The Canadian Book of Common Prayer was my introduction to Anglican daily prayer back in the ’80s. I prayed through it thoroughly: THE ORDER FOR MORNING AND EVENING PRAYER DAILY TO BE SAID THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, PRAYERS AT MID-DAY, THE LITANY, the PRAYERS AND THANKSGIVINGS UPON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, and the FORMS OF PRAYER TO BE USED IN FAMILIES.
I prayed them all. Systematically. All 46 of the PRAYERS and nine THANKSGIVINGS. I read through the lectionary. I loved it. As a result, I got to know it pretty well. So can you! And, as you do, you will find it a rich Spirit-filled source of prayer for all circumstances.
When The Book of Alternative Services came on the scene, I explored the Offices and prayers in it, too. Back then, I was an ordinary, if new, Anglican with a family and a job. I don’t remember it being particularly difficult to find the time to pray. I suspect that, with the Lord’s help, we are all able to find time for what is important to us.
These days, my wife and I use the free and excellent Daily Prayer app (http://itunes.apple.com/app/id818491760) from the Church of England when we pray Morning Prayer together. The app can use the traditional language and format, too.
I have found that when I do make the time to pray, and make the effort to pay attention during Daily Offices and Sunday liturgies, charismatic treats pop up when I least expect them. For example, in Litany 7 in The Book of Alternative Services, one of the petitions is this:
For all who have consecrated their lives to the kingdom of God,
and for all struggling to follow the way of Christ, let us ask the
gifts of the Spirit. Lord, hear and have mercy (p.116).
It can be all too easy to breeze past such a charismatic treat. Let’s take a moment here to unpack it. If we were baptized as infants, our parents first consecrated our lives to the kingdom of God. We then consecrated them ourselves when we were confirmed.
We continue to consecrate and re-consecrate ourselves day by day, Sunday by Sunday, as we struggle (wrestle) to follow the way of Christ as we live our lives and as we pray, read and listen to Scripture and as we enjoy feeding our souls in the Holy Eucharist.
What do we need in order that we might succeed in the struggle, according to this petition? The charismatic gifts of the Spirit, the manifestations of the Spirit given to each of us for the common good (1Cor. 12:7). Here they are again:
- Words of wisdom
- Words of knowledge
- Faith
- Gifts of healing
- The working of miracles
- Prophecy
- The ability to distinguish between spirits
- Various kinds of tongues
- The interpretation of tongues (1 Cor 12.8-10)
Sadly, not many Anglicans, or Christians of many other denominations, are experiencing any of those very often, if ever. Our devotional lives and our worship are the poorer for it.
So, pray. Pray, asking the Lord to release the gifts of the Spirit anew. Pray that these gifts will become an obvious and vibrant part of our worship and devotional landscape. Use that petition from Litany 7 in your daily prayers. Work through all the Litanies every now and then.
Not only will they help you focus your prayers as you pray through the things you are particularly concerned about, but I find they also remind me of things I’d forgotten to pray about.
I’ve quoted her before in these pages, but I’m fond of one of Sister Monica Joan’s sayings in Call the Midwife about the effectiveness of liturgy, so here it is again.
As she struggled with her dementia, she said, “The liturgy is of comfort to the disarrayed mind. We need not choose our thoughts; the words are aligned, like a rope for us to cling to.” It doesn’t matter how well arrayed my mind is, or how spiritually dry I am feeling. If I just take hold of the rope, as Sister Monica Joan suggests, the liturgies in our Prayer Books will pick me up and carry me along.
As I surrender myself to the words of the liturgy and the Scriptures, they will accomplish in me what the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ purposes. They will succeed in the things for which he sent them (Isa. 55:11).
I don’t have to be holy, or clever, or erudite or eloquent. All I have to do is take hold of the rope. I cling happily still. I can enjoy being clingy in a good way. I hope you can find your way to get a good grip, too.
