here and now

This coming Advent, which I admit is still quite a ways off, will mark the end of the 3rd year of my re-entry into the Christian stream. It's been quite a journey already.

I started attending church regularly.

I got involved with "formation" activities at the church, essentially classes for new members, guiding at least a few people towards baptism.

I continued reading. I've always read both the Bible and other religious works, or works about religion.

What's been missing? Any sort of regular prayer life.

Prayer is deeply essential, it seems to me. It's a broad term ranging from the panicked "Oh God, help me!" of our darkest moments, to the shouts of sexual ecstasy, to corporate prayer on Sundays, to private prayer, meditation, and contemplation. Prayer can be loud, or silent, public or private.

Mostly, though, it needs to be done. And it's far too easy to talk and think more about praying than to actually do it. The Zen folks say "the answer is on the cushion." For Christians, I think, the answer is on the knees.

So, part of what this blog is about is trying to develop some sort of regular, structured prayer life, to bring that into my life and consciousness, to see what happens. "Ora et labora" St. Benedict says. "Work and pray." Both are essential.