Comments on: In Constant Prayer

By: Gail

Gail — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:53:22 +0000

Most excellent, Carl–thanks! So many good books; so little time. Old friends of ours have come over on Sunday nights for a while now and we say the Evening Office together. No prep time needed, just 45 min. or so with a reading at the lesson time and some Centering Prayer after that–has been wonderfully grounding for such a bunch of wordy academic types in its power and simplicity.

By: Dfish

Dfish — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:45:24 +0000

Early this morning while praying and before i read this post, i thought of going back to the Liturgy of the Hours as a recovering Catholic after years of using the New Zealand Prayer Book.i simply love the language of this Anglican prayer book. one thing is i could easily ask my priest-friend to donate a new copy for me. now, God has just given me a sign to re-unite myself to the Church i love deeply. i’ll see how my friend will respond to my mail.

By: Cynthia Lee

Cynthia Lee — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 04:02:32 +0000

Hi Carl,

The practice of the daily office can be complex and demanding, but since when are spiritual disciplines supposed to be simple and easy?

As an Anglo-Catholic-oriented mystic and contemplative drawn to monastic practices, places and lifestyles, it is exciting for me to see these old, pre-Protestant Reformation traditions becoming visible and popular among non-Catholic, non-Orthodox, non-Anglican Christians.

Speaking of mystical and monastic matters, today (September 17) is the anniversary of the death of St. Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179), whose talents and achievements inspire us still.

Here is a poem I wrote about Hildegard von Bingen on a long ago September 17 in the late 1990′s:

Abbess Hildegard
we dare not
salute you in
familiar fashion as
yours was the warmth
of the fire in the
heart and not the
ebullient extrovert’s
heartiness . . .

you inspired fear
and respect among
those who knew you and
your tumbling torrents
of creativity, your
vast visions . . .

capricious, capacious,
concerned, deftly
devout you maneuvered
your way through
the music
the theology
the liturgy
the art
the sciences
the manners
the men
the women
the politics
the treachery
ignorance and mysticism
of your European
medieval, cloistered time
with such grace and skill
oh such grace we remember still
how you filled your cup
and held it out
for us to sup . . .

The link for September 17 in the multi-faith, multi-media daily devotionals that I publish in the Mystical Order of the White Rose’s monthly newsletter is:
http://www.mysticalwhiterose.com/septseventeen8.html

In addition to the poem above, it contains links for two videos and one website that give a great feel for her Hildegard von Bingen’s music, her mysticism and wisdom and her life in medieval Germany.

Blessings,

Cynthia

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:28:56 +0000

Carl, For years I have used the office of prime and the office of compline as “bookends” for my day. The offices I use are, I suppose, antiques because they come from a book of “little offices” once used by the Community of the Resurrection (Anglican) in Great Britain. The book, published in the 1950′s, was given to me at a retreat way back in the 70′s. In any case, I have them memorized and they serve me well. They take only 5-10 minutes each; so even my busiest days can begin and end with my eyes focused on the Lord. Also, since I am in a situation where I can no longer attend daily Mass, I also use a short spiritual Communion service from the St. Augustine’s Prayer Book (also Anglican and still in print) on days when I have more time. I have that one memorized too, a great convenience when I am traveling. I can’t imagine my life without the blessing of these prayers.