Fixed Hour Prayer....

For a while now I have used multiple methods to keep my spiritual life alive and flourishing.  Usually it involves spending sometime reading the Scriptures daily and making use of a prayer journal.

Over the last several years I've become increasingly aware of this practice of fixed hour prayer.  Guided by a prayerbook, alone or preferably in community, an individual or group of individuals marks time throughout the day with "fixed" short periods of prayer. 

There are a good number of excellent prayer books out there and my good friend Alan has recommended some helpful ones on his blog.  For me though, I wanted something beefy; something with bulk and muscle.  Over the last year I used the Episcopal two-volume Daily Office, which was pretty good.  This year I made the switch to using the Catholic four-volume Liturgy of the Hours.  Structured by the liturgical seasons the LOH offers both readings form the Scriptures and the early church fathers and mothers all in one portable volume [you only use one at a time].  Sure there are some places where you are asking to pray for the Pope and Bishops, but what I find myself doing, in addition to praying for them, is to pray for my own denominational leaders.

So I've been experimenting with guided prayer at 6 a.m., noon, and 8 p.m. [after my kids go to bed].  Actually, with fixed hour prayer, the ideal is to prayer every 3 hours: 6, 9 [a.m.], noon, 3, 6, 9 [p.m.] and then if you're truly spiritual wake up you wake up in the middle of the night to pray [guess I'm not truly spiritual].

If you haven't tried it let me encourage you to check out some of these really helpful resources.  Since my good friend Alan has already made the effort to compile a fine list, just link to his blog to get started.

Peace,

E

Comments

[Greg Garrett]

Eric--

I led a desert retreat at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico a couple of weeks ago and was reminded again what a potent thing morning and evening prayer can be, especially for people who haven't been doing them. My tradition is Episcopalian, using the Book of Common Prayer, but I've also loved the liturgies of Celtic writer Philip Newell. He writes the morning and evening prayers that Ghost Ranch uses, and his Celtic Benediction is the one I use at home.

Blessings on you and yours--

Greg