According to the Christian liturgical calendar - beginning this Sunday, the holiest week of the year begins. This week we commemorate the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. This is important when you consider that a little less than half of each of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament) is focused on this 7 day period. We often are too busy with life in general to slow down and appreciate the sacredness of this time. Yet we need to wake up to the last week of Jesus life; we need to alter our lives and enter this time we remember and celebrate the events which are the culmination of Salvation history.

Don’t allow yourself to go from the revelry of Palm Sunday to the celebration of Easter - with little thought of how you have arrived here!

Slow down this week and rather than “do life as usual” [or be surprised by - “man, Easter already?”] take each day in this week and enter into it one day at a time. Maybe you could take time to slowly read the Gospel accounts; a bit each day:

Sun - John 11:45-57 & Mark 11:1-11
Mon - John 12:1-11 & Mark 14:3-9
Tue - Psalm 71:1-14 & John 12:20-36
Wed - Psalm 70 & John 13:21-35
Thu - Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 & John 13:1-17 & 31-35
Fri - Psalm 22 & John 18:1-19:42
Sat - Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16 & Matthew 27:57-66
Sun - Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 & John 20:1-18 & Luke 24:1-12

As you read - take enough time to hear the Living Word (is there an issue God might be pointing out or an invitation to respond too?). As you read - take time to reflect on your own life in light of these events (if you looked at your life from the perspective of Jesus - what might you see?). As you read - find a phrase or word that you can “take with you” as a prayer for the remainder of the day.

Enter this holiest of weeks and walk again with Jesus, one day at a time.

NOTE - Artwork by Father Michael Obrien

In less than a weeks time we will be in the midst of the holiest week of the year. How have you personally prepared? How has your community of faith anticipated and focused for this important observance?

I find as I come into such “special and set-apart times” that if I “just let it happen” - often nothing does. It is when I allow myself to be transformed through personal preparation or my involvement with a communal commitment that the “special time” takes on a heightened significance and becomes transformative. One practice, apart from all the rest, that has become a way of preparation in my life is reciting a prayer for such an occasion. In this week proceeding Holy Week, I will be praying this prayer at least once a day.

O Lord my God, to you and to your service I devote myself, body, soul, and spirit.

(From the Book of Common Prayer)

Yesterday a definition for a “rule of life” was suggested. And today as promised, I wanted to suggest a way to approach supporting a rule of life through behaviors and practices. A rule really needs to be more than aspiration. IT MUST START THERE or it can dissolve into a dogmatic pharisaical practice that is more about ego than becoming more genuinely spiritual. At the same time a rule which stays at the aspiration with no plan - well then we are just “fooling ourselves.” Both aspiration and practices must be joined together to create a rule of life that is able to move us ahead in maturity.

Like David in the story of his battle with the Philistine Giant - we need to have some tools in our pouch that we are familiar with and that will take us where we need to go. We need a figurative pouch of “five smooth stones” - a set of exercises; practices; habits that we routinely visit if we desire to move toward realizing our rule of life.

There is no prescribed or right set of routines or practices that fit all folks. For different individuals and different communities these routines are different and they can change (slightly or in some cases drastically) over the seasons and years that they pursue their rule. I would suggest that once a person begins to define their rule and settles on their “five smooth stones” that they don’t divert from it for a year or so. This will allow both time and habit and God to have His way. It is only after times passes that we have the perspective to evaluate and consider what else might be needed or what should be eliminated.

I offer my “five smooth stones” (outside of Corporate Worship and service in my local church) as an example of ONE approach.

Daily - Morning and Evening Prayer; & The Jesus Prayer
Weekly - Lectio Divina
Monthly - 1 day of fasting and solitude
Yearly - Silent Retreat

Again this is my personal approach. It is definitely not for everyone. It may be worth asking though, “who am I becoming?” or “What is my desire?” It may be worth following that desire and trying to determine what behaviors and practices have Christians through the ages employed to move toward such a desire.

What five smooth stones would you put in your pouch to attain to your personal aspirations?

Over the past few weeks I have been preparing for some teaching that I will be conducting on the topic of Developing A Rule of Life. It is a topic that both intimidates and excites me. I have never been part of a community that has adopted a rule of life. So it puts me in a great disadvantage to speak on the topic.

I have read widely and I have a personal rule of life - so that is somewhat helpful - but I lack the communal aspect — so I often wonder, “do I get this at all?”

None-the-less, long ago I learned if it is worth doing, it is worth doing imperfectly. So I trudge ahead.

When we hear this word rule, many think of it as a set of regulations or a list of prohibitions. While that is the popular definition, rule in this context is maybe the older understanding of, “a straight edge to draw straight lines and to measure.” A rule of life is more of a guide to help us measure and line up our life - it helps us answer at least two critical questions:

1. Who do I want to become?

2. How do I want to live?

Based on this answer we develop some ways to head toward that end. Great rules of life have drawn many into community with others who feel called to the same aspirations. A great case in point is Benedict’s Rule. His rule is built on helping others become stable and yet ever converting in their faith; to model Christian hospitality; and to live a life marked by unceasing prayer. Thousands have made the Rule of Benedict, there own (even this day I am considering officially adopting his rule as an Oblate of St. Benedict).

Answering those two questions is never easy. I have been struggling as I have re-assessed my answers over the years. I think at this point my answer would be:

Who do I want to become? I want to become more fully human - following Jesus as a more engaged human. (To my ears this means I desire to be more present [aware and attentive] to myself, others, creation and God).

How do I want to live? I want to live my life authentically - in a manner that is appropriately vulnerable and accepting, hospitable and available - that others might find encouragement and hope from the well of my life.

Tomorrow we will look at how we might incorporate behaviors and practices into our lives to make our rule a reality.

“The fewer the words, the better the prayer.” — Martin Luther

“Some men’s prayers need to be cut short at both ends and set on fire in the middle.” — Dwight L. Moody

“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” — John Bunyan

“Words are but the body, the garment, the outside of prayer; sighs are nearer the heart work.” — Samuel Rutherford

“The best prayers have often more groans than words.” — John Bunyan

“A man prayed, and at first he thought that prayer was talking. But he became more quiet until in the end he realized that prayer is listening.” — Soren Kierkegaard

“Christ In Gethsemane” by Fr. Michael Obrien