We Pray To Whom and for What

Since the Pope is already the Vicar of Christ - the Son of God - the creator of heaven and earth and the galaxies - when the Pope ask us to pray for him - to whom should we address our prayers to and to pray for what since the Pope is already the sole representative of God on this earth? Is there anything written in the bible where Jesus himself also asked his apostles, his followers and disciples - to pray for him? Pray to whom and to pray for what? Jesus was already a God, wasn't he? I said it before, say it again: to believe in the power of prayer is like believing in a God up there who will alter His Divine Plan formulated centuries ago to conform to the needs of our free will in this 21st century down here. Again, Filipinos praying is equivalent to believing that the Philippines is governed by a God who changes his mind if we Filipinos, with daily prayer, would only ask God to do so. Here, however, is something even more ticklish: We are told again, again, and again - that if we want to seriously solve our problems as a people or to seriously solve our troubles as a nation - we must only pray. If, however, nothing happens, we must only pray more and and pray harder and harder. And if nothing still happens, we are told that it is only because we do not know how to pray! In the meantime, Filipinos in school are taught how to pray. It is the best way to teach Filipinos how to seek fantasy solutions to real problems. But then again, if God were all-knowing, all-responsive, and all-loving why should God be bothered with daily silly prayers? The encouragement of prayer promotes selfishness. People pray for what that they refuse to think and to labor for. Prayer also undermines the power of human intelligence. Prayer causes a weakening of self-reliance and a corresponding deterioration of character. In fact, daily prayers are among the most effective causes that keep us Filipinos poor spiritually, backward morally, impoverished economically, insane politically, and religiously sick historically. With already daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and centuries of prayers, If I were the Pope, I would be talking, not praying to God. I would seriously tell God to assist me as the head of 1.2 billion Catholics to straighten out the mess in this world; specially the mess in the Philippines - the only Catholic country in Asia since the 16th century. Indeed, I will ask God to face the responsibility that our world has always been in a mess because, instead of coming to earth HIMSELF, he sent his only begotten Son Jesus - who had neither the guts nor the gumption to give birth to peace, stability, tranquility, harmony, and indeed sanity - globally. In the meantime, the question I asked decades ago, I still am asking today: Is there hope for our country? Yes, there is hope but only with courageous leaders as they produce courageous thinkers? Never, but never shall we ever begin to grow as a thinking people, or as a thinking nation - with childish, nay, with mindless prayers! Poch Suzara