On a wing...

Been thinking a lot about the concept of prayer recently. What is it, how do you do it, to whom / what do you 'do' it?

I looked up prayer on Wikipedia and found some interesting stuff. In my quest for a definition of prayer, the following collection of statements proved extremely useful:

* The belief that the finite can actually communicate with the infinite;
* The belief that the infinite is interested in communicating with the finite;
* The belief that the prayer is listened to and may or may not get a response;
* The belief that prayer is intended to inculcate certain attitudes in the one who prays, rather than to influence the recipient;
* The belief that prayer is intended to train a person to focus on the recipient through philosophy and intellectual contemplation;
* The belief that prayer is intended to enable a person to gain a direct experience of the recipient;
* The belief that prayer is intended to affect the very fabric of reality itself;
* The belief that the recipient expects or appreciates prayer


Thses statements follow a short paragraph outlining different devotional acts of the different religions. What I found absolutely wonderful was that it was unclear as to which statements 'belonged' to which religion. I could give an educated guess, but I found, in fact, that all had some place in my own prayer life.

I’m currently exploring prayer using three different approaches. I’m calling them: ‘escapism; reflection; and petition’.

My intention is to practice the belief that God, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, is interested in my sense of wonderment, my reflections and my petitions; the belief that God is interested in my response to creation.

1. I like to think that escapism can be practiced through art, music, nature, literature, theater, film, architecture; silence, serenity, a break from the busy-ness of life in 21st century; wonder at creation; its also a trigger for worship
2. reflective - self evaluative (identity); looking at society; re-thinking (repentance)
3. petition: Wider world – response to local and national news; family and friends; our leaders – church, work, political; ourselves

Each can be used in isolation. Different situations may call for, or facilitate different approaches. Standing on a mountain top; taking in a show, a film, a new addition to the record collection; walking from the office to the board-room; looking back across a number of years; entering a hospital at visiting time; reflecting following the counsel of trusted friends; losing control of a car; watching the news.

However, regarding the latter - watching the news, yesterday my family and I flew back from a holiday in Cyprus. We'd stayed at a 'Louis' hotel, booked through Thomas Cook. Our other choice had been Corfu - to the same hotel where two little children died due to what looks like carbon monoxide poisioning, either from the boiler or the A/C.

I have just kissed my two goodnight. I don't know how to pray. The fragility of life just became terrifyingly close.