April 1st, 2026
“When people say, ‘We will pray for you’ we are not asking God to do what you want, but what God wants for us.” A comment from Don Timmerman of the Casa Maria Catholic Worker in Milwaukee, WI
I know Don Timmerman somewhat. I haven’t seen him in years, but we have interacted at times. His words about prayer made me think. When I pray for someone, I generally keep the petition rather vague. I will ask God to give the person what they need. I usually don’t really know what the individual needs. I know what they want but wants and needs are very different things. I assume that God knows what the person needs most, and that God wants to give them whatever that is. So, basically, I’m asking God to do for the person what He/She already plans on doing. It seems like a good way to get prayers answered.
Implied in Don’s statement is something that I find interesting. If we are going to pray or chant or meditate for the benefit of another person, then we have to at least try to understand what God, or whatever is in charge, wants for that individual. That requires a clear mind and discernment. Quite often what we imagine to be a blessing for someone is not, and vice versa.
There is a story about the Swiss psychologist, Carl Jung. If somebody came into his office excited about getting a raise or a promotion at work, Jung would frown and tell his client, “Well, we will get through all this somehow.” If, on the other hand, the patient came in and told Jung that he had just been fired, then Jung would smile, and say, “Let’s open a bottle of wine! Now, we can make some progress!”
Zen Buddhism says that there is no good and no bad. I’m not sure I agree with that idea completely, but there is some truth in it. The fact is that what we perceive as good or bad is sometimes situational. I believe that there are things that are inherently evil, but I have found in life events whose nature seems ambivalent. I keep asking, what is God’s will? Another person might try to understand the flow of the Tao. How do I align my desires to the great design?
Somebody I love is in jail and they will almost undoubtedly go to prison. This will cause the person suffering, and it will also negatively affect all those who care about her. However, is this incarceration necessary for the ultimate benefit of everyone involved? It might be. I don’t know. I can’t know.
All I can do is pray for the person and try to give them some support during this time of trial. I have to strive to understand “what God wants for us”.
Frank is Emptiness 