What are you praying for?

If you were to pray for someone, other than yourself or someone you love or know really well, then whom would you pray for? If prayer is something you might consider, given that there are so many versions of praying and so many beliefs about its existence or effectiveness.

The president, or some other person in a position likely to be able to really help other people?
Or would you pick somebody in trouble nearby?
Or would you pray for something physical?

It seems in the American culture that prayer is somehow linked to behavior and stuff on a trade basis. If God will do this, then the prayer will do something in trade for the service or effect. That doesn’t seem right, but then what do I know?

What does anyone really know about such thoughts or potential actions?

Nothing.

Humans are great at making stuff up though, if you haven’t noticed yet. Maybe tonight I will simply pray that all of us might be given a calmness to work together without taking advantage of working together. I’ll bet we could do something enormously wonderful if God was to get that prayer and then wave his hand down to move humanity to actually allow this seemingly simple thing. I won’t promise to do anything in trade though.

I will simply hope that I am right about that not having anything to do with real prayer.
I think this new pope, who’s gone quiet for awhile, would agree.