Ok - yes - I pray. I also curse and talk about stuff that many people might consider scandalous. Some people might call me a heathen...I prefer to think of myself as "balanced".
I'm 38 years old. What that means is that I spent a great many of my formative years using the word "Dude". I became an adult, Keanu Reeves started getting more serious roles, and the word all but disappeared from my vocaulary. Then I got hooked on "Lost" and my secret love Hurley (actually it's Sawyer and Jack, but Hurley is just so darn cute!) and I find myself saying it from time to time.
That's the background...here's the issue: I absolutely suck at praying. Don't get me wrong - I have plenty to say and for which to be thankful. I just can't articulate it (even silently) very well.
See - growing up my religous education was more than lacking. It's a topic for another post, but the bottom line is that I had no religous schooling, but went to synagogue every Friday night and church every Sunday. ("That's right Min - it's Friday so Jesus was just a good guy who said nice things....until Sunday when he is the Lord and Saviour".) Is it any wonder that when I was old enough (at age 20) to decide what religion to follow I picked one of the strictest ones?
Anyway - because I have only been really praying for a few years (like many, I kind of fell away from it for a while, until we had children), I'm not very fluent in "prayer-speak". You know - those things like "God, Father of all mercy yadda yadda yadda". Well not actually those words, but one of those really elegant "Baltimore Catechism" type ones that people who have been praying all their life seem to just recite without a thought.
No - even my silent prayers are closer to "Uh - thank you for X, please help me to Y and please uhhhh....uhhhh....Dude - you can read my mind - you know what I mean!"
Yes - you read that right....last night I went to a special Mass for my son's CCD class and as I was kneeling after communion staring at the crucifix over the altar, I actually called Jesus "Dude".
If making the Wawa clerk cry didn't guarantee my ticket to Hell, this might have done it!
Rhonda
Dude is and has been a part of my vocab for quite a while now. Sheesh.
I think I have called everyone dude BUT Jesus. LOL!
Great post!
Maria
Dude, if he can't appreciate that loving colloquialism I don't know who can!
eip56
HA HA , honestly I don't think Jesus would have it any other way. Just out of curiosity, what motivates you to pray? and how ofter?
lisamm
I haven't called Jesus Dude, but I have the same kinds of silent prayer habits and thoughts as yours.. thank you for this, help me with that, and why not just read my mind already??? I always feel like I'm not quite doing it "right".
Accountable
Guilty of the same prayer thing every night.
I start with a Hail Mary then thank you for XX, I pray for YY and Bless/watch over ZZ.
I don't deviate from it. Ever.
Vampy
Well, I've never called Jesus "Dude", but I'm sure that he fully understands where you are coming from and that you can talk to him so freely.
My son will be making communion in May and we pray at night together, usual prayers and we add our own to it. Back in July, he had his first experience with "death" in that his best friend's poppop had passed away. Prayer played a huge part in getting him back into feeling better without worrying everyday about any one of us dying. Anyhow, to get off the long-winded path, he now adds, "God Bless Mommy, Daddy, Me, all our Family and Friends and all the Dead People up in heaven with you"....that's pretty cool since at 7, I still hadn't realized there was a heaven. The part that I'm working on is the blessing of his webkins...yes, thanks to the genius who made those things, I'll eventually have to explain how the webkins aren't really living things...can I wait until he finds out that there is no Santa? LOL
Frances
I'm not Catholic, but for me praying is saying whatever comes to your head. There is no structure - you say as much, as little, anything you might want to say. If that includes Dude, I don't see anything wrong with it. The way I see it when I pray I'm just talking to God.. having a conversation like I would have with anyone else.
FreeFromItAll
I grew up Catholic so I "get" some of the chanting (I call it) prayers. I can still recite a good rosary if needed.
I highly doubt Jesus gets offended at the word dude. He doesn't seem like that kinda guy to me.
Accountable
I'm going to confess, I have never said the rosary by myself and I only sort of know it. I'd have to look at a "pray the rosary brochure" in order to do it properly.
My Grampa said the rosary daily. I know growing up, my Mom's family said it daily as a family. It was only 10 years or so ago that I even learned the "Hail Mary". I'm almost 33.
Pammy Girl
In Spanish, there are 2 ways to say the word "you". One is formal (usted) and is used when on job interviews or meeting the Queen. The other(tu)is for your friends and family who know you and your kooky behavior. Spanish speakers use TU when praying, so I suppose calling Jesus or God "Dude" is Gen X's version of this. It shows you feel pretty relaxed when chatting with him.
And considering that my life is basically God's comic strip, I'm pretty sure he's got a good sense of humor and doesn't really give a crap that you speak in Hurley. At least you're talking to him.
anonymrs
*drool* @ Sawyer
I think Dude is a perfectly good word to call Jesus. Whatever is relevant to you!
I like your blog, you're funny!