Fr. Basil Zebrun
(Within this article are thoughts on prayer by Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, as well as recommended disciplines that may prove useful during these difficult times.)
Introduction:
Major, unforeseen difficulties force people inevitably to reassess priorities while making important observations about human behavior, as they witness the reactions of others – and take note of their own reactions – to various crises. The present widespread concern, and in many cases panic, over the Coronavirus is a unique situation that brings to light human tendencies: the strengths and weaknesses of individuals, local communities and our nation as a whole. In the long run these revelations can be quite edifying. They may in fact lead to meaningful life-changes in those who have, “eyes to see and ears to hear.”
On the one hand, fist fights at grocery stores in front of near-empty shelves, along with the hoarding of toilet paper, hand sanitizer and other supplies (at times for personal profit) remind us that despite social progress “looking out for number one” is still a basic rule of life in this world. Fallen Man is largely driven by his appetites and fears. He has yet to acquire that perfect love “which casts out all fear” (1 John 4:18).
At the same time, we see numerous examples these days of that “greater love” spoken of by Jesus (John 15:13), demonstrated by individuals serving on the front lines of the war against COVID-19. It is a love to which all can aspire, witnessing sacrifices by others on behalf of the neighbor.
Perhaps one of the most significant take-aways from the present situation is a profound awareness of life’s fragility, a sense of one’s own mortality. Quarantines and social distancing have had a sobering effect on the general populace. People are anxious and maybe for the first time are having to address ultimate questions regarding life and death. Even if the Coronavirus is not a primary concern with specific groups (reportedly with a number of college students), there exist other related sources of anxiety: the deaths of loved ones, an unsteady economy and job furloughs, as well as the closures of popular businesses, entertainment venues and parks, relied on for “personal escape.” Such forced changes are unavoidable reminders that we are not really masters of our own universe, that life as we know it and want it, is never set in stone.
We have all heard the countless reports about COVID-19, its effect on various countries and cities. Depending on the source it is estimated that over 170 countries have been hit by the pandemic. The one constant seems to be that people want their lives to return to normal. The waiting and the politicizing of this issue, as well as uncertainties about the future, are unbearable for many. In the midst of the crisis, personal faith may be weakened by doubts and fears. People ask, “how and for what, can a person pray at times like these?”
In terms of the what, the bottom line of all prayer is, “Thy Will be done…” Believers continually appeal to God’s wisdom and providence, giving thanks, “always and for everything” (Ephesians 5:20). Inner peace is sought, as well as clarity of mind so that the present challenges may be addressed effectively. Family members and “the neighbor” are certainly remembered both in prayer and through charitable acts. Medical professionals, civic leaders and Church hierarchs are foremost in everyone’s thoughts, working as they are on the front lines. And perhaps most importantly, Christians continue to see prayer not only as a series of requests, but as the main means by which they commune with one another through Jesus Christ our Lord, sharing in His divine life.
Thoughts by Bishop Bloom:
In terms of the how of prayer, Metropolitan Anthony Bloom in his classic, Beginning to Pray, has pertinent thoughts in a chapter entitled, Managing Time. To paraphrase greatly a few of his points: much of the anxiety that prevents individuals from living and praying as they should derives from living in a past that no longer exists, while projecting desires and fears into a future that has yet to arrive. It is a future in fact, which may never arrive, at least not in ways that people envision. His Eminence directs readers to live in the moment, to discover the how’s of “stopping time” as he puts it, so that each moment acquires intensity and purpose. Learning this technique brings a desired focus to personal prayer. His concern is that people often view the present as almost non-existent. They slide from the past into the future very quickly and nervously, with “the present” experienced as an extremely thin line. He suggests ways in which this approach to life may be altered.
The Corona Crisis is a good example of how decisive, unexpected experiences are capable of driving home the above realizations. Metropolitan Anthony – as he describes it – had his own pivotal experience while under interrogation during WWII. Others have learned from illnesses, accidents and various hardships through which they faced death: the value and power of each minute was made clear. Unfortunately, such lessons are often short-lived. Man has a tendency to quickly forget important revelations. He falls back easily into former ways of thinking and behaving.
His Eminence offers simple techniques that may teach believers to live in the moment, thereby impacting their ability to pray and to live life more fully. “I think,” he says, “we must do exercises in stopping time and in standing in the present, in the “now” which is my present, and which is also the intersection of eternity with time.”
One such exercise – he explains – is to sit, only with yourself, and say, ““I am seated, I am doing nothing, I will do nothing for five minutes,” and then relax, and continually throughout this time…realize, “I am here in the presence of God, in my own presence and in the presence of all the furniture that is around me, just still, moving nowhere.””
Bloom emphasizes that you must also, “decide that within these two minutes, five minutes, which you have assigned to learning that the present exists, you will not be pulled out of it by the telephone, by a knock on the door, or by a sudden upsurge of energy that prompts you to do at once what you have left undone for the past ten years…” Once you learn to do this with, “lost moments of your life…then extend the few minutes to a longer time and then to a little while longer still…”
A person will eventually have to apply this technique not only during moments where, “time drags…but at moments when it rushes,” when one is busily engaged with work or other responsibilities. In all honesty, people know that they often stop whatever they are doing for brief periods, out of “sheer laziness,” or according to “how they feel.” At these times they come to realize that, “the world does not falter and that the whole world…can wait for five minutes while (they) are not busy with it…” Through practiced techniques the same lesson may be learned intentionally with regard to prayer and the whole of life.
Depending on the nature of personal responsibilities, His Eminence suggests the use of a pre-set alarm throughout the day, as a signal to initiate periods of stillness. “Try not to anticipate the alarm,” he says, but work diligently until you hear it ring. Time moves neither faster nor slower while watching the clock. With the sound of the alarm a person should stop whatever he or she is doing and, “know that for the next five minutes the world (in a sense) has come to an end and you will not move from (your) spot. It is God’s own time and you settle back in His own time quietly, silently and peacefully…you will discover very soon that you can very well postpone (whatever you are doing) for three, five or even ten minutes and nothing happens. And, if you are doing something that requires attention, you will discover (after a while) how much better and more quickly you can do it.”
You will also discover, he states, that, “the moment you overcome the inner tension, the inner agitation, the fidgeting and the anguish, (at that moment) time passes perfectly well.” You experience more powerfully the value of time, that, “every minute counts as much as the next minute, every hour as much as the next hour…” and so on. With this discovery you realize that, “you can pray in every single situation in the world, that there is no situation which can prevent you from praying…” In addition, the temptation presents itself with less frequency, to project fears into a non-existent future. All of one’s love, faith and thoughts can then be brought into the present moment of life that is given.
Just a few thoughts from an Orthodox Christian hierarch, known for his insights. His works on prayer are easy reads, and may prove useful, especially during these difficult times. A few of his more popular books are: Beginning to Pray, Courage to Pray, Living Prayer, and God and Man.