Women of Prayer

My decision to pray last Saturday instead of attend the protest wasn't really a choice since I had planned the retreat long before I found out about the protest. But it got me thinking about prayer and how much I believe in it and why.

During the retreat I had a long conversation with a new friend about prayer and faith. She was reluctant to believe in prayer, since she felt it was impossible to PROVE that prayer works. She also said that too often she sees people who don't have any evidence of faith in their lives suddenly turn to God when something terrible happens. She doesn't think this is a true faith or at least not one she wants to embrace. She said she only prays when there's some trouble in her life and that feels dishonest to her.

I often pray when I am upset or overwhelmed and when I am thankful or happy about something. But those are both extremes of emotion. What I have trouble with is praying consistently. Praying as a mode of existence. My spiritual director is gently urging me to explore prayer as listening to God not just reacting to an experience in my life.

It's so difficult. I don't have time. I don't have patience. I don't know what to do. I enjoy thinking about prayer, but it rarely translates into time spent praying.

In light of that, I found an interesting site on Women of Prayer and Justice.

The first women I read about was Hildegard of Bingen:

In Scivias, which took her ten years to complete, Hildegard records a series of visions describing the relationship between God, humanity, and the cosmos. Hildegard's visions reveal her views on the human person and the relationship between God and humans in creation. She had visions also about the incarnation and redemption, and the church. Central to her spirituality is her belief that human nature is good as is all of creation. She saw sin as a distortion of that goodness.

Hildegard's teachings give us an original and balanced view of the universe. She tells us that our own nature--the rhythms of our minds and bodies--are an echo of the greater rhythms of the natural world such as the rhythm of ocean waves beating against rocks on the shore. In her symbolic illuminations or mandalas which accompany her text, she shows all creation, including humans, emanating from God's love.

Throughout her life Hildegard was fascinated with beauty and light. She loved to reflect on the life principle of energy shining forth in living things. She originated the word “viriditas” or “greenness” to speak of this principle of vitality in all of nature. She lived all of her life surrounded by lush green scenery and flowing rivers. These experiences contributed to her love of the color green and her frequent use of this color to describe the good life.

Hildegard saw greening power at work in so many ways, especially in the actions of the Holy Spirit moving over the earth causing all things to flourish. What is dry and barren and lifeless can be restored by the return of greening power and moisture. Greenness brings freshness and life to what is stale and lifeless.

This photo shows the “greenness” of the ancient grounds of the Disibodenberg monastery where Hildegard spent the early years of her religious life. In the foreground we see the remains of the main entrance into the abbey church where she worshipped so faithfully.

What do you see when you look at this picture? How do you find "greenness" in your life? How can you be part of returning "greenness" to your family, your community or your world?

Pray with all creation Hildegard's Antiphon for the Holy Spirit:

The Holy Spirit is a life that gives life,
Moving all things.
It is the root in every creature
And purifies all things,
Wiping away sins,
Anointing wounds.
It is radiant life, worthy of praise,
Awakening and enlivening
All things.

Hildegard of Bingen: Mystical Writings, ed. Fiona Bowie and Oliver Davies (Crossroad, 1990), p. 118.