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Prayer: What Is Prayer? Positions For Prayer Jesus' Teaching About Prayer 'A Day in The Life of A Monk'
Prayer: What Is Prayer? Positions For Prayer Jesus' Teaching About Prayer 'A Day in The Life of A Monk'
Every Christian needs to pray privately, even one of the most well
known Christian leaders living today, spends time alone in prayer to
God.
Ellie prays in her bedroom. Others might pray when they walk the dog, or
when they are riding to school or work! You don't have to pray out loud,
you can pray in your mind, or just be quiet and listen.
Public Prayer
When Christians meet together, they often make time to pray.
This is because Jesus said that when Christians agree to pray
together about something, God hears and answers.
Sometimes it is just a group of friends praying for one another,
or for something that concerns them.
In church, public prayers are often led by one
person, who may read a set prayer, or pray out
loud on behalf of everyone. Usually this is the
Vicar or a church leader, but sometimes others
may do this, like the ladies in our picture.
The Bible talks about many different positions being used when people are
praying. They are all used by Christians today.
Eyes and head raised upwards to God.
"I lift my eyes to you, O God enthroned in heaven."
(The Bible, Psalm 123 verse 1)
This girl is leading prayers in an Anglican church.
Humble kneeling.
"Come let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is
God."
(The Bible, Psalm 95 verse 6)
This man is praying in an Anglican church.
Today, many church buildings are left open through the day so that
people can go there to pray.
Don't Give Up!
'Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to
him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have
nothing to set before him.'
"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already
locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you
anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread
because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get
up and give him as much as he needs.
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will
find; knock and the door will be opened to you.'
Our Father
8.35 a.m.
MASS. The whole community
is gathered together for the
celebration of the eucharist, in
which we remember the saving
sacrifice of Christ, and renew
the offering of ourselves to
God. At Mass, since I am
Choirmaster, I lead the monks
in their singing of Gregorian
chant. Together with the choir
from our boarding school, we
have made two very successful
CDs of our singing. The whole
school joins us for Mass on
Sunday mornings.
9.15 a.m.
After Mass, the monks go about their
different jobs, whether it be teaching in
the school, looking after a local parish, or
dealing with visitors. A lot of my time is
taken up with computer work, as I edit
our quarterly journal, The Downside
Review, and most jobs that need IT skills
seem to come my way. I also run our
Conference Centre, so there will be
'phone calls, e-mails and letters to sort
out.
1.10 p.m.
MIDDAY PRAYER. In the middle of our working
day, we pause to remember that it is God who gives
value to our work and sustains us in our labours.
This if followed by lunch. We begin by singing grace
together; then, as we eat in silence, one of the brethren
reads to us an extract which the Abbot has chosen: it
might be an academic article from a journal, or a
sermon or lecture.
In the afternoons I try to get away
from my computer screen, though I
don't always succeed. If at all
possible I will try to do something
more physical, and there are always
jobs to be done. I spend quite a lot of
time maintaining a hostel for student
groups which I look after.
5.45 p.m.
7.15 p.m.