TOWARD THE END OF the Office of Morning Prayer we observe a
silence wherein people may pray for whatsoever they will. As a result of
hearing these prayer concerns we learn a lot about each other in a very short
time. Paradoxically, we often come to know each others’ grief, anxiety, and
deep joy before we are certain of each others’ names!
Recently at that point in the Office we learned about one
person’s close connection to a local family that has suffered violently at the
hands of their own son. Others prayed for the group of homeless folk who were
our guests for the week as part of the South Oakland Shelter. Alongside these
weighty concerns, I prayed for the return of our cat, Bella, who ran away a
week ago and has not returned. As these varied concerns are set before us, for
a moment we get a glimpse of the world through God’s eyes, in all its tragedy
and confusion and absurdity.
What do we expect our prayers to accomplish? I cannot even
find my cat, how can I expect to do anything about monumental issues that
oppress the world? I do not claim to know how God will go about responding to
any of these concerns, I only know that when they are released into the flow of
liturgical words and silence they do not just evaporate, they seem to swim,
like fish, as if we were fly-fishermen engaged in the practice of “catch
and release” while standing hip deep in a sacred stream. I only know, that is,
that these concerns are being shared,
and therefore, somehow, changed.
If that sounds too vague, I can report another prayer
concern that is more straightforward: our oldest daughter, Caitlin, is a professional
actress in New York, and for weeks I have been praying that a long string of disappointing
auditions come to a happier resolution. A few days ago I learned that she will
be performing in The Great American
Trailer Park Musical in New Lebanon, New York! Does this somehow “prove
that prayer works?” Of course not. Does it provide cause for rejoicing? You
bet.
It is a good thing we do not
understand how intercessory prayer works. If we knew for certain that our
prayers could cause wounds to heal, or homeless people to find apartments, then
what excuse could we find to justify not spending 24 hours a day praying for
the world’s needs? If we stopped praying to eat lunch, or take a nap, we would
be directly responsible for all the suffering not being relieved by our neglecting
to pray! Thanks be to God for the mysterious indeterminacy of prayer.
Now, about that cat…
Jonathan+
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