|
One of the oldest and most enduring spiritual practices in Christendom is "centering prayer." Rooted in the practices of the third century Desert Fathers and the daily regimen of Benedictine monks from sixth century, this discipline reemerged in the mid-20th century as a strategy for finding stillness and quiet in an increasingly hectic modern world. The goal of centering prayer is to push distractions and worries to the side in order to create quiet, dedicated space and time for the healing presence of God. As the 16th-century saint Teresa of Ávila once said, this form of prayer is like "a close sharing between friends, "quality time alone with the One who we know loves us.”
As a pastor, I am convinced that worship can have a similarly restorative effect. In a world that constantly distracts us with worry, stress, and the long, long list of things that are not quite right, worship can provide a much-needed respite. In worship, we set aside just a little time to be reminded that God is with us, to embrace God's comforting presence, and to reorient our attention to the things that are most important in this life.
It is not unlike a practice that Stephanie and I developed during the pandemic. During that strange time in all of our lives, with so many things that we were not able to do, one of the few things we felt we could do was walk. So, when we felt ourselves getting worried or overwhelmed, we lace up our sneakers and do a loop around the neighborhood. At times, we would walk three times a day -- once in the morning, once at midday, and once in the evening. Walking became, for me, a new spiritual discipline. And, truth be told, I cannot remember a single time when I did not feel better after taking one of those walks.
Worship can have the very same effect. When we set aside time to reconnect with God, reconnect with others, and reconnect with ourselves, we will almost always feel better. Just like centering prayer, "centering worship" is an opportunity for us to lay down -- for just a little while -- the burdening distractions of life.
When we set aside a few precious moments to be still and quiet, to engage in some sharing between friends, and to have some quality time with the God who we know loves us, we are likely to discover that the stresses that seemed so heavy to us have become mystically lighter. To quote Jesus Christ, we might even find some rest for our souls (Matthew 11:29).
Whether you are here in Larchmont or traveling the world, opportunities for centering worship with your church family are always available to you. Join us in person on Sundays, tune into our livestream, listen to a recorded sermon, or follow along with a previous service on YouTube or Facebook. Whatever works for you, and wherever you may be, we hope you will carve out some valuable time and space just to be present with God. Trust me... you will feel better!
| 
