大象传媒

Good morning. 聽Saying my prayers is part of my job description. 聽As a Parish Priest that may not be too surprising 鈥� although it鈥檚 good to be reminded every now and then.But I find that my prayers fall into two sorts. 聽Praying for people that I know and whose problems I have a glimpse of 鈥� that鈥檚 easy, and I know why I鈥檓 doing it. 聽If I care about someone and don鈥檛 share my concerns with my heavenly Father, that would be鈥� odd.But then there are the prayers that I feel I ought to be praying. 聽What one might call 鈥渙fficial prayers鈥�. 聽Like the prayers many churches are now saying every Sunday about the General Election. 聽I鈥檓 quite sure that public prayer is not the time or place to support a particular party or candidate. 聽But the danger is that I then fall into the Pit of a Thousand Platitudes, a string of harmless safe phrases.And if that鈥檚 all my praying is, it is indeed in real danger.聽But prayer isn鈥檛 just me banging on 鈥� it鈥檚 a two-way process. 聽Talking and listening.Yes, there鈥檚 being honest to God about things that are concerning us 鈥� or things we鈥檙e really pleased about, of course 鈥� but then there鈥檚 also the prayer that is our opening ourselves to God. 聽Put bluntly, shutting up and listening. 聽And it really is quite surprising what so often happens 鈥� what thoughts seem to come unbidden to mind 鈥� when we leave room for God. 聽Perspectives change. 聽Love replaces hatred, injuries are pardoned, hope and light overcome despair and darkness.Allowing space and time to be touched by heaven can even be a cure for weary cynicism in the run-up to a General Election.Lord God,help us to be quiet in your presence,to make time in our busy lives to be with you,saying nothing, doing nothing, just listening.Amen