Today's Episcopalcafe
Speaking to the Soul

has a really interesting quote from Dostoevsky's Brother's Karamozov:

Be not forgetful of prayer. Every time you pray, if your prayer is sincere, there will be new feeling and new meaning in it, which will give you fresh courage, and you will understand that prayer is an education. Remember too every day, and whenever you can, repeat to yourself: “Lord, have mercy on all who appear before Thee today.” For every hour and every moment thousands of men leave life on this earth, and their souls appear before God. And how many of them depart in solitude, unknown, sad, dejected; no one mourns for them or even knows whether they have lived or not. And behold, from the other end of the earth perhaps, your prayer for their rest will rise up to God though you knew them not nor they you. How touching it must be to a soul standing in dread before the Lord to feel at that instant that, for him too, there is one to pray, that there is a fellow creature left on earth to love him. And God will look on you both more graciously, for if you have had so much pity on him, how much more will He have pity Who is infinitely more loving and merciful than you. And He will forgive him for your sake.

In find this imagery - of an unknown soul standing in dread before God, whose forgiveness could ever be my sake - not very much in line with my own theology and yet at the same time incredibly moving.

I wanted to share the quote and invite any responses you might have.

This is great, Alison!

It's interesting to think about the effects of prayer, even for those who don't realize they're being prayed for. I have a list of folks I pray for daily, and most of them don't know it. I even pray for an atheist friend who would be horrified at the thought! I do it because I believe he is helped by it in spite of himself.

Alison,

It is funny how we find elucidation in the strangest places. Dostoyevsky for instance!

I love the idea of extending God's grace to all of his children in our prayer. I believe it is part of true humility and one of the examples Francis and Christ set down for us. Much like Matthew 5:45:

That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
So we must too let our prayers fall on the atheist, the agnostic, the bedeviler, the malintent, the depressed, the forgotten, the solitary, the lost and all of God's children.

While your own theological perspective may not agree that intercession is necessary for the forgiveness of those that die alone, I agree, the passage from Father Zossima in Dostoevsky's Brother's Karamozov is particularly moving and illustrates the idea of compassion and loving-kindness that is pervasive in ontological and theological thinking, both east and west, ancient and modern.

Thank you for this simple reminder today.

Amen

And here I come....two months later! While the quote isn't exactly in line with my own theological beliefs either, I find this an amazingly moving piece as well. And I heartily agree with the Rev.

So many posts to talk about Habits... So few posts to talk about prayer...

Perhaps there’s not that big of a divide between conversations about prayer and conversations about the habit. As I read the responses of folks about the habit, I am impressed by the prayerful connection many make with their habits. It seems to me that, for most of these brothers and sisters, to place the chain around the neck, the prayer shawl around the shoulders, or the cincture around the waist IS an act of prayer.

Personally, I am more drawn to prayer that is enacted as I journey with the poor, wage peace, visit the prisoner, etc... but everyone’s prayer vocation is unique!