HELLO, I SAY

in

Neither I nor the poets I love found the keys to the kingdom of prayer and we cannot force God to stumble over us where we sit. But I know that it’s a good idea to sit anyway. So every morning I sit, I kneel, waiting, making friends with the habit of listening, hoping that I’m being listened to.

There, I greet God in my own disorder. I say hello to my chaos, my unmade decisions, my unmade bed, my desire and my trouble. I say hello to distraction and privilege, I greet the day and I greet my beloved and bewildering Jesus.

I recognize and greet my burdens, my luck, my controlled and uncontrollable story. I greet my untold stories, my unfolding story, my unloved body, my own love, my own body. I greet the things I think will happen and I say hello to everything I do not know about the day. I greet my own small world and I hope that I can meet the bigger world that day.

I greet my story and hope that I can forget my story during the day, and hope that I can hear some stories, and greet some surprising stories during the long day ahead. I greet God, and I greet the God who is more God than the God I greet.

Hello to you all, I say, as the sun rises above the chimneys of North Belfast.

Hello.

Padraig O'Tuama

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SIT OUTSIDE IN THE DARK

in

You do not have to do these things; not at all. God does not, I regret to report, give a hoot. You do not have to do these things - unless you want to know God. They work on you, not on him. You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you want to look at the stars, you will find that darkness is necessary. But the stars neither require it nor demand it.

Annie Dillard

GOD'S PRESENCE | A CANDLE

in

A friend is in an Ignatian prayer group. When they first gathered for prayer they lit a candle. They then gave individual candles to each member of the group with simple instructions.

”Light this candle anytime you're aware of God's presence.”
“Light this candle anytime you need to be reminded of God's presence.'“

For my friend, it has been a simple, helpful, and beautiful practice. He is on his fourth candle.

Whether we feel it or not, trust it or not, God is as close to us as the air is to the flame.
A candle. A tangible practice of God’s presence.