At St. Joseph’s, we usually pray Morning and Evening Prayer according to Rite II. This year, however, we’ve decided to use Rite I in Lent. The first time I prayed Evening Prayer this season, I was struck by how challenging I found the change. Praying “thee” and “thou,” (which has the virtue of making it crystal clear to 21st-century people that we’re not shouting “Hey, you” to God). Addressing God through dependent clauses (“Almighty God, who has given us grace at this time…”) instead of directly (“Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time…”). And confessing in more, and in my case at least, more accurate, detail (“we have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts”). I had to pay greater attention, enunciate the words of the prayers, trusting that they will be my own—or rather, that I am theirs, because they're part of the apostolic faith that has formed, and is forming me. I like the freedom that I feel in praying familiar prayers, but I also appreciate the prod offered by less familiar ones—like a gentle but sharp pull on the bridle, making sure I’m still on the path.
Others have an easier time. That first evening in Lent, as I carefully followed along in my BCP, starting to relax into the repetitive response to the intercessions, I realized that a tiny but clear voice had joined in, from the pew directly in front of mine. Our youngest sister at St. Joseph’s, a beautiful 2-year-old, was praying along in perfect time. “That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, We entreat thee, O Lord. That thy holy angels may lead us in paths of peace and goodwill, We entreat thee, O Lord. That we may be pardoned and forgiven for our sins and offenses, We entreat thee, O Lord….”
No concern about thees, thous, or yous; no awareness of dependent or independent clauses; little attention to verbs or adverbs. Just pure prayer, offered by a Christian who’s already steeped in prayer, who’s formed and nourished by it, and who unself-consciously offers it up as her own, in harmony with all the saints. To that, even in Lent, I say: alleluia. And amen.
--Vicar Rhonda
