Be calmed

 One of the daily activities I engage in is listening to the daily news. Whether waking up to the radio, reading the newspapers, or watching the television there is a thirst for being present to the everyday. Yet often this stirs up hidden waters which can direct the course of my day. They can start to preoccupy my thinking about the storms of life which can threaten to overwhelm me. They are an extra burden that I carry in trying to figure out which direction this day will take me. Yet the reality is while these stories are about real events and real people there can be a sense of both distance and immanence at the same time. They can preoccupy my day in ways that prevent me from focusing on what is important for this moment. 

What happens can also affect our prayer. We become so preoccupied with the physical challenges and the hidden turmoils that we can feel that Jesus has gone to sleep. The feeling that we have to work it out all ourselves. We start to turn to prayer as the last resort when faced with overwhelming odds and the waves crash against our boat threatening to swamp us. There can be a sinking feeling that God is not awake to our concerns. Yet in the midst of this, we can learn two things. The first is that our prayer is formed out of what is really happening at this moment. The second is that we need to learn how to surrender this and become aware of how God is alert to our suffering and dilemma.

The emphasis that in seeking peace is the difference between being becalmed where we feel there is no direction and the feeling of being calm so that we can center on what is important not just what appears urgent. This freedom allows us the possibility to see our prayer in action. That God is present in the reality of our daily life. This is the journey of discovery where we learn to trust all things to God in daily life. That nothing is alien to God and that there is a creative Spirit that draws us into a closer lifegiving relationship. So in the midst of our daily lives, we see a melding of our lives and our prayer where we pray at all times.