DEACON’S NOTE

   Although I am certain, I have written about prayer before, I was encouraged to do so again by an article written by Fr. William in the summer 2009 Abbey Letter of St. Gregory’s Abbey in Three Rivers, Michigan.

  Fr. William says that too many of us have “outgrown” the prayers we learned as children but have neglected to replace them with adult prayers and thus have given up praying. We do so to our own detriment since daily prayer is (1) a way of staying in touch with God and (2) a sign that we are serious in our commitment to our faith.

  If one has fallen away from the practice of daily prayer and wants to get back in the habit, I urge you not to postpone doing it (That which we postpone, we all too frequently fail to do.), It is not as difficult as you might imagine:

First decide a time at which to pray. It doesn’t need to be a set time like 7AM but something like between breakfast and morning shower. And your scheduled time can vary due to your activity schedule. The important thing is to set a time (or times, if your plan to pray more than once a day) and keep to that time, (Yes, there will be times that just won’t be possible. If that is often you need to re-evaluate your schedule and your commitment to it.)

  Some people have found it important to set aside a special place to pray. I have not. I do, however, find that I need quiet, when I am praying my personal prayers.

  If it helps, use devotional literature and/or the Book of Common Prayer. I have found both helpful.

  As one progresses in daily personal prayer, he or she may want to incorporate scriptural reading as part of daily prayer.

  I feel it is only fair that you ask about my personal daily prayer. I pray twice a day. In the morning between breakfast and morning shower and in the late afternoon I recite the daily offices of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer to which I attach specific prayers of thanksgiving, petition, and intercession (using the weekly intercession insert in the bulletin as a starting point). Generally my morning prayers are said at the breakfast table and my evening prayers as I “work out” on a stationary bicycle. And, yes, there are times other than twice a day that I pray “arrow” (very short) prayers as the occasions arise during the day.

  Let me close by saying that I hope that all you may experience the enrichment of your lives by daily personal prayer. Both Emily and I will be please to answer any questions about it.

  Since this is being written prior to my wife, Hope, having her surgery, let me thank all of you who have prayed for her, our family, and me in this regard.

Your servant in Christ, Deacon Tom Smith