious impulses for all of us be interpreted as expressions of loneliness, of a desire and need for a more perfect society and oikeiosis in the paradise of heaven than we are able to find on earth?  

c) if we agree with Spinoza about deus sive natura, and with Kierkegaard about deus sive anima, then might not the practice of prayer in common be  understood as desperate search for "spiritual community" with our fellow human beings?

d) I note that the Kyrie, Gloria, and Agnus Dei of the Mass are explcit prayers,and that the Sanctus is in effect prayer on the part of angels. I believe that the Credo can also be understood as a prayer uniting individuals into a "communion of saints"; - and ask whether ALL religious activity might be construed as prayer?

BWV 232 	Messe in h-Moll
 	 
  	Kyrie
Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.
	 
	Gloria
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis.
	 
Laudamus te,
benedicimus te,
adoramus te,
glorificamus te.
 	 
Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
 	 
Domine Deus, Rex coelestis,
Deus Pater omnipotens,
Domine Fili unigenite,
Jesu Christe altissime,
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.
 	 
Qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis,
qui tollis peccata mundi,
suscipe deprecationem nostram.
 	 
Qui sedes ad dextram Patris, miserere nobis.
 	 
Quoniam tu solus sanctus,
tu solus Dominus,
tu solus altissimus Jesu Christe.
 	 
Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris, Amen.
 	 
  	Symbolum Nicenum
 	 
Credo in unum Deum.
 	 
Credo in unum Deum,
Patrem omnipotentem,
factorem coeli et terrae,
visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
 	 
Et in unum Dominum Jesum Christum,
Filium Dei unigenitum
et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula.
Deum de Deo,
lumen de lumine,
Deum verum de Deo vero,
genitum, non factum consubstantialem Patri,
per quem omnia facta sunt.
Qui propter nos homines
et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis.
 	 
Et incarnatus est
de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria virgine,
et homo factus est.
 	 
Crucifixus etiam pro nobis
sub Pontio Pilato,
passus et sepultus est.
 	 
Et resurrexit tertia die
secundum scripturas,
et ascendit in coelum,
sedet ad dextram Dei Patris,
et iterum venturus est
cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos,
cuius regni non erit finis.
 	 
Et in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum et vivificantem,
qui ex Patre Filioque procedit;
qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur;
qui locutus est per Prophetas.
Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam ecclesiam.
 	 
Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum.
 	 
Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum
et vitam venturi saeculi, Amen.
 	 
  	Sanctus
 	 
Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus
Dominus Deus Sabaoth
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria eius.
Osanna in excelsis
Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
Osanna in excelsis
 	 
  	Agnus Dei
 	 
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Dona nobis pacem.

* * * * * *

Matthew 6:

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

* * * * * *

And this is good old Boston,
The home of the bean and the cod,
Where the Lowells talk to the Cabots,
And the Cabots talk only to God.

* * * * * *

Please give my regards to your parents, and telephone any time you wish.
EJM