Rules for life and prayer

 

Rules for life and prayer

The word 'rule' always used to strike me with horror. It took me back to my school days when the school rules forbade us to do – oh so many things. The word 'rule' implies constraint. So when I heard of the 'rule of Saint Benedict', I was wary. The very idea that you should live your spiritual life according to rules was foreign to me. And yet, I used to meditate hours at a time every day. So, I was not without discipline – but it was self discipline. So, in a sense, I was actually living by a rule – my own. But a rule, as in monastic life is not about do's and dont's. It about a structure. It provides the framework for a life which facilitates prayer and contemplation in community. Time is rigorously regulated. Time to get up, to go to laudes, to eat breakfast, to go to matins, to go to mass, to work, to eat lunch, to pray, to talk to sleep. And the office, the prayer of the church gives the texts for all the divine offices. Not much room for spontaneity there. But, when you try this way of life, it is strangely relaxing. Supported by a community, the needs of daily life are easily met. And thanks to that rigorous structure of the divine office, your prayer is freed. Your soul drifts on the divine offices, floating into prayer and silence without having to make the effort of a difficult self discipline. It's actually a relief.

As a deacon, Gavin is expected to say the divine office daily, and as his wife I am expected to accompany him. To be honest, we don't follow all the offices, but laudes is one we rarely miss. The day doesn't begin without it. It just doesn't feel right. Laudes puts the day into context. After it, God with us, we are freed to get on with the next thing.

Touching base with God at regular intervals establishes the contact and it is important to do it at regular times and that for several reasons : Firstly, saying the divine office the prayer of the Church at the regular times means that, even if you are physically alone, you are praying with the whole Christian community in spirit. The Divine Office builds the spiritual body of the Church.

But secondly, passing from the divine office, a regular place and time table are equally important for our life of individual prayer, meditation and contemplation.

In Carmel, the cell of the religious is respected as a sacred space, in French a 'lieu sacré', because it is where the individual religious and God habitually meet in a one to one. Anywhere can become a sacred space – a statue, a grotto, an icon – anywhere humanity comes in prayer to meet with God, there God is. And the more humanity comes, and the deeper the prayer, the more God is present. So if we want ready access to the divine, we should not only keep up our regular prayer in the body of the Church, but also keep a regular contact – a regular place and time in our personal prayer life. We all need to establish a lieu sacré – a private silent space of meeting. And then as our relationship with God strengthens we will find our prayer life evolving – we will learn to listen to the other – to God and we will enter into oraison - conversation with the Lord. One of our favorite antiphons from laudes is, 'Let us listen for the voice of the Lord and enter into his peace.' Listening brings a silent mind, concentration on the other, God.

On the other hand, our neglect, distraction and general unpredictability results in God withdrawing. Would Lourdes continue to be a powerful spiritual center if nobody came ? Or if everybody partied instead of giving their attention to the Virgin and her Son ? Sow and ye shall reap ! So, set up your little private corner, set aside a regular time when you can be alone with God and start listening. And may God bless your prayer time.