I’m often asked why I practice, to the best of my ability, some of the daily offices (regularly scheduled and pre-prepared prayers and readings). The next question is often: how do I practice the offices. Let’s start with the why, the purpose and the context.
Daily Prayer
For me the offices are all about two concepts: grounding and presence. First grounding. We are all grounded, rooted in, or attached to something—whether we are conscious of it or not. The roots of our attitudes could be in fear or anger. Our grounding worldview could be all about gaining riches or power. Our main attachments could be to security or gaining the approval of others. Knowing that these pitfalls to the Way of Jesus could—and sometimes are—true of me, I built into my life a daily rhythm reminding myself of the Reality of God—his truth, his agenda for humanity, etc. These reminders have the grounding effect I mentioned above.
This is why I practice three routines:
- Morning Prayer: My friend Tonya Haught has armed me over the years with various options for these times of prayer. For the past few years I have tended to use Celtic Daily Prayer. But as I am coming into the Anglican world I am beginning to experiment with The Book of Common Prayer. These and others can be found online and can even be downloaded to hand-held devices including the iPhone. Being old school, I carry around in my brief case the attractive paper copies Tonya has given me. Like all of us, I sometimes get going on my day before prayer. I make the mistake of opening my laptop before the prayer book. When I do this, I simply stop what I am doing. I don’t bash myself. I just get out a version of morning prayer and use it as guide to have a conversation with God wherein I pray for my family and pray for my day.
- The Golden Triangle of Presence: Having started the day well, I need a way to stay present to God so that I do not end up in the common trap of morning prayers: to say hello to God, ask for a few things and then go on to live my day in my way with little or no conscious awareness of God. Thus, I’ve developed little prayers to use throughout the day that keep me connected to God, myself and the people and events of my life—a triangle of presence. I write about this at length in my book Christianity Beyond Belief.
- Compline: Praying the Compline is how Christians have ended their days for almost 2000 years. This is the office that I am most consistent with. Mornings can get off to a rocky start; days can get out of control. But I am always—or nearly so—in control at bed time. In Celtic Daily Prayer there are Complines for every day of the week. This keeps Compline fresh. Like all the offices, I find the structure of Compline to be a guide to review my day, prayerfully prepare for tomorrow and pray for my family.
There are other offices, such as midday prayer and evening prayer, that may fit the normal rhythms and routines of your life.
While some may be tempted to say such rhythms and routines are reserved for saints and monks, I can assure you I am neither. But, I can say with a clear heart and genuine enthusiasm that the offices actually work. There is a reason they have been in use for so long: they are self-authenticating. That is, they prove themselves by their use. And they are intended for use by everyday followers of Jesus as part of the normal rhythms and routines of their everyday life.
Give them a try…start slow…do not be harsh on your failings…
Embark on a journey…
May 21st, 2009 at 2:19 pm
[...] out Todd’s latest blog as well, as Todd invites us to embark on a journey of discovering the rhythms of daily [...]
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:28 am
Thanks, Todd, for this encouragement. I’m trying to maintain a daily prayer practice, too. I’ve been using the Northumbria Community prayer offices, which are online as well (www.northumbriacommunity.org), and include the morning, mid-day, evening and compline. A bit shorter than the BCP, which I like, and less complicated (online they even give you a link to the scripture readings for the day!).
I’m a morning and evening prayer guy…haven’t got enough steam left for compline before bed yet, but really want to try it. I am NOT a disciplined person, by nature (a slacker, really) and have an aversion to “quiet times” as a result of 30 years worth of regular shame and guilt over this practice, so I am surprised at how easy and fun this ancient practice is. I actually look forward to the times, and find it helps me focus on Christ more. The offices tend to (like the liturgies) focus on Christ and others, almost exclusively. Not much prayer time focused on me…except for confession of sin. As a recovering evangelical, I’ve found this to be an enormously refreshing realignment.
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:28 am
Thanks Randy–that is great stuff to hear.
I hope it will be an encouragement to others, who like us, are trying to find a way forward from guilt to freedom–and the authentic spirituality we are seeking.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:17 am
Todd,
Thanks for giving me another way to “repent”. Changing the way I think from old ways to Kingdom ways takes practice. Like most skills or habits, the best way to get good and consistent is to do a bit each day. Praying well thought-out prayers that can guide my wandering thoughts is just the ticket. It also follows the “watch me – now you” pattern that Jesus demonstrated in training up the first disciples.
I’m particularly sparked by the “Golden Triangle” and have been gradually increasing the time each that I am consciously aware of Jesus’ presencein my days. (It is very easy to forget that He is in the room!) In the 3 is Enough context, if we are all practicing being present with God, ourselves and the others in the room…we make a pyramid! (Which is a very useful building block for community, I would venture.)
Anyway, thanks for prodding the sloth in me to get up and do the work of changing my thoughts…therefore my actions…therefore my identity.
Blessings,
mara
May 23rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
Hey Mara,
Thanks for your kind and encouraging words–sounds like you are on the right journey!
May 25th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Todd, I am very intrigued by this ancient practice being brought into our contemporary context. I am interested in experimenting with these prayer practices with my church community. Any advice for introducing this to a community that has no history or experience with it? Thanks for the work you are doing for the kingdom!
May 26th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Go slow…move with the movers…don’t try to motivate the unmotivated…find the already motivated and work with them…others will then follow…and it will spread!
Hope that helps a little.
Peace,
Todd
June 21st, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Recommend Celebrating Common Prayer published by the Anglican Franciscans in the UK. The travel version works well. I have used that for the last 3 years and it is used by many in our church.
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Hi Todd,
I am curious about something. First I have been a non-denominational evangelical christian most of my 35 years as a christian. In the past 7 years my husband became eastern orthodox, and I have dabbled with Anglicanism. my question is, why Anglicanism as the ancient faith you pro-port and not eastern orthodoxy which goes back even further? I am searching for most everything you talk about on your web site and on the web-site for the Holy Trinity Church in Costa Mesa. I struggle with some of the practices of eastern orthodoxy ( for instance the use and beliefs about icons), so anglicanism seems more of what I am searching for, however I miss attending church with my husband. Can you address the icon thing, I am seeking some insight and spiritual direction. Maybe this isn’t the venue, if not, direct me else where. Thanks in advance and love in our Lord Jesus Christ. JS
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Hey JS,
Maybe this portion of a recent blog post will help: “…let me say that my journey in the Anglican Church is in no way a negative comment on my past: my Methodist upbringing, my conversion in Calvary Chapel, my deep and profound connection to Vineyard Churches, or about Alpha USA. I am genuinely grateful for the contributions those ministries have made to my life—they have been the stuff of my ministry life for 34 years. I did not look around the ecclesiastical landscape—the way one might choose a new shirt in a department store—and select Anglicanism because I think it is superior to the churches of my past or the other church movements in America. This was sheer, unforeseen calling.”
So…I know almost nothing about EO; I did not “pick” the Anglican Church; I was called to work with them.
Sorry I cannot be more help…
Blessings–and guidance to you and your husband!
Todd
July 22nd, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Hi Todd
I’ve been a Companion to the Northumbria Community for a long time now, and serve on the USA Board. It is wonderful to see our liturgies being used to deepen spiritual practice and improve relationships to God and one another. There may be other folks in the USA who are interested. Our USA mail address is Northumbria Community USA PO Box 1824 Keene, NH 03431. Contact us to connect with others who are interested in establishing a rhythm of life connected to God always, in all circumstances. Blessings!
Cyndy
July 22nd, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Thank God for you and for the Northumbria Community–and for people like RIchard Foster who introduced many of us to you!