Routine Prayers

There is something soothing about routine prayers. I’m talking about the ones we repeat without thinking - the Our Father, the 23rd Psalm, and so on. Even shorter ones that we know from memory can be soothing. Some faiths and religions call them prayers, other call them chants; some people might even call some of them mantras. The effect is the same.

When we repeat these words, our minds are on a different level and we can tune out the world for a while. We can tune in to our thoughts. We can tune into a higher plane and into God. Afterwards, it’s often amazing at what filters up out of our brain cells.

Some people think all prayer should be spontaneous, totally personal, completely unrehearsed. I don’t agree. I think God likes variety. He definitely displayed his love of variety when he made human beings, didn’t he? So why shouldn’t he enjoy variety in prayer, too?

Because of that, I rely a lot on pre-written prayers for times of stress, for times when I just cannot think of the right words to say to him. Why shouldn’t I take advantage of what some other faithful soul has already shared with us? It’s a tribute to the author of those words. It’s a tribute to the human soul.

Father, thank you for the words you’ve sent to others, that they may share them with us.