So I've been working on this venn diagram for the functional definitions of prayer, worship, and praise - and thanks to everyone who participated in that conversation - and here's what I have so far - as always I invite comments, feedback, suggestions, etc. (Remember, "second-person" and "third-person" refer to the grammatical address or reference: "you" vs. "he" or "him" respectively, and are not to be confused with the Persons of the Trinity - all this applies regarldess which Person of the Trinity one might be addressing or talking about.)
Here's a short (about a minute) video I took going around the Holy Column in the church of Santa Prassede. This is the column that Jesus was tied to when he was scourged by Pontius Pilate. They don't always have the barrier down, so you usually don't get to see it from all the way around. I wanted to get video of the whole thing all the way around because I ran across a note in an ancient document that said that those who made a pilgrimage (at that time to the Holy Land, since it was still in Jerusalem) could visit the Holy Column, and could see marks left from the hands of Jesus where he gripped it as he was being whipped. I assume that this is pious legend, but I figured since the column has that dark & light marble, maybe there's a place where the dark parts look like hands. I did not see it, but if you do, let me know!
I mentioned in The Journey that I wrote a song based on Isaiah 2, which is one of my favorite OT passages:
In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain, and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it. Many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
I hope you like the song!
Just got off a zoom call with the acquisitions editor at Sophia Institute Press - as I suspected, they want me to write the next two books.
Just like we did Praying Like the Early Church and Praying the Psalms as a companion volume...
Now I get to start working on Praying Like the Mystics and Praying the Wisdom as its companion volume.
I'm excited to get started - this will be my major writing project for the next year, so we're looking at maybe Praying the Wisdom coming out late this year, and Praying Like the Mystics to come out in 2026.
Not that it's a secret or anything, but please keep this within the community for now - I'll keep you posted so you know when the books are coming out!
If you think of it, pray for me as I do the research and writing...
Thanks!
Jim
Hello friends! Happy weekend-eve!
I had the good fortune to attend a retreat by "Sing the Hours" in Philadelphia last weekend. We spent the weekend learning, practicing, and discussing the beautiful Gregorian Chant tradition of the Church.
I left inspired and with a book recommendation: "The Liturgy of the Hours in the East and West".
I'm just now getting started and am really loving it! The author traces the development of the Liturgy of the Hours starting with the Early Church. The first section is packed with long quotations from the Church Fathers. It's incredible to learn how the daily prayer of our present time so closely mirrors that of the earliest Christians. Very cool!
