Invitation to Lenten Discipline of Prayer

January 29, 2008

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

As we begin the season of Lent I invite you into a common pilgrimage of prayer.

In my address to the Diocesan Convention last November I articulated a hope that we might together take on a simple spiritual discipline, a common rule of life that would further knit us together as the body of Christ and strengthen us for godly service. To this end, Susan McDonald, Marie Philips, and Chris McCann have worked with me to offer the first step in that journey, a Simple Rule of Prayer; Martha Wright and Kristin Crites have helped to make it available on paper and our website, www.dohio.org. The Simple Rule of Prayer card is available by PDF download and from the Christian Formation Office at 216-774-0453. It provides a basic format by which to frame each day in prayer, intended to be equally as accessible to those who consider themselves beginners as it is to those whose spiritual practice has been developing for years. It offers us, as a large and diverse household of faith, a common path and a practice we can share. For some it may be added to an already established daily discipline, for others an opportunity to make a new start. For all of us, it can serve as a source of encouragement, knowing that across our diocese we have companions on the journey to whatever it is that God dreams for us.

At its most elemental level, the life of prayer is about three things: listening for whatever God has in mind, asking for help, and giving thanks. The surrender, humility, and encouragement that result from that basic formula provide the foundation stones of the spiritual life. As simple as this is, it is not always so easy to accomplish. The rest of life seems to get in the way. Therefore, I offer you this format, as an individual practice to draw you deeper into the heart of God and as a common discipline by which we might grow together as the body of Christ. Listening: Many of us fill too much of our prayer time with our own words, offering relentless petition and praise. It is as if we fear God won’t know we are there unless we speak up. The problem, of course, is that mostly we hear ourselves. If we begin our morning prayer time with intentional listening, not for a desired response but for whatever God wants us to hear, indeed before we have asked God for anything, it will not only influence our devotions but also help us develop a posture of attentiveness and openness to God throughout the day. Take a few moments, perhaps starting with just a minute or two, to be still, quiet, and present to God. Asking for help: The genuine prayer for help is an act of humility and acceptance. It recognizes the supplicant’s limitations and surrenders the self to God. In 1642, before leading Charles I’s foot soldiers into the battle of Edgehill, Sir Jacob Astley prayed, “O God, thou knowest how busy I must be this day. If I forget thee, do not thou forget me.” It was a humble prayer for help, and not for a specific outcome, but for confidence in God’s presence. After listening to God with your heart, ask for help in becoming what God most needs you to be, praying:

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God: Help me this day to love and serve you in everyone I meet, and to rejoice in your promise to be with me always, as my Savior and my Lord. Amen.

Daily discipline: Montaigne wrote, “A sailor without a destination cannot hope for a favorable breeze.” It is important to set the context for the rest of the day by articulating to God where we are trying to go, i.e., our common mission to grow, give, and serve. As you conclude your morning prayer time, and perhaps again during the day, pray: Generous and gracious God, help me to be aware of your continual presence that I may: Grow in my trust in you, Give of myself more fully, and Serve others as a tangible expression of your own love for them.

Giving thanks: When we count our blessings, including the hard ones, we come to a more full awareness of God’s work in and through our lives. A simple “examen” at the end of the day provides a way of listening to the day that has passed and appreciating the sometimes subtle movement of the Spirit that may well have been overlooked in the busy hours. By it we become increasingly aware of Christ’s companionship and of our vocation as his body. At the end of the day, and again with a posture of listening, examine the day that has passed and give thanks.

Day’s End Examen
Where or by whom did Jesus come to me today?
When and how was I a Christ-bearer to another?
For what am I most grateful to God?

Concluding Prayer
Almighty God, I thank you for all you have given and for all you have forgiven: for your hidden blessings and for those which in my negligence I have passed over; for every gift of nature or of grace; for the power of love; for all you have
yet in store for me; for everything, whether joy or sorrow, whereby you are drawing me to yourself through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Table blessings: The real object of blessing before a meal is God, not the food. We bless God in return for God blessing us with sustenance, and we ask that we may be nourished in our faith and strengthened for godly service. Saying grace at mealtimes is a gift to the spiritual life as it constitutes a regular discipline of prayer. Three times a day, as we stop to be fed, we reconnect with God. It provides us a regular opportunity to count our blessings, bless God in return, and be opened to God’s intention for us. On the reverse of the Simple Rule of Prayer card are a few graces for your convenience (pdf download on web page or contact Christian Formation Office: 216-774-0453).

Companionship: As with most adventures in life, the journey in prayer is much supported and encouraged by the companionship of others. When we talk with one another about our prayer lives, and particularly the experience of a shared discipline, we all benefit. We have set up a page on the diocesan website (www.dohio.org/praytogether) where we will post resources and host a “blogsite” on which we can reflect, together as a diocese, on this experience. I urge you to share your challenges, questions, epiphanies, and insights with one another there, in your parish community, and in every way available. There is a Muslim prayer in the Qur’an, attributed to Noah, which grounds the petitioner deeply in God as she sets off on the day before her. It reads, “In God’s Name be the course and the mooring: let us embark.” So again I invite you this Lent to begin a pilgrimage of prayer that I hope will continue for a very long time, and I already give thanks to God for your companionship along the way. Let us embark.

Gratefully,

The Rt. Rev Mark Hollingsworth, Jr.
Bishop of Ohio