We are blessed to have the Book of Common Prayer

23May
My feet have closely followed his steps;
  I have kept to his way without turning aside.
I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
  I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.
 God has made my heart faint;
  the Almighty has terrified me.
 Yet I am not silenced by the darkness,
  by the thick darkness that covers my face
-Job 23:11-12, 16-17


“The Truth is found in the crease of the paradox.” It is a statement I once made out of frustration. I was trying to explain in words, the journey of the creative process, a wordless pursuit. I was imagining a typical art endeavor in which paradoxical principles are thrust together in pursuit of a unified outcome. An example would be attempting to tell a story in paint and make a painting, not a picture. A picture can be described in words; a painting speaks for itself. The English Romantic painter J.M.W Turner was a master at such.

 

Scientists might call “The Crease” the Singularity. It is where the laws of the universe seem at odds, and when forced together, “They do not behave well.” I am fascinated with the discomfort of such cosmic misbehavior because it is, I believe, where we are being asked to shut-up and listen. It is within the mystery of the crease that logic unravels revelation presents itself.

 

Finding the crease is similarly the challenge of reconciling prayer as words and prayer as silence; while making peace with our expectations for outcomes; operative phrase: while making peace with our expectations for outcomes. It is in the crease between spoken prayer and Holy Silence that we are most likely to hear the words of His mouth.

 

The Jesuits have said if you can hear yourself praying, it’s not prayer. Buddhists would say, ‘Once we have pointed to the moon, the finger with which we pointed is no longer necessary.” When our listener sees the moon, the finger becomes about the finger and not about the moon.

 

We are blessed to have the Book of Common Prayer. When we pray together it is with one voice as a family of seekers. The Disciples of Pentecost, empowered by the Holy Spirit, were not given the gift of speaking all languages; they were empowered to speak in a way that all who listened, could hear. That was the miracle of Pentecost. It is the miracle within our silent prayer; we are able to hear His voice.


Musical Reflection - This is My Song "Finlandia" by Sibelius. VOCES8


Be still and aware of God's presence within and all around. Amen.

Prayer

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