Devotion is not an act; it is not directed toward one thing or another; the object of devotion
is immaterial.
Once it happened…At a traditional Catholic family dinner, the man of the house came to the
table, looked at the food, and, as usual, grumbled and cursed his wife and everything around
him. After the cursing was over and everyone settled down, he sat down and uttered his
prayer, “Dear God, thank you for the daily bread and all the wonderful things on the table.”
His five-year-old girl sat meekly at the table. You know, these five-year-olds—extra
pillows and little cushions are always kept for them, but still they can never really reach the
plate. So, this little five-year-old girl, with the table up to her neck, squeaked, “Daddy, does
God hear all our prayers?”
Immediately, the Christian in him awakened and he said, “Yes, of course. Every prayer we
utter, He always hears.”
Then the girl sank a little lower, because she sank into her thoughts. After a while, she said,
“But, Daddy, does He also listen to all the other things that we say?”
“Yes, every moment of our lives God is listening to everything that we say and do.”
Then she sank a little lower and said, “Daddy, then which does He believe?”
Tell me, which should God believe—your prayers or your curses?