Comments on: Dialogue and the Prayers We Don’t Like http://www.dialogueventure.com/2010/07/16/dialogue-and-the-prayers-we-dont-like/ with John Backman Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:22:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stanley John http://www.dialogueventure.com/2010/07/16/dialogue-and-the-prayers-we-dont-like/comment-page-1/#comment-106 Stanley John Sat, 17 Jul 2010 11:13:29 +0000 http://www.dialogueventure.com/?p=284#comment-106 I have prayed many a prayer that didn't settle well with me. But I am usually aware that my PERSONAL issues are not as important as those of the larger community. Sometimes I allow myself to get "offended" but some prayers, but I still participate in praying them. Yes, humility is an important part of that practice. In a time when we all seem to be focused on ourselves (an believe me, I can get into that frame of mind as quickly as the next person) it's good to relax the ego's hold on us to let God and other's into my landscape. Then it's not longer MY landscape but a shared place of hearing what others might have to offer to the dialogue which is life. (A personal aside about Psalm 91: my grandmother died when I was nineteen. I had a strong connection with her. After many years of visiting monasteries I became fond of Psalm 91 because it was often prayed at Compline. On the day of my ordination a package arrived at the church. My aunt sent me a framed copy of Psalm 91 that used to hang in my Grandmother's house. A complete surprise to me. And the Psalm chosen for the ordination was Psalm 91. To this day, that psalm connects we to a larger experience than my own.) I have prayed many a prayer that didn’t settle well with me. But I am usually aware that my PERSONAL issues are not as important as those of the larger community. Sometimes I allow myself to get “offended” but some prayers, but I still participate in praying them. Yes, humility is an important part of that practice. In a time when we all seem to be focused on ourselves (an believe me, I can get into that frame of mind as quickly as the next person) it’s good to relax the ego’s hold on us to let God and other’s into my landscape. Then it’s not longer MY landscape but a shared place of hearing what others might have to offer to the dialogue which is life.

(A personal aside about Psalm 91: my grandmother died when I was nineteen. I had a strong connection with her. After many years of visiting monasteries I became fond of Psalm 91 because it was often prayed at Compline. On the day of my ordination a package arrived at the church. My aunt sent me a framed copy of Psalm 91 that used to hang in my Grandmother’s house. A complete surprise to me. And the Psalm chosen for the ordination was Psalm 91. To this day, that psalm connects we to a larger experience than my own.)

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