Ash Wednesday

For Christmas this year, my friend Paul Messer gave me the “pocket edition” of Phyllis Tickle’s “Divine Hours.” It’s a scaled down version of her three volume set of daily offices—prayers, litanies, and scripture readings for various times of the day. The pocket edition has one full cycle of offices for each day of the week. There are prayers to be offered at midnight, night watch, at dawn, morning (matins), noon, evening (vespers), and before retiring for the night (compline).

I’m a person who has struggled with maintaining strict disciplines in prayer. Usually it’s because I set myself up for failure, biting off more than I can chew. Like a New Year’s resolution to lose 25 pounds by March, or giving up beer and wine, sweets, and all snack foods for Lent…after a few days I find I’m not doing well, and I just throw in the towel. With prayer, I typically get all ambitious—like I’m going to knock out all seven offices each and every day!—and after matins the first day I’ve misplaced the book.

What I’ve found with the pocket edition of Divine Hours is that I use it more as a travel edition. It fits better in the pocket of my backpack than in any pocket I might actually wear. I tend to be alone a lot when I travel, certainly at night and in the early morning. It’s a great comfort and a welcome moment of calm to read an office alone, out loud, in a guesthouse or hotel room by myself. As often as not, I do so to the tune of a Muslim call to prayer—a very interesting juxtaposition.

I think what I’ll do for Lent this year is simply pick up that book more often, especially when the contextual cues remind me that God is also calling me to prayer. 

Lenten Blessings,

Peter

Comments

[Chris]

You, my friend, have just described ME! And that exact book, too. I laughed out loud reading this, despite myself. Be well, and pray often, or at least as often as you can manage. 'For God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.'
CS

[Kaybrauer]

Sending Lenten blessings to you & yours and our sisters and brothers in Senegal from First English, Oshkosh. Ash Wednesday was off to a snowy start this morning as we had another 5" of snow! Your words from last year struck a chord and I wanted you to know we're are thinking of you! K.