How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour and that one is what we are doing. A schedule defends us from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time. – Annie Dillard
Praying at fixed-times during the day can enable you to keep company with Jesus through out the day. It allows you to integrate your identity in Christ with your everyday tasks and work. Praying at fixed-times also allows you to detach from your own compulsions and remind you that, ultimately, your work and your day are completely tied to God. St. Benedict said, “To pray is to work, to work is to pray.”
Scripture:
• Take some time to look at these passages to see how praying at fixed-times has been a part of the rhythm of God’s people. Daniel 6:10; Psalm 119:164; Acts 3:1
Reflection:
• How do you remind yourself throughout the day that there is more to life than work, tasks, and transactions?
• How do you feel about memorized prayers or using prayers of others? What makes prayer authentic?
Practice:
• There are many ways to pray at fixed-times. If you already have one time of day at which you pray, consider choosing a second time and then maybe a third time. You can use this time to pray spontaneously, with scripture, or by using prayers of others (such as liturgy or the Daily Offices/ Hours). Praying with the Offices or the Hours you could use the resources from: www.northumbiracommunity.org/praytheoffice or the books The Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings from the Northumbia Community or The Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle. You may find that even just using the Psalms is helpful.
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3 comments:
Praying the offices from the Celtic Daily Prayer Book and the northumbria coomunity has been very formative in my life. I am often pulled to the "shoulds" and "oughts" of the day. Praying at regular fixed times reminds me that the work I need to get to is always abiding with God. Instead of me forming my own prayers, the Psalms and liturgical prayers help me to be formed by God instead of me trying to bend God to my will, God is shaping guiding me to His will.
I have gone through ups and downs in prayer. But I do know that I have felt closest to God during the times that I was in daily or more communion with him. I have found http://sacredspace.ie to be helpful in praying during those times when I am at the computer and need a little help.
The Celtic Daily Prayer book and Sacred Space have both been wonderful tools for me.
Sadly, right now I am very challenged in how I spend time with the Lord, through the day, on any given day, just at all.
One wonderful thing is that I usually read the Compline prayers from the Celtic Daily Prayers book with my daughter at night. It is a time to do more than bond with my daughter, but we rest in the Lord together.
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