The Way of Love – Prayer


This week we are focusing on prayer.  I thank Deacon Cathy for her talk at the Way of Love Quite Day held last Saturday, March 23rd at St. Alban’s in New Brunswick.  She reminded the attendees that our very own Book of Common Prayer (1979) does an excellent job of defining and explaining the various types of prayer that Christians practice.  If you are not familiar with the Catechism, it is set up in a Socratic style of question and answer that flows very easily from one inquisition to the next.

From “An Outline of the Faith (commonly called the Catechism)” on pp. 856-7 of BCP

Prayer and Worship (we’ll get to Worship next week!)
Q.          What is prayer?
A.          Prayer is responding to God, by thought and by deeds, with or without words.
Q.          What is Christian Prayer?
A.          Christian prayer is response to God the Father, through Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Q.          What prayer did Christ teach us?
A.          Our Lord gave us the example of prayer known as the Lord’s Prayer. See page 364.
Q.          What are the principal kinds of prayer?
A.          The principal kinds of prayer are adoration, praise, thanksgiving, penitence, oblation, intercession, and petition.
Q.          What is adoration?
A.          Adoration is the lifting up of the heart and mind to God, asking nothing but to enjoy God’s presence.
Q           Why do we praise God?
A.          We praise God, not to obtain anything, but because God’s Being draws praise from us.
Q.          For what do we offer thanksgiving?
A.          Thanksgiving is offered to God for all the blessings of this life, for our redemption, and for whatever draws us closer to God.
Q.          What is penitence?
A.          In penitence, we confess our sins and make restitution where possible, with the intention to amend our lives.
Q.          What is prayer of oblation?
A.          Oblation is an offering of ourselves, our lives and labors, in union with Christ, for the purposes of God.
Q.          What are intercession and petition?
A.          Intercession brings before God the needs of others; in petition, we present our own needs, that God’s will may be done.

As it is the season of Lent I want to highlight the prayer of penitence.  There is a little know (and unfortunately little used) Sacrament in the BCP on page 447. It is the rite of “The Reconciliation of a Penitent,” or sometimes known as Confession.  In our Sunday worship we offer a “General Confession,” that is everyone confessing together without naming specific sins.  The intention is that the parishioners have all done the penitence for the sins they have committed and are ready to be absolved of their sins by the priest.  Unfortunately, most of us are not that prepared on Sunday morning.  That doesn’t mean that God doesn’t forgive our sins, because God’s forgiveness is freely given and already accomplished.  However, we might not be prepared to let go of our own guilt or shame.
In some cases, sin pervades our soul so much that we cannot let go of it without the full rite of Reconciliation.  A great example of this was written by Rachel Howard in the New York Times Magazine on March 24th entitled “Letter of Recommendation: Lent.”  I encourage you to read it (or ask me for a copy!). 
If you are interested in this great Sacrament, please contact me to arrange a time to meet.  There is some planning and preparation that is required.  And note that if the priest does not feel that the sinner has repented and made restitution, absolution can be withheld until such a time as the actions are completed.  We may be justified before God, but we also must be reconciled to our neighbor, if we have sinned again them.
With Lenten Blessings,
Rev. Valerie+

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