This Lent on Friday evenings I am offering a teaching series called “The Wonder of Prayer.” It will explore the many facets of the prayer life. Last night was the first session.

The audio of the talk is above. The two parts of this second session are

* What is Prayer? (a review)

* The Rule (Pattern) of Prayer

* Adoration and Thanksgiving

The first part reviews the basic definitions of prayer from S. John of Damascus and Father Martin Thornton. The second part looks at two characteristics of true prayer: Adoration and Thanksgiving.

What is Prayer?

1. “Prayer is the lifting up of the heart and mind to God.”

(S. John of Damascus, d. 749, Greek Church Father)

2. Prayer is our spiritual activity: anything we do which is conditioned by relationship with the living God.

Prayer is continuous relationship with God, whether or not that relationship is recognized or articulated.

(Martin Thornton, d. 1986, Anglican priest and confessor)

Putting those two together yields:

Prayer is spiritual activity: our lifting up of the heart and mind to the living God – anything we do which is conditioned by conscious relationship with Him, a relationship which is continuous, whether or not it is recognized or articulated.

ADORATION AND THANKSGIVING

From the Anaphora of Saint Basil the Great(Eucharistic Prayer D from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, in traditional idiom)

All remain standing for the SURSUM CORDA

Celebrant The Lord be with you.

People And with thy spirit.

Celebrant Lift up your hearts.

People We lift them up unto the Lord.

Celebrant Let us give thanks unto our Lord God.

People It is meet and right so to do.

The Celebrant continues

O Master, the One Who Is, Lord God, Father Almighty, Who Art to be worshiped, it is very meet, right, and our bounden duty, to glorify Thee, O Father, and to give thanks unto Thee, for Thou alone art God, living and true, dwelling in Light inaccessible from before all time and for ever. Fountain of life and Source of all goodness, Thou hast made all things and didst fill them with Thy blessing, creating them to rejoice in the splendor of Thy radiance. Countless throngs of angels stand before Thee to serve Thee night and day; and, beholding the glory of Thy presence, they offer Thee unceasing praise. Joining with them, and giving voice to every creature under heaven, we praise Thee, and glorify Thy Name, saying,

Celebrant and People say or sing the SANCTUS

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts: Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.Glory be to Thee, O Lord Most High.Blessed ✠ is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

All kneel. The Celebrant continues

We acclaim Thee, holy Lord, glorious in power, Whose mighty works reveal Thy wisdom and love. Thou hast formed us in thine own image, giving the whole world into our care, that in obedience unto Thee, our Maker, we might rule and serve all Thy creatures. When our disobedience took us far from Thee, Thou didst not abandon us to the power of death, but in Thy mercy Thou didst come to our help, that in seeking Thee we might find Thee. Again and again Thou didst call us into covenant with Thee, and through the prophets Thou didst teach us to hope for salvation.

Thou didst so love the world, O Father, that in the fullness of time Thou didst send Thine Only-Begotten Son to be our Savior. Incarnate by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, He lived as one of us, yet without sin. To the poor He proclaimed the good news of salvation; to prisoners, freedom; to the sorrowful, joy. That Thy purpose might be fulfilled, He gave himself up unto death; and rising from the grave He destroyed death and made the whole creation new.

And that we might live no longer unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us and rose again, He sent the Holy Spirit, His own first gift for those who believe, to complete His work in the world, bringing to fulfillment the sanctification of all.

[INSTITUTION NARRATIVE, and then]. . . And now, O Father, we celebrate this memorial of our redemption. Recalling Christ’s Death and His Descent among the dead, proclaiming His Resurrection and Ascension to Thy Right Hand, awaiting His Coming in glory, and offering unto Thee, from the gifts which Thou hast given us, this Bread and this Cup, we praise Thee and we bless Thee.

Get full access to Anglican Ascetic Podcast at frmcdallman.substack.com/subscribe