First let’s start by recalling our memories of prayer. As a child, did you grow up in a household where people prayed? Do you have early memories of prayer in a house of worship? In early adulthood, when you first left home and started creating an independent life for yourself, was prayer something that was a part of your life?
Is prayer something that is part of your life now? Do you experience any discomfort or conflict over the idea of prayer? Do you have any difficulty praying?
So what is prayer, anyway?
In Janet Haag’s article What is Prayer? A Conversation with Sister Joan Chittister, Sister Joan of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA shares her thoughts on prayer:
Fellowship in Prayer: How do you define prayer in your life?
Sister Joan Chittister: After more than 55 years of growing into a life of prayer through a lifestyle based on it, my definition of prayer is consciousness, immersion, and relationship. Prayer makes us aware of the elements of the divine in human life, bringing us into contact with the God-life in and around us. Prayer is not personal devotion; it is personal growth. Prayer brings us to the ultimate and the eternal, the daily and the regular, the total consciousness of God now. Prayer enables us to be immersed in what is fundamentally and truly divine in life right now. It is not meant to be a bridge to somewhere else because God is not somewhere else. God is here. Prayer is the act of beginning the process of becoming one with the One we seek—eventually, melting into God completely ….
How does your commitment to the rule of St. Benedict influence your prayer?
It is extremely influential in my prayer. Benedictine prayer is based on reading the Scriptures and praying the Psalms three to five times a day, every day. Interestingly enough, St. Benedict says "Let your prayer be short." This surprises most people because generally speaking, we think that a prayerful person is someone who spends all day in church or praying the rosary. Benedict suggests that formal prayer, choral prayer, community prayer should all be brief and what is learned in these moments of prayer is what we should carry with us throughout the rest of the day. Prayer should simply form the basis for reflection and attitude-building throughout our lives.
The Christian faith is rooted in Jewish tradition. Jesus lived the life of an observant Jew, and Jesus’ life was shaped by Jewish ritual, including the Jewish attitude toward prayer. We can learn much about prayer from our Jewish brothers and sisters. These excerpts are taken from Judaism 101:
The most important part of any Jewish prayer, whether it be a prayer of petition, of thanksgiving, of praise of G-d, or of confession, is the introspection it provides, the moment that we spend looking inside ourselves, seeing our role in the universe and our relationship to G-d ….
Observant Jews are constantly reminded of G-d'-s presence and of our relationship with G-d, because we are continually praying to Him ….
Many people today do not see the need for regular, formal prayer. "I pray when I feel inspired to, when it is meaningful to me," they say. This attitude overlooks two important things: the purpose of prayer, and the need for practice.
One purpose of prayer is to increase your awareness of G-d in your life and the role that G-d plays in your life. If you only pray when you feel inspired (that is, when you are already aware of G-d), then you will not increase your awareness of G-d.
In addition, if you want to do something well, you have to practice it continually, even when you don't feel like doing it. This is as true of prayer as it is of playing a sport, playing a musical instrument, or writing. The sense of humility and awe of G-d that is essential to proper prayer does not come easily to modern man, and will not simply come to you when you feel the need to pray. If you wait until inspiration strikes, you will not have the skills you need to pray effectively. Before I started praying regularly, I found that when I wanted to pray, I didn't know how. I didn't know what to say, or how to say it, or how to establish the proper frame of mind. If you pray regularly, you will learn how to express yourself in prayer ….
The mindset for prayer is referred to as kavanah, which is generally translated as "concentration" or "intent." The minimum level of kavanah is an awareness that one is speaking to G-d and an intention to fulfill the obligation to pray. If you do not have this minimal level of kavanah, then you are not praying; you are merely reading. In addition, it is preferred that you have a mind free from other thoughts, that you know and understand what you are praying about and that you think about the meaning of the prayer ….
I also find it useful to move while praying. Traditional Jews routinely sway back and forth during prayer, apparently a reference to Psalm 35, which says "All my limbs shall declare, 'O L-rd, who is like You?'" Such movement is not required, and many people find it distracting, but I personally find that it helps me concentrate and focus.
Pastor and contemporary theologian Rob Bell shares his thoughts on prayer in the video NOOMA™: Open. Let’s recap Bell’s answers to the question, “What is prayer?” from the video. Prayer:
· is taking part in the ongoing creation of the world.
· is tapping into the divine energy that is the source of everything.
· is not passive—it is being open to the God who’s at work here and now.
· is honest.
· is truth.
· is assuming that you will be involved in the answer.
· is your whole posture toward life.
· is listening.
· is when you never stop asking, “What is God up to—right here, right now—and how can I be a part of it?”
· is the divine energy that made the world flowing between us and drawing us closer together.
· enlarges our perspectives.
· gives us a bigger heart.
· changes things—changes us.
· makes us better people.
Okay, so ... this prayer thing ... how do we do it?
Join us next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. to learn more!
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