There was a time in my life when I didn't pray. (I didn’t go to church either - but that’s a story for another day.)
Prayer, in its many varieties, brings so much richness to my life now. How did I ever live without it? It is a lifeline and source of connection, especially in this world of Covid-19 when life is harder, there’s more time and there’s less structure.
Prayers of thanksgiving (important to remind me to be more grateful),
Prayers of confession (important to remind me that I'm not the center of the world),
Prayers for myself and, most important, for others.
I’m particularly touched these days by prayers that have the beautiful and formal structure of scripture and our rich heritage in the Book of Common Prayer. Sheltering at home, my appreciation has grown dramatically for the prayers of the Daily Office: Morning and Evening Prayers but above all the brief and lovely words of the night prayers, Compline. When I started reading parts of them the liturgies seemed lengthy and somehow "distant"; now these words are like old friends. They resonate with connection to the many others praying them – all around the world. I can even actually pray them online with people near and far. My favorite, from both Compline and Evening Prayer:
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen.
I've also had more time to learn more about prayers of the moment, spoken in not-always-coherent words from my heart. Then there are really simple words spoken silently many times a day. Anne Lamott wrote a whole book about them, Help. Thanks. Wow.
And - simplest - but probably the hardest for me, prayer as just listening.
Do I think that God hears my prayers? Absolutely. Do I think God answers or even needs to answer each one in detail? No. I think often God's response is found in leading me to try harder and do better. And sometimes the answer is just God sharing the joy or the burden.
Especially in these weird and scary times, prayer is a tether that connects me to God and to all of you, a link that that reminds me I'm not alone – now or ever – and that none of us is.
I believe it's not where or in what words (or even any words) I, or any of us, pray. It's the reaching out for relationship that brings so much.
May we all find our own ways and our own words.
With prayers for your safety and peace, Kathryn
P.S. (If you haven't looked recently, I highly recommend giving Compline a try...page 127).
