When I was a Jesuit novice, I once eagerly asked one of our Province’s most socially committed Jesuits what the most “radical” thing I can do today as a Jesuit? His response wasn’t what I expected: “Pray!” he said. I think he meant something other than praying more “Our Father’s” and “Hail Mary’s.” This track is an attempt to unpack his response.
As you listen and pray with the song, I invite you to ask for the grace to live an authentic faith that does justice.
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“Radical Prayer” is taken from Mike Martinez SJ’s latest Hip-Hop album “Worship Real” streaming now on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and Soundcloud.
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Lyrics for “Radical Prayer”
The definition of the word “radical”
Comes from the Latin, “radix”
Meaning “the root”
And when you live from your deepest center
You live…
… Radically
What do I do to be radical? Pray!
How do I do to be radical? Pray!
What do I need to be radical? Pray!
What does it mean to be radical? Pray!
This ain’t no prayer mechanical
Relight your candle
And rewrite a canticle
More like a catapult
Throwing you off of your comfortable attitude
Showing you how to discover the latitudes
That you just never seen, heard of, or thought of before
This ain’t about memorizing up all the beatitudes
Or all the commandments you broke
Where do you put your hope?
Is it in God or in how are you gonna cope?
I’m putting prayer up under the microscope
Is it in really reciting a creed
And fulfilling your needs?
(Nope!)
Is it in living the creed
And forgetting your needs for the people in need?
(Close)
Isn’t it odd?
God took an oath, and He chose
(Both!)
Flesh and spirit
How do we live it?
Let’s take a vote
Radical sacrifice
Am I the G.O.A.T?
Or is it God?
Get on his boat
Cuz the storm that this prayer is bringing afloat (yes!)
God in control, but he’s never remote (blessed!)
God never broke, but he’s going for broke (test!)
This is a radical’s radical prayer…
Prayer is more about giving yourself away
Than counting how many times you sin a day
Well, okay now,
What am I to say?
When I count how much I’ve been loved today
By my God!
What do I do to be radical? Pray!
How do I do to be radical? Pray!
What do I need to be radical? Pray!
What does it mean to be radical?
Hey!
Let me just plant a seed
If you concede
That the Word of God
Has a power indeed
That we can’t control
Or really see,
But that same Spirit that wrote it all
Showed me to read
Let me ask you
Like 21 questions
The passion, the death, resurrection, ascension
Class in session
Tension
Between what I do and what I mention
This is what repentance looks like
Got a hard verse, but the hook’s nice
An epic narrative like a book right
Gotta cook right
But I followed the recipe wrong
Cuz I could right
Then again, I took flight
(Good night!)
Taking off a big bite
(Good bite!)
This is but a “Thank You” letter to God
With the letters of God
‘Bout to lose beef — “Mardi Gras”
From Alpha to Omega
Feeling like an “Alpha” when I’m all paid up
Really more Alfalfa, when I’m rascaled up
That is what they call
The Paschal what?
Mystery
You’re missing
Convincing me history don’t repeat itself
Misery don’t compete to sell
More views and clickbait
More news, but real fake
I break the mold, the old
Behold the new, the only truly true
Good News
Let me take one take
For Christ’s sake like
Prayer is more ‘bout giving God the victory
“For God alone is the only one Holy” (Luke 4:34)
See there’s “no longer me
But He that lives in me” (Galatians 2:20)
Down to my core
What more You want me to be?
My God…
Pray! 1
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Reflection Questions:
- What does it mean for YOU to “live from your deepest root”?
- Has the word “radical” been overly ideologized or can it be redeemed in a Christian context? Is it useful for understanding our Christian calling or can you think of a better word?
- How do you balance a deep prayer life with a life of deep commitment to the work of justice?
- What does the phrase “Contemplative in Action” mean to you? Pray with the following Scripture passages to explore this explicit connection between faith and justice: Is 58:6-14 (Authentic Fasting), Matthew 5:23-24 (First Reconcile with Neighbor), Matthew 25: 31-46 (Judgment of Nations).
Want to learn more about the Ignatian Prayer method of contemplating Scripture and the meaning of “Living Eucharistically” for a “Faith that does Justice” today? Listen to Mike Martinez SJ’s workshop on “Radical Prayer: A Faith that does Justice” (Episode 4) from an Ignatian Discernment Series produced for College students and Young Adults. Click here for the entire four-part Ignatian Discernment Series.
Editor’s note: This article updated on Mar 12 2021 06:03:30
- Song Credits: Lyrics: Mike Martínez SJ // Beat Producer: Chris Rich // Producer, Vocal, Sound and Mixing Engineer: Oliver Kid ↩
