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Christianity Quote by William Stringfellow

“When I write that my own situation in those months of pain and decision can be described as prayer, I do not only recall that during that time I sometimes read the Psalms and they became my psalms, or that, as I have also mentioned, I occasionally cried “Jesus” and that name was my prayer, but I…” quote by William Stringfellow
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““When I write that my own situation in those months of pain and decision can be described as prayer, I do not only recall that during that time I sometimes read the Psalms and they became my psalms, or that, as I have also mentioned, I occasionally cried “Jesus” and that name was my prayer, but I mean that I also at times would shout “Fuck!” and that was no obscenity, but a most earnest prayerful utterance. In the final analysis, no matter what the vocabulary of prayer, or where muteness displaces words in prayer, the content—what is communicated by a person in the world before God—in prayer is in each and every circumstance the same and it can be put plainly in one word: Help! That is the word of Gethsemane’s prayer; that is the word of the Lord’s Prayer; that is the prayer when Christ repeats the Twenty-second Psalm from the cross. It is the prayer of Christ interceding for all people, and it is the prayer of a human creature acknowledging God’s vocation in affirming the life which God has called into being.””

William Stringfellow

About This Quote

Source Essay: Prayer and Language, 1970

Prayer transcends specific words; its core is a sincere plea for divine assistance, expressed in any language.

In simple terms: Prayer is a heartfelt request for help, regardless of wording.

Key Takeaway

Seek honest, heartfelt communication with the divine.

Themes

spirituality language humility authenticity trust

Mood

intimate contemplative

Type

theological personal

When to use this quote

  • personal crisis
  • meditation
  • confessional moments
  • spiritual practice

Key Concepts

prayer communication divine relationship

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does your deepest need look like?
  • How do you express urgency in prayer?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on form can distract from genuine intent.

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