![\"St.FrancisPreachingtotheBirds_Giotto\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.sjcme.edu\/theology\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2014\/08\/St.FrancisPreachingtotheBirds_Giotto.jpg\")
<\/a>If the goal of human life is not the merely human, what is <\/em>it? To be human is to be oriented toward God in knowledge, action and love. To be human, in other words, is to desire God, and prayer is an expression of that divine longing. Actual prayer expresses our awareness as dependent creatures. Any explicit acknowledgement of one\u2019s creaturehood is a form of prayer, but when one turns to God with the intention of giving glory to the Source and Goal of all existence, there is a prayer of praise. Francis of Assisi was overwhelmed with the sense of God\u2019s transcendent goodness:<\/p>\nLet all of us<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 wherever we are<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 in every place<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 at every hour<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 at every time of day<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 everyday and continually<\/p>\n
believe truly and humbly<\/p>\n
and keep in [our] heart<\/p>\n
and love, honor, adore, serve<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 praise and bless<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 glorify and exalt<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 magnify and give thanks to<\/p>\n
the most high and supreme eternal God<\/p>\n
Trinity and Unity<\/p>\n
the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit<\/p>\n
Creator of all<\/p>\n
Savior of all who believe in Him<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and hope in Him<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and love Him<\/p>\n
Who is<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 without beginning and without end<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 unchangeable, invisible,<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 indescribable, ineffable,<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 incomprehensible, unfathomable,<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 blessed, worthy of praise,<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 glorious, exalted on high, sublime,<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 most high, gentle, lovable,<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 delectable and totally desirable above all else<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 forever. Amen.<\/p>\n
Francis and Clare: The Complete Works<\/em>, translated by Regis Armstrong and Ignatius Brody (Paulist, 1982), 133-34.<\/p>\n Francis has captured the essence, not of God (that would be impossible) but of the human being as made to love God. Praise, as the explicit giving of glory to God, defines us because human desire wants what is \u201cdelectable and totally desirable above all else forever.\u201d All of creation gives glory to God simply by existing; the human creature praises God by being human. People praise God, in other words, through their intellectual, moral and religious self-transcendence. Prayer expresses our deepest and truest meaning; human beings are pray-ers<\/em>, and each human life is some sort of prayer.<\/p>\n \u00a0David Hammond<\/strong> teaches theology for Saint Joseph’s College Online.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Human beings are creatures whose meaning and purpose to be achieved is a goal beyond what they presently are. We are creatures on the move and we make ourselves through our own thinking and deciding. Paradoxically, however, a human life … Continue reading