Yay! The Second Way is now a go! Here are some initial thoughts.
First, my floor is really dusty. I know this because I got up close and personal with it when performing the second way. We are called to prostrate ourselves on the ground and express sorrow for our sins.
As with the First Way my focus was far more on the technique than the actual prayer sadly. Trying to read the book while prostrate is difficult. Even more so when your eyes and nostrils are filled with dust and God-knows-what.
Most interesting is the quasi-mantra during the prayer. The Jesus Prayer. Not the one the Evangelicals tell us that is more or less a magical formula for salvation. But the prayer of the Penitent Tax Collector.
(breathe in) Lord Jesus, Son of God
(breathe out) have mercy on me, a sinner.
No spoken words. Just mediation on those phrases and concentrating on breathing.
As before, I did notice a change in my attitude after this prayer. I honestly felt like I prayed. And I prayed in a way that I usually don't. I truly involved my body. It is a very unique experience.
I know that we can offer our work and our daily tasks as prayer. But I never realized until yesterday that rarely do my actions and my prayer intersect. They are often very distinct. And clearly this is a bad thing. How can I expect to live my Faith with such a rift between what I do and what I say?
Tune in tomorrow for the next post. By that time my floor will have been vacuumed.
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