Prayer

"Always be joyful, pray continually; give thanks, whatever happens".
New Zealand Book of Prayer

The Gospel on Sunday was Luke 11: 1-13. This is the story of when the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus our beloved, teaches them to pray The Lord's Prayer.

How do you pray? When do you pray?

I know for me my favorite time to pray is that moment between asleep and fully awake. I am in between here and there and that place is so peaceful. God meets me there. It is our little moment where time stands still and I enter into an intimacy of my inner self and God offers me the opportunity to enter into his intimacy. It is in this dwelling place that the omnipotent hand of God embraces me as I begin my day. A holy interchange. A blessing. A gift.

I love to pray while I walk my dogs, there is something about being outside and feeling close to God. I love the Book of Common Prayer, the New Zealand Prayer Book and Celtic Prayers from Iona. I pray the rosary everyday. There are times I pray and meditate on the rosary and the psalms, or a particular scripture will speak to me and I carry it with me throughout the day. The repetition of the prayers prepares my mind for clarity and quiet. To just be with God.

Henri Nouwen, who is one of my favorite theologians, writes about prayer being the bridge between our conscious and unconscious lives. Prayer connects these two sides where God dwells. "Prayer is "soul work" because our souls are those sacred centers where all is one and where God is with us in the most intimate way. (Bread for the Journey)"

I grew up knowing prayer was about talking to God and that was always comforting to me . As I have grown in my prayer life I have learned that it is in the silence of prayer that God speaks. Probably for me, the silence gives God a chance to get a word in!

Silence and being still does take practice. For me, it has become a discipline. Life is busy and my to do list can take away from this sacred time. I attended a women's retreat in the spring and that was a starting point for me to be intentional about contemplative prayer.

"Be still and aware of God's presence within and around." (Celtic Prayers from Iona) The first time I read these words I slowed down. I re-read it, but as I read those words a second time, I was breathing them in and exhaling calm. For me these 10 words help me be very intentional about silencing my senses,calming every part of me to be very present for dwelling with God.

Intentional silence can awaken an awareness that there is an interwoven presence of God dwelling and dwelling in God. These moments slow my breathing and place my heart within the embrace of the peace that passes all understanding. You know, I use to hear that , week after week: ...the peace that passes all understanding...and I would think. "That's nice". It wasn't until I experienced that peace that passes all understanding, during prayer one day that it had such different meaning. Now when I hear those words, I close my eyes and my breathing changes, my entire body is once again embraced by this amazing, life giving peace. Prayer, this peace, my breath is breathing in the breath of God.

In Sunday's homily, Rev. Mary Kay ended with The Lord's Prayer, a version that she shared she learned during her time at the National Cathedral. It seemed especially beautiful.

Our Father, Loving mother in heaven,
May we hold your name in awe.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, in us, among us, and throughout the earth, as in heaven.
Give us today all the bread we need.
Forgive the wrong we do, and the wrong that is in our hearts.
Help us to forgive all those who have wronged us.
Save us in times of trial, And deliver us from every evil.
For the kingdom is yours, the power is yours, and the glory is yours-now and for all time. Amen.

Namaste,
Maureen