Ten Simple Words

This past weekend, I attended a conference on “Christianity as Evolutionary Faith,” based on the insights of Teilhard de Chardin. I will be pondering the sophisticated concepts and theological implications that were presented for a long time. Initially, though, what spoke to me most was a simple chant we prayed together, consisting of just ten words:

I am here.

I am with you.

We are one.

How would our lives change if we imagined God saying those words to us every time we prayed? For one thing, awareness of the presence of God would free us from fear. We also would stop pursuing money, success, fame, and perfection, because knowing God is with us would mean we no longer need those things to justify or fulfill ourselves. The implications of being one with God include acting as God would act, with love, mercy, and compassion. Furthermore, if we imagined ourselves saying those words back to God, we would automatically become more present to our Creator, deepening our relationship and claiming our identity as persons united in the body of Christ.

But there’s more. How would our lives changed if every time we prayed with others, we imagined saying to them, “I am here/I am with you/We are one,” and hearing them say those words to us? Are we willing to be that present and connected to others? How are we going to treat others if we are indeed one?

What if we said to the earth, “I am here/I am with you/We are one” and heard the earth say it back to us? Would we be more present to the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the food we drink, and take better care of God’s creation?

Ten simple one-syllable words can foster a profound change in our lives. The question is whether we have the courage to pray them.