04 March 2009
On Inhaling and Exhaling
Word and Sacrament we hear all the time. That's great. You can't live without breathing in. But you also can't live without breathing out. And the breathing out is prayer. We need to foster our parishes more in it, I am utterly convinced. Ecclesia orans - that's what the Church does. "And the Lord added to the number daily those being saved." A Church without prayer is a Church trying only to breath in. It will soon explode. You can only breathe in so much. But a Church that exhales the Word inbreathed in prayer is a Church that is will discover the joy of being ALIVE. May the Lord grant us all such life! Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. There you go!
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4 comments:
Being in the Bible Belt there is a lot of pressure regarding prayer - not the need for prayer but almost the idea that it should be a performance. I have used the breathing analogy quite often - prayer is simply speaking God's Word back to Him - breathing in and breathing out. It is natural and normal for the Christian, and shouldn't become a big production that you have to worry about.
If you are trying to impress people with the sound of your exhale. . . something is wrong with your breathing.
I believe it was Loehe (and I could be wrong) who said:
"The true liturgical congregation is the church with the desire to offer petition, to give praise and thanksgiving on behalf of all mankind. That, not the majesty, simplicity, or antiquity of its forms make it a liturgical congregation."
Provocative it may be, but I think that conviction is quite in line with your observation, Wil.
Tom Fast
Eric,
What a great way of putting it. Yes, it should be natural breathing out - not a forced exhalation.
Tom,
Loehe was a gem and a half among Lutheran clergy! May the Lord grant me 1/4 of the man's insight!!! Yes, indeed.
Inhaling and exhaling...that's helpful – thank you.
There is a narrow definition of prayer, that it is the ex corde words we speak (or think) from "Dear God" to "Amen." Within this definition, we can feel pressured to be eloquent and impressive, or be tempted to refrain from prayer altogether when we feel like we don't have anything special to say to God.
There is a broader definition of prayer that is demonstrated wonderfully by the Treasury of Daily Prayer. Prayer can include reading God's Word, chanting a psalm, singing a hymn, and more. I appreciate Rev. Brown's definition, "Prayer is simply speaking God's Word back to Him." That sounds so much better and easier than making up my own words, as if they would impress God! I find that if I take my time when reading the Word, a hymn, or some devotional writing, the pausing and pondering naturally turns into praying from the heart. I've also found that the psalms, church fathers' writings, and prayers of the church in the TDP are instructive – they are models that teach us how to pray.
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