#thedisciplesway — Public Fediverse posts

Today’s #TheDisciplesWay verse (Mark 14:35-38) is not one I like to think about. Not only do I try not to add energy to negative things, I hate the thought of anyone being alone in such emotional pain even though I, personally, do my best not to reveal my feelings in public. I was raised to have a stiff upper lip & made never letting them see they got to me to an art form. It never occurred to me that my stoicism would have a negative effect on my #prayerlife Avoiding these verses also means I was avoiding the lesson & wisdom they hold. As Rev. Chris Corbin points out in his reflection, Jesus’ prayer teaches that there is no request we need to hold back when praying so long as we frame it with “nevertheless, not what I will but what thou wilt”. It’s a terrifying proposition for me because, while I firmly believe God knows my heart, voicing my feelings in prayer means I have to know it as well. And it means I can’t keep turning away from unpleasantness. Instead I need to trust God.

The third week in #Lent is all about #Prayers according to #TheDisciplesWay Its going to be a challenging week for me. My #PrayerLife leaves much to be desired. Today’s verse (Luke 11:1-4) teaches us how to say the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father, who art in heaven…) This is probably the most widely recognized, known, & said prayers in all Christiandom. It is part of every #Episcopal service I have been part of from Daily Offices to Eucharists to funerals to weddings to ordinations to prayer services. It is also the prayer we spend the least amount of time thinking about once we have it memorized. Which is why I regularly lobby for teaching the congregation to say the prayer in languages other than English. The idea being that if we are praying in a language which is not native to someone, they will need to be more aware of & pay more attention to each word. It also acknowledges that English is not the only, or perhaps even the first language spoken by members of the congregation.

Routines are useful things, although I’ve never thought of my daily reading of #ForwardDaybyDay as “marinating ourselves daily in the stories of our Savior’s life & ministry” as #TheDisciplesWay puts it today. Honestly, I’m not sure I think of it, or saying the hours, as #BibleStudy either. Bible study is what I do on Tuesdays at #EfM The rest is just…IDK what I think it is but it’s not Bible study. This week in #Lent is about #learning & the suggested approach is the #LectioDivina it’s interesting that, as I read the descriptions of the movements, I already do 2 — meditation & contemplation. I try to pray (oratio) though I don’t think I have a great #PrayerLife And Lectio, or reading aloud, you can forget. IDK if I don’t want people knowing that I am reading the Bible or if I just dislike the sound of my own voice. Either way, I don’t do it & perhaps I should. Maybe it’s time I change my perspective on Bible study. Maybe it’s time to change my #routine.