When we hear the word “radical” we often think of it as synonymous with extraordinary or spectacular … something that shows a visible impact. In many ways - radical is used as the opposite of “ordinary”.
The word radical actually comes from the Latin which means “root”. It speaks of the invisible part of the plant that gives it life and strength. Radical is less about what is seen but rather what is unseen.
It’s interesting that while Jesus closest followers considered Him radical - they didn’t ask Him to teach them how to heal the sick or teach the scriptures or do miracles - rather they recognized something different about the way Jesus prayed and wanted to learn to pray like He did. Jesus wasn’t like other rabbis that used prayer as a way to show their piety, rather for Him prayer was the root from which His life found intimacy with God and from that His strength and power.
In grammar - parentheses are used to insert an afterthought into a sentence or paragraph that is fairly complete without it and sometimes we can approach prayer in the same way - as an accessory rather than the root out of which life in Jesus is nourished and grows.
If you've ever wondered about the Why or the Who of prayer then this will be a series that will take it out of parentheses and help deepen not just our communication but our communion with God, who Jesus says we can call "Father".