St. James Parish, Mason at 1010 S. Lansing St, Mason, MI 48854-1920 US - Prayer Forms

1. 3 Psalms are prayed—or 2 Psalms and a Scriptural Canticle (a prayer from a part of the Bible other than the Book of Psalms).

2. A reading from Scripture (and at the “Office of Readings,” a reading from the writing of a saint or a church document).

3. At morning, evening and night prayer, a Gospel Canticle: In the morning we pray the Benedictus from Luke 1:68-79. These are words that John the Baptist's father spoke when John was dedicated to God. In the evening we pray the Magnifcat from Luke 1:46-55. These are words that Mary spoke when the angel told her that she would give birth to the Son of God. At night we pray the Nunc Dimmitis from Luke2:29-32. These are the words Simeon spoke after seeing Jesus when he was presented in the temple as an infant.

4. At morning and evening prayer, prayers of intercession followed by the Lord’s Prayer.

5. A concluding prayer appropriate to the day and/or time of the “Hour.”

The Psalms and Canticles are not only prayers, but poetic songs. Often when the Liturgy of the Hours is prayed with others, they are chanted or sung.

1. Lectio

2. Meditatio (meduh TOT seeo)

3. Oratio (or OTT seeo)

4. Contemplatio (con tem PLOT seeo)

In English, the best way to remember the steps is to remember the 4 "R's":

1. Reading
2. Reflecting
3. Responding
4. Resting

The first step, Reading, is easy. You simply read the Scripture passage. Monks often instruct people to read the passage out loud. Hearing the Bible being read is very important in our Catholic tradition.

For the second step of Reflecting, begin reading the passage silently. During this reading, stop at a phrase or word that strikes you. Ask yourself the question, "What does this mean?" This second step is all about using our minds to understand the passage.

During the third step of Responding, we use our heart. The Bible is not just a book that gives us knowledge. It has been given to us to change our lives and our world. Now that you have answered the question, "What does this mean?" Ask your heart the question, "What does this make me want to pray for?" This is our response. Perhaps the Scripture passage is asking you to change or give something over to God. Perhaps it is asking you to repent of a sin or to ask God to help someone in need. Perhaps you are prompted to thank and praise God or just to love God. Let your heart take you to God in the way you need to go.

The last step in Lectio Divina is the hardest part. This is the time for us to Rest. We do nothing except listen to God. Often times when we think of prayer, we think about us talking to God. But God has things he wants to say to us, too. However, we rarely take the time to listen. This is the time to say nothing. We can just rest in the peace of God's presence and listen to our feelings and thoughts. This is where God is likely to speak.

 

Looking for a part of the Bible to read: In each week’s bulletin there are two readings listed for each day (three for Sunday). You might start with one of these–especially the Gospel reading.

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Centering Prayer

. . . has been given names such as "pure prayer", "prayer of faith", "prayer of simplicity", "prayer of the heart", etc.  It has roots in the Old Testament. For example, Elijah’s experience of God on Mount Horeb as "sheer silence"; the pillar of cloud by which Yahweh led his people for forty years through the desert; the cloud in the Temple built by Solomon at the time of its consecration; and the exhortation of Psalm 46:10, which reads, "Be still and know that I am God".   In the New Testament we hear of the overshadowing of Mary at the moment of the Incarnation; the cloud that overshadowed the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration; the silent attentiveness of Mary of Bethany at the feet of Jesus in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus; and the darkness that covered the earth at the crucifixion of Jesus.

Christian tradition, especially the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the fourth century speak of the movement away from ordinary psychological awareness to the interior silence of the spiritual level of our being and beyond that, to the secrecy of union with the Divine Indwelling within us.

This tradition was continued by Hesychasts of the Eastern Orthodox tradition, and in particular by the sixth century Syrian monk known as Pseudo-Dionysius; Meister Eckhardt, Ruuysbroek and the Rhineland mystics; the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing in the fourteenth century; the Carmelite tradition exemplified by Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Therese of Lisieux; and more recently by Thomas Merton.  Today, this tradition continues in centering parayer.

The only initiative we take during the period of Centering Prayer is to maintain our original intention of consenting to the presence and action of God within. Centering Prayer thus leads directly into  "infused contemplation" which is purely God’s gift.   Centering Prayer serves the increasing need for a place and time of silence in daily life due to incessant noise, intrusions of the mass media, lack of time, and the accelerating pace of everyday life.

Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within:

1. The sacred word expresses our intention to be in God’s presence and to yield to the divine action.
2. The sacred word should be chosen during a brief period of prayer asking the Holy Spirit to inspire us with one that is especially suitable for us. Examples: Lord, Jesus, Father, Mother, Spirit. Other possibilities: Love, Peace, Shalom.
3. Having chosen a sacred word, we do not change it during the prayer period, for that would be thinking again.
4. A simple inward gaze upon God may be more suitable for some persons than the sacred word. In this case, one consents to God’s presence and actions by turning inwardly toward God as if gazing upon Him. The same guidelines apply to the sacred gaze as to the sacred word.

Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence within.

1. By "sitting comfortably" is meant relatively comfortably; not so comfortably that we encourage sleep, but sitting comfortably enough to avoid thinking about the discomfort of our bodies during this time of prayer.
2. Whatever sitting position we choose, we keep the back straight.
3. If we fall asleep, we continue the prayer for a few minutes upon awakening if we can spare the time.
4. Praying in this way after a main meal encourages drowsiness. Better wait an hour at least before Centering Prayer. Praying in this way just before retiring may disturb one’s sleep.
5. We close our eyes to let go of what is going on around and within us.
6. We introduce the sacred word inwardly and as gently as laying a feather on a piece of absorbent cotton.

When you become aware of thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.

1. "Thought" is an umbrella term for every perception including sense perceptions, feelings, images, memories, reflections, and commentaries.
2. Thoughts are a normal part of Centering Prayer.
3. By "returning ever-so-gently to the sacred word," a minimum of effort is indicated. This is the only activity we initiate during the time of Centering Prayer.
4. During the course of our prayer, the sacred word may become vague or even disappear.

At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.

1. If this prayer is done in a group, the leader may slowly recite the Our Father during the additional two or three minutes, while the others listen.
2. The additional two or three minutes gives the psyche time to readjust to the external senses and enables us to bring the atmosphere of silence into daily life.

Find out more about Centering Prayer at the Contemplative Outreach web site.


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Taizé Prayer

On Fridays of Lent and occasionally throughout the year we have a Taizé Prayer Service here at St. James.  Each year thousands of young adults gather at the Taizé Community near the small town of the same name and join in a prayer service like this three times a day.

This prayer begins with a meditative song, followed by a Psalm.  Jesus prayed these age-old prayers of his people (the Psalms). Christians have always found a wellspring of life in them. The psalms place us in the great communion of all believers. Our joys and sorrows, our trust in God, our thirst and even our anguish find expression in the psalms.  Then there is a reading from Scripture--going to “the inexhaustible wellspring by which God gives himself to thirsting human beings” (Origen, 3rd century). The Bible is a “letter from God to creatures” that enables them “to discover God’s heart in God’s words” (Gregory the Great, 6th century). 

Then there is another meditative song, followed by a period of silence.  When we try to express communion with God in words, our minds quickly come up short. But, in the depths of our being, through the Holy Spirit, Christ is praying far more than we imagine.  Although God never stops trying to communicate with us, this is never in order to impose. The voice of God is often heard only in a whisper, in a breath of silence. Remaining in silence in God’s presence, open to the Holy Spirit, is already prayer.  The road to contemplation is not one of achieving inner silence at all costs by following some technique that creates a kind of emptiness within. If, instead, with a childlike trust we let Christ pray silently within us, then one day we shall discover that the depths of our being are inhabited by a Presence.

This is followed by some intercessions--short petitions or acclamations, followed by a response sung by all.  These form a kind of “pillar of fire” at the heart of the prayer. Praying for others widens our prayer to the dimensions of the entire human family; we entrust to God the joys and the hopes, the sorrows and the sufferings of all people, particularly those who are forgotten. A prayer of praise enables us to celebrate all that God is for us.

At the end is continued meditative singing that can go on for some time. A small group can remain to sustain the singing of those who wish to keep on praying.

Singing is one of the most essential elements of worship. Short songs, repeated again and again, give it a meditative character. Using just a few words they express a basic reality of faith, quickly grasped by the mind. As the words are sung over many times, this reality gradually penetrates the whole being. Meditative singing thus becomes a way of listening to God. It allows everyone to take part in a time of prayer together and to remain together in attentive waiting on God, without having to fix the length of time too exactly.

To open the gates of trust in God, nothing can replace the beauty of human voices united in song. This beauty can give us a glimpse of "heaven’s joy on earth," as Eastern Christians put it. And an inner life begins to blossom within us.

These songs also sustain personal prayer. Through them, little by little, our being finds an inner unity in God. They can continue in the silence of our hearts when we are at work, speaking with others or resting. In this way prayer and daily life are united. They allow us to keep on praying even when we are unaware of it, in the silence of our hearts.

Read more about Taizé here.

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  Praying at my computer

There is a wonderful site called Sacred Space that will guide you through a ten minute prayer experience each day.  You can also take part in an on-line retreat.  Both of these sites are written and maintained by Jesuits and inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

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We provide a supportive environment that encourages our members to grow in their personal relationship with God, their relationship with “The Body of  Christ” and their relationship with the community at large.