COVID19 has certainly not left us yet. People are still concerned about the effects of catching the virus. In Ontario, a family doctor in Guelph, Dr. Andrea Chittle, accumulated over 10,000 signatures on a petition to the province to keep masks in schools for a while rather than no longer requiring them when students return on Monday, March 21.
A petition is a formal request to an authority, often for change, signed by many people. The word comes from the Latin petitio, which derives from peto, meaning to seek, request, ask, beg. The word petition was first used in English in the 1300s to describe an earnest request, an entreaty. It became used as a verb in 1607 to indicate making a request, as one might petition a friend to borrow some money.
Synonyms for a petition can be an appeal, a plea, a prayer, a supplication. The word moved into religious usage meaning to beg, beseech, entreat, pray to God for something. When I began to learn the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer in catechism classes, we were taught to divide the prayer into seven petitions. In that prayer there are seven requests that we make of God. Reciting the Lord’s Prayer has become an important daily ritual for many Christians, even more so in the Season of Lent, which intensifies prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation for Easter celebrations.
There is a significant difference between petitioning and praying. Although many people tend to associate the primary act of prayer with requesting things of God, a petition is just a small segment of the concept of prayer. The Psalmist used the Hebrew word shaal in Psalm 20, “May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions!” But the more common Hebrew word for prayer is palal, which covers many aspects of interceding and praying to God. “Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.” (Psalm 5:2)
Luke wrote of Jesus, “In these days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12) The Greek word used is proseuchomai, meaning to speak with God. Jesus spent time in various modes of communication with the Father throughout the night. This is the encouragement of praying during Lent. It is not a time to be more passionate in asking God for stuff nor making more forceful petitions. Prayer encompasses all communication with the deity, even silence and meditation in the presence of the Almighty.
When Paul was arrested for public disturbance, the authorities were sent an enteuxis. “Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish people petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.” (Acts 25:24)
One of the roles of the Spirit is to petition the Father on our behalf. “The Spirit petitions for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:27) Just as Jesus also petitions the Father on our behalf. “Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is petitioning for us.” (Romans 8:34)
In Paul’s letter to Timothy he wrote, “I urge that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” (1 Timothy 2:1) The guidance is to pray for our leaders and other authorities. Too often we are more apt to complain and criticize than to pray for people. And in our petitions, we should be careful not to request that God lead authorities to do what we want but to give wisdom to do what is just and right. What a difference that could make in our country and world. Try it.
Columnist John Kreutzwieser loves to research words and writes this weekly Word Wisdom column for Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com. He has an interest in the usage, origin, and relevance of words for society today. Greek and Latin form the basis of many words, with ancient Hebrew shedding light on word usage.
John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to wordwisdom2021@gmail.com . Words will be selected according to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confirm that all words will be used.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
