“Oh My God!”: Incorporating Exclamatory Prayer into Your Life

wonder, exclamatory prayer, conversion

I have a vivid memory from my freshman year of college. One of my professors, a Catholic, exclaimed, “Oh my God!” I, being rather sensitive about that sort of language, went to him privately and asked if he could please not swear as much, since it put the temptation to curse into my consciousness. He gave me an interesting answer: he said he was not swearing at all. I can only wonder at the kind of look I must have given him, but I did not understand how what he said could be so—after all, it sounded like he was swearing (and, regardless, he did honor my request to stop talking like that).

Over a period of time, something about me began to change. It did not even feel like very much of a change at the time, but, as my freshman year progressed, I—whether consciously or unconsciously—wanted God to be more a part of my everyday life. So over time I started invoking Him more, but in a different way than saying an Our Father or Glory Be. Similar to my method of addressing a friend, I started saying “Oh God” or “Oh Jesus” when I wanted Him to draw near. It was thus that I grew to understand what my professor had said—to simply say His holy Name, if the one saying it means it reverently, is good. Better than good—it is a prayer, and as such one of the best actions a person can do.

The reasoning is actually simple. To paraphrase an idea I got from someone else, every action we make is either blessed or cursed by God, bringing us closer to or farther away from Him. Saying His name is no different—said with love, He draws nearer to us. Said lightly or with anger, our misuse of the Holy Name cries out against us.

So I learned from ordinary Christian living that saying something like “Oh my God,” in an appropriate way is actually a prayer. But, is there a reason to make note of this? Yes, because, like every form of prayer, it can be a great avenue to help us in our walk with Christ. Here are some more reasons to make a quick exclamatory prayer part of your daily life.

It Sanctifies the Ordinary

While having specific slots of our day blocked out exclusively for prayer is a great, even necessary thing, sometimes it can be harder to fulfill our ordinary duties in connection with a full prayer schedule. (I speak from personal experience.) However, saying a short prayer can help us become better people even when our schedules are full, because it helps us to remember that all our actions are done for Him. For example, if suffering from personal trials, even a one- or two-word prayer helps give part of the pain to Him, rather than keeping all the focus on ourselves. Or, if we have a particularly difficult task set before us, speaking briefly to God can help to remind us that, in His very own words, “With God all things are possible.”

It’s Easy

How easy is it to address someone else by his name? Most people do it multiple times a day and don’t think twice about it. The same might apply to God, but there are graces attached if we say His name with due reverence. St. Paul explained, “God has highly exalted [Jesus] and bestowed upon him the name which is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.” Saying that name, can, then, help us to keep our knees bowed internally, no matter what we might be doing.

There Are Cautions to Exclamatory Prayers

One problem attached to exclamatory prayers that does not apply to the Our Father and Hail Holy Queen is that we need to be aware of our intent in saying God’s name. It could be quite easy to convince ourselves that we were praying when we were actually cursing, or, even if we did have a prayerful intent, to give scandal—as my good professor almost did. However, if we are constantly becoming closer to God, through vehicles like these and other prayers, we can focus less and less about what our intent when saying “God” at a given time is, and more about simply pleasing Him.

Sometimes His Name Is all That Needs to Be Said

At different points in our lives, we experience moments that are filled with emotion, even too much emotion for words. However, in saying, “God,” we can communicate to Him great joy or gratitude, or unfathomable sorrow. Again, as we grow closer to Him through this greater amount of communication, the more we are open to letting Him give us strength to make it through the hard times, or sharing in our joy. The more grace we invite, the more He is able to bestow.

In short, although there are many reasons why exclamatory prayers can be a great idea, they all point to the main goal of any prayer: that of bringing our hearts and minds ever closer to God. Exclamatory praying’s main focus might be small matters, but it is helpful for larger ones too. Just say, “God” in time of need or thanksgiving with respect, and He will draw nearer. It is just another proof of Christ’s words: “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

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6 thoughts on ““Oh My God!”: Incorporating Exclamatory Prayer into Your Life”

  1. Yes, such is possible, but most do not say ‘O My God’ as a prayer but as an exclamation, which is wrong, the reverence and humble recollection of proclaiming and worshiping God and His Holy Name must always be present, blessed and fruitful…it is better to say o my goodness as a blessed rule…….too bad you did not ask ‘how wonderful, please explain’, and received an explanation that could have been shared………I always lengthen this, ie, “O My God Mercy, help them/bless them…..”….divine mercies and blessings, Padre.

    1. Padre-You are fight; and good advice. Your words reminded me of these words from the hymn, O God Beyond All Praising: “mercies without number and blessings without end.” To offset the purgatorial effects of all the bad words I said in my past life, I try to say “God bless you” as often as I can, to everyone I encounter. Did this to a waiter in the presence of a managing partner of a law firm, the lawyer stopped dead in his tracks and said “that is one of the most remarkable things I have ever heard anyone say to someone he does not know.” Thank you for your words.

  2. Pingback: SATVRDAY CATHOLICA EDITION – Big Pulpit

  3. Dear Cecily-Let me begin with the fact that daily I say “I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words . . .” and that the “words” part is true. In the past I did regularly take God’s name in vain and worse. I have tried, whenever I hear someone else do this now, in person or on a screen, to say “Our Father . . hallowed be thy name.” Another thing I am learning well from the Anglican Ordinariate parish where I try to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, is to bow my head at the name of Jesus every time it is said.

    I think you have really nailed something profound . . .letting an oft-said “O God!” not only be a short prayer, but a way throughout the day of bringing to our consciousness that we hope someday, past this life, to be with Him, that there is something more beyond this City Of Man and that we can strive to be in that City Of God.

    Thanks for this fine inspiration. I ask all reading this to pray for Cecily’s new MA program and that it be one that fosters her writing, which brings us all to Him.

    Guy McClung, Texas

    1. Thank you so much! I’m glad my piece helped you. (N.B. I’m not actually in an MA program yet, just saving money and trying to figure out God’s will in the matter. Your prayers are much appreciated!)

    2. I realized that-am praying you get into one you choose, one that is true to church teaching, one you enjoy, and which brings you and others to heaven.

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