Forgetting to Remember

Lately, I've been making a concerted effort to increase the number of times I pray during the day. To do this, I've found several books that I'd like to share with you:

The Divine Hours, Pocket Edition, by Phyllis Tickle.  It is a rather traditional prayer guide with different Offices of Prayer.  This, if I understand it clearly, is in the monastic tradition of praying several times a day. All of the offices are done on the hour or half hour.

The first office is "The Office of Midnight" between 10:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. The next one is the "Office of the Night Watch" between 1:30 and 4:30 a.m. This is followed by the "Office of Dawn" between 4:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. The next is the "Morning Office" between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. Then there is the "Midday Office" between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. After that is the "Vespers Office" between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., followed by the "Office of Compline" "To Be Observed Before Retiring." There are different prayers for each day of the week.

Yes, this is a great deal of praying, and I'd like to tell you that I achieve perfect adherence to this book's suggested prayers.  I don't.  But I do have a place to go at a particular time of day when I remember to pray.  It's funny...I NEVER forget to eat or take a shower or brush my teeth, or to feed the dogs or take out the trash or do my laundry and all the other actions of daily life.  And I never seem to forget to obsess about the day ahead of me and all the "important" things I have to get done. But prayer is something I tend to forget to remember. That's why books such as the ones noted are wonderful for stopping me in the chaos and reminding me to connect with God.

Another wonderful book, along the same lines, is called The Book of Hours. It is a compilation of writings by the monastic mystic priest Thomas Merton fashioned into a book of prayers for particular times of the day. There are readings for each day of the week, but prayer is done only four times a day, at Dawn, Day, Dusk and Dark. Merton's prose and poetry are exquisite, although definitely mysterious at times, and always thought-provoking. One special aspect of his contemplative works is his attention to the practice of Silence. It is an important part of his message in how we empty ourselves to receive God's grace, and how we keep ourselves open as a channel of God's power working in us and through us, often in ways that we cannot even comprehend. I find Merton's writings the most soothing to my spirit and the silence, a new friend in a busy, oftentimes noisy world.

Lastly, I recommend another book by Phyllis Tickle called Christmastide: Prayers for Advent Through Epiphany from the Divine Hours. It, too, is divided into the Daily Offices, but it is divided into the weeks of Advent; for example, there are prayers for each of the four weeks leading up to Advent and each week is divided by the days of the week. There are a wealth of excerpts from the Bible and prayers that help me focus on the coming of the "incarnation." I have a real sense of reverence when I follow these readings.

Again, the trick is to remember not to forget to pray. I have all three books because I know that while I probably am not going to read out of all three every single day, chances are good that at some point in the day I am going to pick up one of these books and read.  It helps that they are on my Kindle.  Actually, I have the Kindle app on my phone so the prayers are available to me 24/7.

Now if you'll excuse me, writing this post has reminded me that I ought to say some prayers and do some meditating before I go to sleep tonight. The trick will be getting from the computer to the bedroom without forgetting my great resolve!

Peace and all good things to you this holiday season as we await the coming of God, disguised as a tiny babe in a manger.