From Patheos (links to pt. 1 and 2 included)My identity as an Episcopalian stems partly from family history and partly from choice. On this Thanksgiving Eve, I am grateful for how the Episcopal Church has formed and is forming my Christian journey. I am particularly grateful for:
The Book of Common Prayer
I am a lousy pray-er. When I set aside time to pray, I spend far too much time figuring out what to pray about/for, or what kind of prayer to focus on (thanksgivings, intercessions, confession). When I try centering prayer, I fall asleep. I’ve finally come up with a twofold strategy that works pretty well. I offer lots of short, spontaneous prayers throughout the day of the Anne Lamott “help, thanks, wow” variety, in response to whatever events or feelings come up. And for set prayer times, whether at home, at church, or in some other communal setting, I rely on words other people have already written, especially the Psalms, the Jesus prayer (“Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”), and the rich offerings of the Book of Common Prayer. Whether I’m confessing my sins with my congregation on a Sunday morning, using one of the daily devotions to structure my morning or evening prayer at home, or finding a suitable prayer for a specific need in the “Prayers and Thanksgivings” section in the back, I can always count on the BCP to provide authentic, beautiful prayers when I am incapable of coming up with anything on my own (which is most of the time).
More here-
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/ellenpainterdollar/2012/11/why-i-am-grateful-to-be-an-episcopalian-part-3-thanksgiving/
No comments:
Post a Comment