This past week, I traveled to New Jersey for a choir rehearsal, as usual, taking the train from NY Penn Station. The train experienced a 15-minute delay, which I used as an opportunity to pray. I had a small Book of Common Prayer (BCP) that I received from Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn during my summer clinical pastoral education in 2026, and I used it for the evening prayer. Afterward, I felt good and was able to sing more clearly and with more energy during our practice of Bach’s St. John Passion. There is power in prayer, which you and I sometimes underestimate.
This past Sunday, during our study led by Anne on the Celebration of Discipline, we were discussing “prayer,” exploring “Prayer as a learning process.” I particularly love the concept of “Prayer as relinquishment,” which involves surrendering our own will and purifying ourselves to abide in God’s will.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV): “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Initially, giving up my own will was challenging. It took years to come to terms with God’s will because my mind has always been focused on plans, goals, and processes. Prayer helps me in discernment, as discernment is also about pursuing God’s will and being open to service. However, God desires for me—and for all of us—to follow Him and be His children on this journey of faith. This is what I call “Great Faith.” “Great” does not mean “big” in size; it signifies something very important, sacred, or deep. Great Lent revolves around three pillars: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
In this context, I am reminded to surrender my own will and to pursue prayer more diligently. Prayer is a spiritual discipline, as Richard Foster writes in Celebration of Discipline, the book we are meditating on during this Lenten journey. The more I pray, the less I dwell on uncertainties, especially in these times of chaos, confusion, conflict, and war. Prayer brings me serenity and helps me understand that God is certain and present with both the community and me.
Prayer strengthens me more than I can imagine. God hears every prayer, spoken or silent. What we need is patience, not panic. In our faith journey, replacing panic with patience makes all the difference.
Prayers fill me with positive energy. I sometimes experience this positive energy in communal prayer being transferred to me, and it has a profound impact on my spiritual life. My life is deeply rooted in community. Disciples and apostles prayed; Jesus himself prayed and gave us the Lord’s Prayer. Saint Paul encourages us to pray to be mindful and watchful, as seen in his Pastoral and profound letters in the New Testament.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV): “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
These book studies, Bible studies, services, and daily offices strengthen my faith and spirituality. So, friends in Christ, be prayerful and pray in whatever ways you feel connected to God. As long as you feel the presence of God with you, it is considered a prayer. Always pray for yourself and for others because God loves us all. Amen!
Romy