Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God.
[2 Corinthians 1:3-4]
At the recent Diocesan Convention we heard some tremendous stories of desperation and grace told by visitors from St. Paul Episcopal Church, New Orleans. Their rector, the Rev. Will Hood, spoke movingly to us all about the rebuilding efforts that are ongoing and will be continuing for some time. He talked about how they were a desperate people, and how they knew with no uncertainty their need for help. And therefore, I would say, they were spiritually in a very favorable position, open to God’s mercy and grace, able to recognize and be open to God’s work in their lives. This was clearly evident in the stories they related that gave strong witness to deep faith in our Lord Jesus and to God’s mercy and grace in action.
I spoke with Will and some of the parishioners who had come here from New Orleans to share their story, and they told me that just as important as monetary donations is being supported by prayer. So I passed on an idea that a few of you have suggested to me, that we make malas or bracelets of prayer beads for all the parishioners at St. Paul’s. I told them how we pray the Prayer of the Lamb for a full hour with each set of beads before they are put into circulation at seminars and retreats and are given to individuals. I said that we could probably send them enough prayer beads for all their parishioners by Christmas. This idea was received immediately with great warmth and anticipation.
And so, dear friends, I have committed us to making 150 sets of prayer beads in five weeks time. All who would like to take part in this project, please contact me immediately, and I will get you beads, cord, and directions. Please get the finished malas back to me by December 15 at the latest, so that they can be shipped to New Orleans for Christmas.
If one is meditating regularly ½ hour twice a day, that’s one mala a day. If as few as 10 people took part in this project, that’s only 15 malas per person. This is quite do-able.
With each mala that is made and prayed with, we are asking that you would also fill out a card with a word of encouragement for the one that will be receiving the prayer beads. Everyone in New Orleans has been deeply affected by Hurricane Katrina, most have completely lost homes. Jobs have been lost, schools have been lost, friends have not returned from the diaspora, and the landscape has been forever altered, with few landmarks left to even identify what had been the old neighborhood. The scope of the loss and the monumental tasks of starting over again have altered their lives forever, and it will be years before the restoration process will be complete. Our prayers and intercessions will be needed for some time to come.
This is what the Prayer of the Lamb is intended for: the continual, heart-centered appeal to Christ’s compassion and mercy, professing helplessness in the face of all the ways we are ignorant of or are unwilling to recognize, accept and be made whole by this divine mercy. The Prayer purifies attention away from entanglement with despair, strangling limitations and death, and moves attention towards increasing wakefulness that what the heart most desires is unconditionally given.
In this project of making and praying with these prayer beads and passing them on we demonstrate significantly how this meditational prayer is a very practical outreach ministry. So you are invited to take part in this ministry. Contact Beverly at PrayeroftheLamb@mac.com or by calling 206-713-5321. To read more about St. Paul, New Orleans, and the Diocese of Olympia “We will stand with you” project, go to:
http://olympia.anglican.org/katrina/index.cfm,
http://www.stpaulschurchno.org/index.html and
http://www.nola.com/living/t-p/index.ssf?/base/living-6/1148799908199590.xml&coll=1.
Out of all the affliction that these people in this part of the country, so devastated by hurricane and flood, have experienced, their testimony of faith provides consolation for others who are suffering. This was just one disaster of many world-wide and close to home. Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us. And as we pray this prayer and meditate with it, we contribute to the healing, reconciliation, consolation and relief from suffering for countless others unknown to us.
Blessing in the Lamb,
Beverly
No comments:
Post a Comment