How do we pray when life gets busy?

Digital Liturgy

Prayer (2/26)

Opening Prayer (say aloud if alone, say aloud together in community) 

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Most merciful God, 

We confess that we have sinned against you

In thought, word, and deed, 

By what we have done, 

And by what we have left undone, 

We have not loved you with our whole heart;

We have not loved our neighbor as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we (I) humbly repent.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, 

Have mercy on us and forgive us;

That we may delight in your will, 

And walk in your ways, 

To the glory of your name.

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Affirmation of Faith (say aloud if alone, say aloud together in community) 

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I believe in God the Father Almighty;

Maker of Heaven and Earth;

and in Jesus Christ His only (begotten) Son our Lord;

who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

born of the Virgin Mary; 

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried;

He descended into hell; 

the third day He rose from the dead; 

He ascended into heaven;

and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; 

from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; 

the holy *Catholic Church; 

the communion of saints; 

the forgiveness of sins; 

the resurrection of the body; 

and the life everlasting. 

Amen

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*”Catholic Church” refers to the universal global church that transcends time, space, and culture

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Text

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Philipians 4:6-7

 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

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Podcast (listen to the sermon here)

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Examen 

1. Give thanks

Spend a few moments in gratitude for the gifts and blessings of the day. In what ways does being aware of God's presence lead to gratitude in your life?  

2. Ask for light

Ask God to enlighten you, showing where he has been at work and present in your day through events, people and places.

3. Examine the day

Review the moments of the day, noticing what has led to consolation and what has led to desolation and my reactions to these events, people and places. Have you experienced the presence of God in any new ways today? 

4. Seek forgiveness

Ask God's forgiveness for the times when you have acted, spoken or thought contrary to his grace and calling for you.

5. Resolve to change

Decide what in your behavior or attitude you will try to improve in the coming week.

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Monthly Practices

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After learning the biblical basis for a topic through the sermons in Celebration, each village will determine how they want to practice that topic for the following month together. The Digital Liturgy will contain suggestions to help frame our imagination towards a practice for the following month. 

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Imagination

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We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray ceaselessly,” which, when life gets busy, seems impossible at worst and daunting at best. How can we manage such a task? 

Prayer begins with the posture of our hearts. When Jesus awakens our souls to the truth that we are in His constant presence, it becomes easier to develop the habit of conversing with God even in the ordinary, quick moments we have throughout the day. 

Remember, prayer does not need to be formal, and it does not need to look like the traditional setting of sitting in stillness and completely focused for a length of time, although that is great, too. Some days, we may just not get that much stillness and quiet, or by the time we do, we are half asleep. 

It’s okay. God welcomes us even so. There will not be one solution that fits everyone’s reality, but we can rest in two truths: 

1. The Lord is near to us always, whenever and however we pray.
2. God’s imagination is too big for prayer to look only one confining way. Prayer can be as simple as a phrase uttered in one breath. Prayer can be listening. Prayer can be tears. Prayer can be a question. Prayer can happen in a familiar rhythm each day, or not. Prayer can be art, or music, or a journal. Prayer can be poetry. 

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God is not afraid to meet us in the chaos. 

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Resources:

Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools by Tyler Staton

Ash & Starlight: Prayers for the Chaos & Grace of Daily Life by Arianne Braithwaite Leh

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If you need assistance in getting any of these books, send an email of your name and address with which book you’re interested in to info@citizensakron.com and we would love to get you a book! 

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