Monday, May 25, 2015

LET US PRAY

          There are a lot of Christians who just get out of the habit of praying regularly as they grow up. They're not against prayer. It's just not something they do on their own, unless there's a crisis or perhaps a really glorious sunset, or a piece of music that moves them to address their comments to God. Often what has happened is that they outgrew the prayers they used to say as children, but never found an adult replacement for those devotions.

          That's a pity, because daily prayer serves several important functions in the life of a Christian. Most obviously, it is a way of our staying in touch with God. God is always with us. For prayer to have meaning in our lives, we need to recognize God's presence, praise Him and bring our concerns to the One who most cares for us. Prayer does that. Daily prayer is also a sign that we are serious in our commitment to our faith. This isn't to say that Christians who don't engage in daily prayer don't believe in God, or that they don't love God. But our practice of prayer is one way that other people, whether followers of other faiths, or people of no faith at all, can recognize that we do something with our Christian faith. Regular prayer is a part of living out our response to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

         People who would like to regain their enriching element of the Christian life need to give it a bit of thought and planning, and then just jump in and do it. That's not too demanding as summer projects go. It doesn't take nearly as much planning as building a deck. And when you move, you can take it with you. Good deal.

          The first step is to set aside time. The time can be like "between my shower and breakfast," if your shower and breakfast are regular items in your routine. Next is frequency and I'd suggest twice a day, morning and evening. Turning to the Lord at these times has a spiritual healthiness to it. It gives balance to the other rhythms of our daily life. How you pray is a matter of personal preference. Most folks who have drifted away from daily prayer and are trying tot get back and want something simple, more personal and brief. Find a quiet place, step back from worldly concerns and recall that you are addressing yourself to the Lord. Morning prayer is good for prayers of praise, thanks and dedication. You have passed through the night and are beginning a new day. Ask God's blessing, guidance and protection through the day ahead. Evening is a traditional time for self-examination and confession, since we hope we're through with most of our sinning fro the day. And we thank God for particular favors during the day just past.

          Of course, you don't have to stick with those little baby-step bits of time for your morning and evening prayer. As you settle into the habit of daily prayer, you'll probably find that the time available for you conversations with the Lord becomes more ample. Maybe you'll decide to use the extra time to see what God has to say to you. Or maybe you'll find you're the chatty type, who simply has more to say than you did at the beginning. In any case, don't be afraid to grow in your adventure of daily prayer.

Excerpted from: The Abbey Letter, Summer 2009, No. 238 by Fr. William

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