Prayer as Connection and Communion
A few weeks ago we had a great discussion about prayer. What it is, what we believe about it, what we don’t understand, what we do, how we practice it, and more. I learned a lot from it and am still mulling it over.
Shortly after that, I came upon this interview with Richard Rohr. Richard is a Franciscan monk and author of numerous books, including the recent Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life
I love that. Work, play, gardening, walking, taking out the trash, studying for finals, hanging with friends, grocery shopping, volunteering…it can all be prayer. Which makes prayer more accessible to many of us. As Richard says, prayer doesn’t have to be only words. Words are great, but prayer can be more than words. Prayer doesn’t have to be only a left-brain thing. Prayer can be a place where contemplation and action meet. I love that because I tend to keep in motion and regularly find it difficult to find what I think of as the appropriate quiet time for traditional prayer. This invites me to think differently about praying in, with, and through the things I regularly do.
Moreover, I think this view of prayer helps to sanctify those everyday activities that keep so many of us busy. If we approach the various and often mundane tasks of our everyday lives with a eye toward looking for how God is involved or for how what we do might connect us more deeply to those around us, these activities – no matter how ordinary or mundane – become vehicles for the sacred. Indeed, the line we often draw between “sacred” and “secular” blurs, if not vanishes all together.
There is, I think, an invitation here: an invitation to “pray always” by being mindful of our connection with God and others. And an invitation to invite others – especially those who might think they don’t know how to pray – to enter into a more “three-dimensional” life of prayer in and through their busy lives.
In any event, I found this video from the great folks at The Work of the People very helpful as I continue to think about prayer, and I hope you do, too.
Blessings on your prayer-filled day.
Prayer: A State Of Communion from The Work Of The People on Vimeo.
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I agree with Rohr and the essence of what he says is found in the spirituality of number of religions. What came to mind was the Native American spirituality of connection with the earth and nature. I was recently asked about my prayer life (approval panel for ordination) and I did answer that I feel I am in pretty much constant prayer – in conversation with God about events, happenings, decisions — and self talk. I don’t talk to myself, I’m talking things over with God. I don’t want to trivialize prayer to be a conversation about what blouse to wear today, but indeed, thinking intentionally about connection with God throughout the day can keep me grounded in my own spiritual practice. Do I ever find myself disconnected? Well, when I want to go my own way or make excuses for some action or reaction…. oh yes, indeed. I do like this reflection on prayer. Thanks for pointing to this video.
I remember one comment from Henri Nouwin in Genesee Diary. He wanted a life of prayer, the Trappist rule called him to work in the fields or in the kitchen. His prayer: Lord, make the work of my hands into a prayer. This has been my prayer since I read it years ago……
I read something a few years ago that really helped me think about prayer – I wish there was room to repeat the entire article but the bottom line was that prayer is every single moment of our creation – we ourselves are God’s prayer – our lives are our prayer – something we do in every moment of our lives.
I really appreciated Richard’s view that prayer can be anything – anything done in a state of communion and connection.
I cannot recall when I first realized/learned that the traditional definition of prayer made it inaccessible to many people (including myself). Once I redefined prayer, I found that my life was full of prayer… and this was a very welcome realization.