Image by Michael Schwarzenberger from Pixabay
Saint Paul calls upon us to “pray always” (Eph. 6:18) and to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). This has usually struck me as hyperbole. In fact, I’ve mocked the idea, saying I don’t want an airline pilot to be thinking about God while he’s trying to land the plane I’m sitting in. But a recent incident has changed my mind. I think when Paul said to pray unceasingly, he meant it literally.
I was in Mass a couple of weeks ago listening to the Scripture reading from Revelation 5, a part of which says,
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.”
The four living creatures answered, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
(New American Bible, Revised edition; italics added).
The phrase “everything in the universe” jumped out at me. I hadn’t remembered noticing it before. That’s because it is not in many translations. It seems that the translators of the NAB wanted to clarify that “in heaven and on earth and under the earth” was an ancient way of saying “everything in the universe.” The ancient way is more picturesque to be sure, but the contemporary way is what startled me into hearing what the verse said.
I took it to mean that such praise will not be found merely in the coming kingdom but is already resounding through the whole universe. That whole universe, some 93 billion light years in diameter (and that’s just the visible universe), and every single thing within creation is praising God. Unceasingly.
This in turn brought to mind one of the passages that is often read in the Daily Office during Easter season. It’s from Daniel 3, again in the NAB. I quote only a small part of this hymn of praise, but to absorb it, even this part must be read at length and slowly, like a poem:
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.You heavens, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.All you powers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Sun and moon, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.All you winds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Fire and heat, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Cold and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Dew and rain, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Frost and chill, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Hoarfrost and snow, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Nights and days, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Light and darkness, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Let the earth bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever.Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Everything growing on earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.You sea monsters and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.All you mortals, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
I love this reading because it speaks specifically, line by line, item by item, to the reality that all creation—every single thing—resounds with God’s glory.
While visiting the Rio Grande Valley recently, I decided to walk through a world birding sanctuary. I’ve not been a birder since my undergrad days, so I thought I’d give it another try. After deciding my route, I determined to walk slowly and quietly. I listened for the sound of birds and searched where the sound was coming from. Instead of endlessly pondering my life as I am wont to do when alone, I paid attention to what I was experiencing—the symphony of bird calls, the stunning variety of flora and fauna, the heat of the sun on my skin, and the wind. I remember most the wind, the gentle breeze as it blew across my body, as if it were taking something inside me and sending it forth as a prayer, outward and upward.
That something was gratitude.
The rest of that day, and for days afterward, as I drove through the concrete and asphalt of modern life in McAllen, Texas, I found myself grateful for everyone--from architects to city planners to plumbers to wait staff to law enforcement officers to artists to teachers—for everyone whose gifts and dedication make the life of any community livable. Gifts that come from above, whether we know it or not. Dedication that is divinely prodded, whether we realize it or not. The whole city—every building and sidewalk and everyone who walks through them or on them--reverberating with the glory of God, whether we recognize it or not.
I don’t pretend to know all it means to pray unceasingly. But for me, it means this much: to live in gratitude, with the eyes to see and the ears to hear and the body to feel the divine glory everywhere and in everything.
I liken it to falling in love. One does not consciously think about the beloved every second of the day. But you have a feeling—that fallen-in-love fever—that is constantly with you. Once in a while, you pay attention to that feeling and momentarily remember the beloved who prompts your gratitude. But even when you return to concentrate on that which demands your immediate attention, gratitude abides. All that you do—even when weeping with those who weep—is enveloped by a cool wind of gratitude.
I will not pretend that I have arrived and that I’m “practicing the presence” or living in a steady state of gratitude each day. Getting to that state is part of the journey God has set us on. But I no longer believe it’s hyperbole to pray unceasingly. It’s the way life is meant to be lived--and can be lived with God’s help.
That, anyway, has been a recent insight for me about this puzzling verse. What about you? What do you think it means for you to pray unceasingly? What does it look like in your life—or what would you like it to look like? Explain in the comments section.
Grace and peace,
Mark
Hello Mark -
What you describe at the bird sanctuary is a state of mindfulness - being attentive, aware, present. I teach (and try to practise) mindfulness as part of my psychotherapy work, and while it has become an almost 'trendy' buzz-word these days, it has deep roots and wide benefits. If we adjust it to include the awareness of God infusing and sustaining our present-moment reality, we could re-name it 'God-fulness' and I do believe that is the sort of living, breathing, moment-to-moment state of prayerfulness that transcends (yet nourishes & informs) our times of intentional, specific 'conversation' with God. Perhaps seeking daily to become not only more mindful, but more God-ful (God-filled and God-aware) is prayer.
Thank you, Mark. I too think about how grateful I am for so many things. I've heard it said that the key to happiness is a grateful heart. It is so true! It carries me through difficult times as I know it must you also.