Melvin Durai
Almost everyone in the world has prayed at one time or another. Some pray daily, while others pray whenever they need divine intervention. If a lion is running toward them, they will scream, “Dear God, please save me.” Meanwhile, the lion is praying too: “Dear God, thank you for this tasty meal you have placed in front of me.”
Even those who are skeptical about a supreme being might occasionally utter a prayer, such as when they’re awaiting their CBSE results. “Dear God, I know I have doubted your existence in the past, but please prove to me that you exist by giving me the highest score.”
Those who pray regularly may scoff at the notion that you can just pray whenever you need something. They believe that you need to pray sincerely every day —perhaps several times a day — and your prayers should not be selfish. You should pray for other people as well, even people you do not know.
Some people make it a habit to pray for their country’s leader: “Dear God, please give our president the wisdom to look presidential and avoid making a fool of himself on Twitter.”
Others pray for their favorite athletes: “Dear God, I know you are busy with more important things than sports, but if you can spare a moment, please make sure that every ball Virat hits today is a six.”
People who pray regularly will tell you that prayer really works, and if you don’t pray, you are missing out on a great opportunity to have a connection with God and improve your life. “Don’t worry,” they will say, “we will pray for you to come to your senses and realize the power of prayer.”
People who pray often will not find it strange that an Indian-American doctor is studying whether prayer can help patients who have COVID-19.
Dr. Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, a cardiologist at the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute in Missouri, is the principal investigator in a clinical trial that will study the impact of multi-denominational prayer on the health of Covid-19 patients admitted to intensive care units.
The four-month study, which began on May 1, will involve 1,000 patients. Half of them will be randomly selected to receive a “universal” prayer offered by five religions (Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism) in addition to standard of care recommended by medical teams. The other half will receive just the standard of care.
I’m not sure what this “universal” prayer will consist of, but if you’re in intensive care, the only prayer you really need is this: “Dear God, please get me out of here.”
Of course, the prayer will not be uttered by patients, but by volunteers. And these volunteers will be praying for only half of the patients, essentially telling the other patients: “Sorry folks, no prayer for you. We’re conducting a test.”
Here’s how Lakkireddy explained the study to National Public Radio in America: “We all believe in science, and we also believe in faith. If there is a supernatural power, which a lot of us believe, would that power of prayer and divine intervention change the outcomes in a concerted fashion? That was our question.”
Born into a Hindu family, Lakkireddy attended a Catholic school and has spent time in synagogues, Buddhist monasteries, and mosques.
“I believe in the power of all religions,” he said. He noted, however, that his wife and others were skeptical about the prayer study.
“But it’s not like we’re putting anyone at risk,” he said. “A miracle could happen. There’s always hope, right?”
Yes, a miracle could happen. Some of the COVID-19 patients may recover miraculously. The others do not have a prayer.