Peterson: Prayer

“I began to comprehend the obvious that the central and shaping language of the church’s life has always been its prayer language. Out of that recognition a conviction grew: that my primary educational task as pastor was to teach people to pray. “ Eugene Peterson, The Contemplative Pastor, Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction, p. 89.

The well-known author of the popular modern Bible translation, The Message, reveals his interpretation of the most important ministry of a pastor is being a spiritual director, teaching others how to pray. He is not downgrading teaching about faith or biblical writings or the history of God’s people, but calls pastors to be spiritual directors, returning to the wisdom of ancient spiritual leaders who spent time training people to connect to God and God’s love in various forms of prayer. He introduces people to making friends with our ancient forebearers, beginning with Gregory of Nyssa and Teresa of Avila, learning the language of intimacy, love, and relationship.

Peterson reminds us of two great mystical traditions of prayer, kataphatic and apophatic, one praying with our eyes open, the second praying with our eyes shut. The kataphatic prayer uses icons, symbols, ritual, incense, the creation as a way to the Creator. Apophatic prayer calls for emptiness with the mind emptied of thoughts and images until there is silence and the nearness of God.

Both ways can be mixed and will be meaningful in our lives at different times. This former professor of spiritual theology, however, reminds us that the Psalms were written by people of God with their eyes open.

Joanna joannaseibert.com