Collagen for Our Prayer

Warning: Statements made in this article are not supported by either Doctors of the Church nor medicine…

My knees hurt. Age, arthritis, sports… who knows why. Besides routine aches, I also notice this joy of aging when kneeling in prayer. Exercise, anti-inflammatories, and ice are common treatments, as is taking a collagen supplement. Mmmm. Could there be a connection between collagen and prayer? Ignatius and Benedict remind us to find God in all things. I pondered where God is in my collagen supplement.

Ok, while this started off as an amusing challenge in spiritual discernment, it occurred to me that we can link our physical and spiritual journeys. In both endeavors, do we not often seek remedies and practices that help alleviate pain, strengthen us, and ensure our well-being? Perhaps our “spiritual” knee pain is being neglected. While collagen is essential support in helping to repair and maintain the body’s physical foundation, bending our knee in prayer serves our spiritual nourishment and fortification as well. Both collagen supplements and prayer are vital to our health—one on a physical level and the other spiritual.

As we age or experience physical stress, our natural collagen production may decrease, leading to joint pain and stiffness. Supplements seek to restore physical resilience by supporting the repair of cartilage and joint mobility. Prayer serves a comparable function to that of collagen supplements for the body. Prayer is a fundamental practice that strengthens our spiritual “joints” in life, helping us sustain a healthy and balanced relationship with God. Just as collagen supplements alleviate physical discomfort and enhance joint function, prayer supports us to overcome spiritual struggles, build resilience, and reinforce our faith. Thus, both collagen for our knees and prayer for our souls are essential in providing the necessary support and strength needed to lead a balanced and fulfilled life.

Prayer as Spiritual Nutrition: A Reflection on Its Forms

Prayer, like collagen, is found in several forms: each serving a distinct purpose in connecting with God. These include adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication:

Adoration is the form of prayer that focuses on worshipping and praising God for His greatness and holiness. It is an expression of love and reverence toward God simply for who He is. Type I collagen provides structural support in skin, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Thus, both “supplements” emphasize the need for a strong foundation and sturdy base in our lives.

Confession. In penitential prayer, we acknowledge our sinfulness and need for forgiveness. Our penitential prayer helps repair the “damaged tissues” of our souls caused by sin, ensuring spiritual integrity and flexibility. Type III collagen is used by our bodies to maintain the structure and elasticity of tissue. Both “supplements” heed in our repair.

Thanksgiving in prayer expresses our gratitude to God for His blessings and kindness. We are reminded to stay grateful while traveling the bumpy roads encountered in our journeys. Just as Type II collagen works to provide cushioning and support to our joints, our gratitude is crucial for sustaining the rough thoroughfares we encounter in our spiritual lives.

Supplication. Our petitions to God vocalize our need for His assistance and guidance in various aspects of life. Ultimately our supplications lead us to acknowledge our dependence on God’s provision. As with hydrolyzed collagen supplements that are reconstituted for specific needs, supplication in prayer is reconstituted for our specific needs and desires. Our goal in both is seeking help to address specific areas that require attention.

Each form of prayer nurtures different aspects of spiritual growth and connection with God, akin to how different types of collagens aid various bodily functions. Together, they enhance spiritual and physical well-being.

The Profound Symbolism of Kneeling

Kneeling in prayer is a gesture laden with symbolism and significance. This act reminds us of our limitations and dependence on God’s grace. Perhaps the pain experienced while kneeling in prayer can remind us of our need for submission and humility; or at least remind us to seek reconciliation for our sins. In our struggle to again return to standing we can also note our struggles to be closer to God in spirit. In each ache, we should recognize our limitations and God’s supreme authority.

In seeking a supplement for this pain, we should strive to embrace these limitations, as well as the healing. Aches remind us of our mortality. God’s grandeur and the sacred mysteries celebrated in the liturgy pale in comparison to the pain in bending our knees to honor Him. Recognizing our transience erases the illusion that we can be independent of God’s grace..

In “seeing God in all things” and in our collagen supplements, we should be reminded that our spiritual knee pain is a need for spiritual as well as physical support, Our spiritual “joints” require a healthy relationship with God. Both collagen for the knees and prayer for the soul are essential in providing the necessary support and strength to lead a balanced and fulfilled life.

Prayer and Supplementation: Building Strength and Flexibility

Supplements and prayer provide balance, flexibility, repair and resilience. Both collagen and prayer are vital forms of nourishment for body and spirit designed to maintain health, fortitude, and balance in their respective domains. Whereas collagen addresses the physical toll on our bodies, prayer is our remedy for weariness, discouragement, and sin. Whether physical or spiritual, both mend the “wear and tear” caused by life’s challenges. In prayer, we seek flexibility to navigate the ups and downs of life with grace and adaptability. In a similar manner, supplements enable us to engage life more freely without stiffness.

While supplements reinforce our structure, prayer reinforces the bond between God and us. It nurtures our reliance on His grace, a dependability sought in using collagen to strengthen our knees. Prayer is the key to renewing our weary spirit and realigning ourselves with divine purpose, mirroring collagen’s ability. Just as collagen helps prevent future deterioration of joints, prayer acts as our spiritual safeguard to repair relationships, resist temptation and grow in trust.

Renewed focus

As such, our spirituality should move us beyond the point where we simply recognize God’s action in our lives and toward living such moments in gratitude. With collagen assisting us with our mobility and flexibility, may our prayer foster spiritual vitality in faith that finds resilience, adaptability and strength in God.

With greater awareness of God’s activity in our lives, may we also see the need for spiritual healing each time we take a supplement or pill to address our physical aches. May we embrace healthier joints, stronger spirits, and an enduring faith in all our journeys.