As Paul brings his first letter to the Thessalonians to a close, he offers a rapid succession of instructions that sound delightfully impossible upon first reading. He instructs the church in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” If we interpret this as a demand to constantly maintain a cheerful disposition and mumble prayers under our breath whilst trying to operate heavy machinery, we are bound to end up entirely exhausted however, Paul is actually inviting us into a deeply liberating way of living, one where our entire existence becomes a continuous offering to God throughout the day.
We are incredibly blessed to have the Daily Office, which provides for us as we need it a steady, reliable framework for this unceasing prayer without adding or demanding that we completely abandon our worldly responsibilities or routines. Morning and Evening Prayer help serve as the spiritual “hinges” of the day, sanctifying the passing hours and helping us to remain consciously connected to the presence of God amidst the frantic pace of modern life.
We must all surely know that
“A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to unravel.”
So, when we embrace these ancient rhythms, we begin to discover that “rejoicing always” does not mean ignoring life’s tragedies, but rather finding a deep, abiding joy in the knowledge that we are unconditionally loved by our Creator and then, “giving thanks in all circumstances” becomes the very heart of our Eucharistic living, even as we learn to recognise the subtle movements of grace even on our most difficult days.
This continuous conversation with God (which I know from bitter experience can be hard to maintain) slowly transforms our perspective until the boundary between the sacred and the secular entirely dissolves, we begin to realise that washing the dishes, typing an email or waiting patiently in a dreadful traffic jam can all be transformed into acts of worship when offered with a thankful heart.
We do not have to retreat to a secluded monastery to live a holy life, because Christ meets us right in the middle of our ordinary, chaotic ones so, may we find great encouragement in knowing that God is perfectly pleased with our stumbling efforts to walk in the light, faithfully guiding us into his glorious peace.
Pax
Shaun
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