Book Review: In Constant Prayer

In Constant Prayer (The Ancient Practices)

by Robert Benson
Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2008

In Constant Prayer (The Ancient Practices)
by Robert Benson is the second in the “Ancient Practices” series being edited by Phyllis Tickle for Thomas Nelson Publishers. Benson focuses on the practice of saying the “Daily Office,” a formal series of prayers said at several times during the day. As Tickle states, this is the practice “of interrupting secular time every three hours for the observance of worship time made sacred by prayer.”

I admit that before I read this book, I knew very little about the Daily Office other than what it was. Benson does a good job of explaining the practice, especially the history of fixed hour prayer and the reasons why this practice should continue in our modern world. He extols the value of using formal prayer that isn’t about us at all, but rather about praising God, and the beauty of praying the same prayers that others throughout the world are doing at the same time. He makes all the arguments people offer for not doing the office and then cuts them down. He also includes an example of the Daily Office in an appendix. Having never read it before, I found it beautiful. I do wish that he had offered more guidance as to how to actually say the Daily Office although he does refer the reader to other books.

Benson emphasizes that he is not a theologian and certainly does not have all the answers. He is a writer and a seeker. As such, I think that many will relate to his spiritual journey. I especially enjoyed his chapter, “Lost Between the Daily and the Divine,” in which he explores how learning to pray and praying have much in common with the other work we do in our lives. For example, if one writes, or creates music, a great deal of that craft is sitting down and making yourself do the work. The same holds true of prayer. We learn by doing. As Benson very wisely states, “I do not know if I will ever become a person of prayer. But I do know that there is only one way it will ever happen. People of prayer say their prayers – every day.”

As a Catholic, I found Benson’s discussion of Confession particularly interesting. Saying that one is sorry for one’s sins is part of the Daily Office. Benson speaks of his evangelical upbringing – once saved, always saved, but he acknowledges that the sins keep coming. He goes back to John who states that if we confess our sins, we will be forgiven. He therefore does see the need for this confessing of sin. We all make mistakes. His longing for forgiveness made me realize the value of our Sacrament of Reconciliation even more. There is something to be said for hearing the words “You are absolved of all your sin.”

“In Constant Prayer” is a very insightful work. Whether or not it convinces you to begin praying the “Daily Office,” it will help you realize the value of punctuating one’s day with frequent prayer.

Horrific Anti-Life Sentiments

I got these quotes from the Susan B. Anthony List - a group that works to elect pro-life politicians. Where is the outrage? There is no way most women think this.

Mothers are Losers

“The argument that women who become pregnant have in some sense consented to the pregnancy belies reality…and others who are the inevitable losers in the contraceptive lottery no more ‘consent’ to pregnancy than pedestrians ‘consent’ to being struck by drunk drivers.’”

Pregnant Women are Fetal Containers

“The woman is constantly aware for nine months that her body is not wholly her own: the state has conscripted her body for its own ends. Thus, abortion restrictions ‘reduce pregnant women to no more than fetal containers.’”

Pregnancy equals Slavery

“Statutes that curtail her abortion choice are disturbingly suggestive of involuntary servitude, prohibited by the Thirteenth Amendment, in that forced pregnancy requires a woman to provide continuous physical service to the fetus in order to further the state’s asserted interest.”

All of these outrageous statements were made by Dawn Johnsen, who has been appointed by President Obama to head the Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice.

"The Ward" on Catholic Blog Fiction

Please check out the new story on Catholic Blog Fiction: "The Ward" by Roger Thomas, running now through April 9th.

Finding Where One Belongs

I went to go visit my best friend and her three month old baby yesterday. The baby is beautiful, an absolute gift from God. Like all new parents, my friend and her husband are studying her every move and characteristic, trying to determine where she fits in their family. Whose eyes and nose does she have? Whose hair color? Where did she get that way she sticks out her bottom lip? I did the same thing when my own children were small, as my own parents did with me. Even now, I look in the mirror and see characteristics of different members of my family. We all want to know where we belong, where we fit in the bigger picture.

The same thing happens with our place in the world at large. We grow up and try to figure out where our path lies. What is our role in the big picture? We believe that God put us here for a reason, but what is that reason? What is the particular contribution that we have to bring to life on Earth? That’s a question that does not always have an easy answer. Some people are lucky. They seem to know from a very early age exactly what they were meant to do, who they were meant to be. For most of us, however, life is more of an unfolding; careers more temporary. I know the question of where I belong is one I ponder on a regular basis. I also wonder where my children’s lives will lead them. I know that God put them here for a reason, too.

So much in life seems left to chance, but as I have often heard it said, “There are no coincidences, only God-incidences.” So, then, I have to believe that the people we come across, the lives we touch, the jobs we do, all are part of some master plan. We have free will and obviously make choices about our lives, but God is there, working behind the scenes, helping to bring good out of the chaos. From the day that we are born, each one of us plays a role in so many people’s lives, often times in ways we never realize or imagine. We may never do something that goes down in the history books. We may never even make the local newspaper. Yet, our simple personal interactions can and do change other’s lives.

We all do have a role to play in this world. God made us all for a reason. We do need to pray to help figure out what that reason is, to help align our will with God’s will. Sometimes, the reason is not always evident (although sometimes in hindsight we can see it), but we need to trust that it is there, that our lives matter. We all do belong. We all have a place. God loves each and every one of us.

Book Review: Finding Our Way Again

Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices"
by Brian McLaren
Thomas Nelson, 2008

“You can’t take an epidural shot to ease the pain of giving birth to character.” So states Brian McLaren in Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices. What, then, can we do to help shape the person that we trying to become? McLaren argues that the ancient spiritual practices can help us make our way through the chaos that is life. This is the first in a series of books published by Thomas Nelson focusing on the following spiritual practices: Prayer, Sabbath, Fasting, The Sacred Meal, Pilgrimage, the Liturgical Year, and Tithing. As such, “Finding Our Way Again” can both stand alone as an introduction to the value of these practices, as well as provide a hint of what is to come in the additional volumes.

These seven practices are common to all three faith traditions that trace their roots to Abraham: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. In a world where religious conflict is all too common, these practices can help us realize just how much we actually share. McLaren, who is a Christian, writes from an emergent mindset. Like Phyllis Tickle who is the general editor of this series, he believes that a new way of practicing religion is coming into being, one that incorporates aspects of several different faith traditions. Regardless of whether one agrees with that assessment or not, one can find great value in learning about these common practices and incorporating at least some of them into one’s life. Contemplative practices such as prayer, observing the Sabbath, and fasting, “are means by which we become prepared for grace to surprise us. They are ways of opening our hands so that we can receive the gifts God wants to give us.” On the other hand, communal practices such as taking part in the sacred meal, a pilgrimage, the liturgical seasons, and tithing bring us out of ourselves and into community. “The Way of Community is about the inward journey, not the journey into me, but the journey into we.” In many ways the contemplative and community practices are interconnected. McLaren also devotes some time to discussing the three aspects of the ancient way: the purgative, the illuminative, and the unitive aspects of our spiritual journey. The ancient practices are designed to assist us on that journey.

“Finding Our Way Again” is enlightening. McLaren offers questions and exercises so that this book may be used either alone or in group study. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

Five Things I Wish You Knew about NFP

Sara Fox Peterson wrote a very informative article about NFP for Catholic Mom: Five Things I Wish You Knew. I especially like this paragraph:

NFP can be a tremendous blessing for a couple who must avoid pregnancy, but it is also a privation and most couples who seriously use NFP to avoid pregnancy for any length of time will feel this. God does faithfully supply the graces necessary to cooperate with Him and NFP is not impossibly burdensome when it is truly necessary, but it usually isn’t fun or effortless either. NFP is not an easy way out of the struggles and sacrifices of bearing and raising children because it may entail significant struggles and sacrifices of it’s own. So it is OK not to be happy about using NFP. It is OK to be angry or sad that it is necessary. And many of us must grow considerably before we can regret only that it is necessary to avoid pregnancy and not to hang on to feelings that if we could only legitimately use contraception life would be better. But even when we use NFP only out of obedience (even grudging obedience) God is so very generous with His grace and blessings and grow and flourish we will.

This is the first time I have ever seen it written that it is OK not to be thrilled with NFP. After 12 years, I can say it has been a blessing, but it certainly has not always been easy, and as my body moves into more changes now that I am getting older, I confess that I am just a little scared - trusting in God, but scared. As I said, it has been a blessing and I am very grateful for it. I totally agree with the last sentence that "God is so very generous with His grace and blessings," even when the obedience is not always easy.

1st Communion Photo Contest

Win $100 Gift Card for the Cutest First Communion Photo

The Catholic Company, the market leader for online Catholic books and gifts, has just announced a First Communion Photo Contest. What a great excuse to pull those photos out of the photo book and show them off again. Bloggers, podcasters, and webmasters can also win a $50 Gift Card for referring the winning entry to the contest, so be sure to spread the word!