Eastertide Prayer Series: Prayer in the spirit of Taize.

During Lent, the Church asks us to turn towards God by Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving.  During Eastertide, we are to rejoice that the Lord is truly risen. However, any progress that we may have made during our Lenten effort should not be abandoned. Eastertide is a great time to consolidate our Lenten effort but with joy filled attitude.

In this series 'Eastertide Prayer Series', I wish to focus on 6 different types of prayer, all of which we can use during the year, but may concentrate upon during this time of rejoicing.  In this post, I focus my attention to Prayer in the Spirit of Taize.

What is the purpose of Devotions? Is not the Mass and the Sacraments enough?  

The purpose of devotions is to help us nurture our relationship with God- Father, Son and Spirit.  In Lent, as we endeavour to spend more time in prayer, we turn our minds towards God and turn away from sin.  In the process, we become strengthened for the journey towards Holy Week and experience the joy of Easter renewed.Now that Eastertide has begun, we can relish the joy of the Easter season and continue to be focused on improving our spiritual growth.

Prayer in the Spirit of Taize is a beautiful form of prayer which focuses our attention on my relationship with God.  It is a prayer form in community, but the focus is personal, that is, one on one with God.  When the practicalities of organizing a prayer in the spirit of Taize is taken seriously and all the details dealt with appropriately, then it is indeed a beautiful prayer form.  It uses sung Taize chants, scripture and veneration of the cross as its structure with ample time for silence when there is ample time to meditate. The ambiance created by the candles around the cross and the prayer space and the hospitality shared afterward add to the total experience.

I have to say that as a prayer form, I am a devotee. From 1999, Initially, I attended this prayer form on the recommendation of a priest friend of mine.  Knowing that he would ask me, I thought  I would attend once and then I would be able to tell him that I had been there.  Once was enough I thought.  However the Spirit had a different plan for me and for the rest of that year,  I attended this prayer form weekly as a participant.  I really do believe God has a sense of humour.!!!

Then when this prayer group closed, I set it up at another venue and was the coordinator for it from 2000-2004.  Then when circumstances prevented us from staying there, I set it up again at 2 other parishes- one in my own parish in 2005-2007, and the other in another parish, where it was appropriate to have the coordinator from that parish.  However, I was involved in creating the sheets for each fortnight ,as well as play the piano/organ for the prayer. Sadly because of my circumstances, I am no longer able to engage in this prayer form in a community setting. I have to say that I do miss it greatly.

I have had the pleasure of experiencing other people benefiting from it, one couple who had attended for some time, moved interstate. They asked me to help them set it up with them in their own home, and later in their own parish as well as the other person who became the coordinator in their own parish initially experienced this prayer form during 2000-2004. She also wished for others to experience it and asked me to help her set it up.Another friend who moved to UK also set it up in his parish with my help and experience.

I outlined my personal experience so that you appreciate my love for this type of prayer form.  It is not for everyone since some find the singing of the chants stressful or monotonous, the silence overwhelming and the power generated in the peace filled atmosphere too much. Other people, like myself, have found it consoling in times of need and great distress in either a short term prayer form or an ongoing one.  It very much depends, I believe on one's spiritual personality.  Thankfully, the Church has many different prayer forms.  There is something for everyone. All we need to do is look and experience them and see where it takes us.