Rare is it that I retain much content from a book that I've read. I read anyway because I want it to do a deeper, layer-upon-layer soul work in me. But there is one book that has put words on this Levitian pastoral desire within me... Working the Angles by Eugene Peterson. He says that the threefold work of the pastor is found in Reading the Scripture, Prayer and Spiritual Direction.
I mention this because, since stepping away from my daily rhythms three weeks ago and moving toward the back-breaking, blue collar world, I am more deeply realizing the definition of the word "work". Another way of saying this? I have not worked at prayer (the hardest work that exists!) as I ought to have... not even close.
Augustinian, Benedictine and many other monks call prayer the Opus Dei (Work of God). Seven times a day, every day, every week, every month, every year, they stop what they are doing and communally enter into prayer. And these prayers for the work of God are called, of course, the offices.
Point of all this? It's my work, and I am both anticipating and nervous about entering back into it when the time comes. Yes, I now have a greater reference for work. And yes, planets are continuing the lifelong process of alignment within me with this two-month lesson on prayer. But what I anticipate and am nervous over is this: I don't want to approach it like a job... I want to live in it with joy!
Like the work of creating a sanctuary in someone's backyard. Like the work of placing color, layer-upon-layer onto a canvas. Like the work of thoughtfully remembering the specific pain of another as I speak to God. Listening to God with the Divine Scriptures, joyfully receiving Divine Friendship from God in prayer, and celebrating the Divine Nature of God over coffee with a friend - these are my offices.
Enough words.
A blue prayer returned to our front porch just this morning with her mate:
