You can read the transcript below, or watch the video:
Hello. Welcome to my prayer corner. I thought it would be nice to film from here because this week I've been thinking a lot about what is prayer and what is praying.
I actually hit a little snag in my morning prayer time this week and I was talking with my spiritual director about it.
Since I've been in college, I've had a spiritual director most of the time. It's someone who companions me on my spiritual journey.
Think of her or him as a coach who can help me reflect on my journey with God, who can help me strengthen my relationship with God, who can give me feedback and who can help me expand my spiritual practice.
So I was talking with my spiritual director about what is praying and how do I pray. Then one of the seminaries I attended was offering a forum for ministers and priests on praying and how they nurture their prayer life and I decided to attend.
But before that, I was thinking back to the other seminary I was attended and an assignment we had in December of 2021. I'd like to read you that.
“Your homework for tonight is to pray without ceasing. I can’t tell you what that means but you will know in the morning.”
I get the Rosary Beads my sons gave me. I usually use my fingers but realize I want to touch…. And in time, I realize that praying the Rosary is like cuddling with the proverbial childhood “blankey”.
The latest video from Catholic Women Preach calls to me – draws me in like a magnet. The speaker shares that God recognizes the power of womanhood and chose two women – Mary and Elizabeth – to change the world. Theirs was a blessed relationship. I, too, am blessed with so many women in my life – Divine Lovelies – women whom I also bless. Maybe I will call them tonight. I am reminded of the song God put on my heart that morning: I’ll be your candle on the water. My love for you will always burn. I know you're lost and drifting But the clouds are lifting. Don't give up, you have somewhere to turn. I'll be your candle on the water, 'Till every wave is warm and bright. My soul is there beside you, Let this candle guide you. Soon you'll see a golden stream of light”.
Three of my sons are home and invited their friends over for the game. I pray that this home will be a safe and loving respite for them where they realize they are treasured. I prayerfully ponder about buying pizza and inviting all to gather at our table and to share our Advent traditions. “Am I being preachy?” The video ends and speaks the Divine Will into my heart: Share joy, hope, peace and love… and pizza.
One young man walks in and I go to hug him after his first semester away at college. He holds on extra-long. May my hug be Divine Love for him – feeding his soul that for which it is longing. He belongs.
I take the order for pizzas – giving each the freedom to choose the toppings they wish and offering that “we will eat together at the dinner table as a circle of love”. One flashes a wide smile and her eyes dance with joy-filled hope.
While I wait, I reach out to some of my classmates. I receive a picture of a 99-year old with a reflection of a bride and groom in her sunglasses. She is at the Heavenly Banquet today. This photo will go in the frame I sent her daughter. I think of my 96-year-old mentor who asks me if I know of anyone who is 100 because he wants to learn from them. It was so beautiful to have him and his daughter over last month.
It’s time to set the table. I am grateful that I always have someone who knows how to pop open the leaf on our table so that we can ALL gather. My son shakes his head in disbelief that we paid so much for a “really nice table with a built-in leaf” and I don’t know how to open it. I giggle that I don’t WANT to know how to do it and I’m blessed by the presence of those who are willing and able. Is my love for my family, my invitation for them to assist, our giggling, my recognition of my stubbornness – is that all prayer?
The pizza arrives. My son tips generously. He has learned by example from my husband, myself, my family’s – to share abundantly, to bless… to pray? Is it prayer because of the intention… or the being?
We gather – as Catholics, as Christians, as a Jew, as a Hindu, as some who were raised with no religion. I explain about the Christian tradition of the Advent wreath and my contemporary version which sits in the middle of our table. I admit I didn’t find the correct colored candles so I have placed another candle nearby to remind us of the color of the liturgical week. I share about our Weaver tradition – of how Jesus came to bring joy, hope, peace and love. As we prepare for Christmas, we too, are called to bring joy, hope, peace and love to others. I invite them to share a way they have done that and to put a piece of straw in the “manger” under our Advent Wreath where Santa will lay Baby Jesus. “Does it have to be this week or can it be this year?” A flexible structure. I know in my family – it has to be that day – but for now, we’ll go with “this year.” One by one all ten of us do that. With each expression, there are nods of agreement. It’s beautiful to behold. No one seems to care that their pizza is getting cold. At my turn, I express gratitude for the opportunity to plan and lead prayer services this month – sharing love – and the hope I have of doing more in the new year for young adults. Someone’s eyes light up. Maybe they will come. Maybe they will find God through me.
After everyone has shared, I close my eyes and lead a prayer. I feel a young man reach out his hand and take mine. I reach out for the one who is on my other side. I open my eyes. WE are ONE.
I invite them to watch the game upstairs in our open-plan familyroom. They say YES. I begin a new jigsaw puzzle at the game table, knowing some who are here enjoy putting the pieces together. I sit and pray. I pray for protection as they go out on the stormy night. My 25 year old brown-skinned son and his friends are going into the next town – where the cops are known to be racist. I pray for protection. I trust. I pray… I pray without ceasing.
What’s that on the windowsill? On Dec. 18th at 9 PM on a cold winter’s night, there beside me is a Lady Bug – a symbol of Mother Mary’s answered prayers and presence – from one woman to another, one generation to another.
Every now and then, I pipe up. I ask a question or engage in a little conversation with someone as they walk by. I notice how some are enjoying our dogs. Loving those puppies into sweet, devoted dogs – that was a prayer. Like my children, the dogs are blessings for others – meant to be shared.
As I say goodnight, I wonder: am I “a living prayer” as Alyson Kraus sings. I AM a living prayer… I AM the face of God – and the hands – and the body of Christ. I nourish. As she sings… “I walk.. with no [spiritual place] to call my home but there’s One who holds my hand… In your love, I find release… take my life and let me be… a living prayer, my God to thee…”
Yes – that is my prayer. “Take my life and let me be a living prayer, my God to thee.”
As I crawl into bed, I play some songs with Spotify, knowing Jesus to be my DJ.
I awake in the middle of the night with my Spirit singing: “What wondrous love is this O My Soul, o my soul…. To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing…” and in the morning, my Divine DJ leads me to another version by Marian Grace (perfect name!) with a new verse: “O Holy Spirt come and dwell in me, dwell in me. O Holy Spirt come, dwell in me – O Holy Spirit come to dwell in hearts yet won, thru Mary’s perfect heart Spirit come…”
I awake and take my coffee to my prayer corner to check in with Divine Love… and then over breakfast, check-in with my husband… and my mother… and my cousin and her family…
Class begins. What does it mean to pray? To pray without ceasing?
Talia sings and the song resonates in my being bringing me full circle to yesterday morning:
“I am light, I am light. I am Divinity defined. I am the God on the inside. I am a star, a piece of it all. I am light.”
So I’ve been really reflecting on that essay that I wrote and that experience I had.
What does it mean to pray without ceasing?
And then in the forum I was listening to what other people were sharing and I started with the ritual prayer that I've done for years.
Asking the Divine to be my DJ and putting a Spotify playlist on shuffle and seeing what comes up.
Writing a love letter to God in my journal and waiting for and noticing God's response.
Reading something spiritual like the Bible or another modern author and reflecting on that. Through seminary, I've developed a practice of contemplating and meditating.
Last summer I started practicing knitting as a form of prayer.
I do qigong which is an ancient practice of movement and I pray my way through that.
In January started writing poetry as a spiritual practice.
Around the time of George Floyd, I started making eye contact and greeting people I meet on the street as a way of recognizing the Divine in them, which is what “namaste” means. “I see the Divine in you – the Holy in you.”
And then the authors of this book, encouraged people to share not just what we do normally, but the other things like someone takes a bath as part of her spiritual practice.
And it really got me thinking.
If you were to ask me today what is praying my answer would be twofold.
Praying is communicating with the Holy One
and
Praying is also being intentional about bringing the Holy One into our world
That's what I've been thinking about this week.
That's the answer I have so far.
I'm curious, what do you think – what is praying?
Reach out and let me know BeLoved@RevAndreaGrace.com
Also – reach out if you would like to meet for Spiritual Direction or Companionship
