June 2023

The following is a possible framework for the Witnessing of the Word. It can be personalised or altered: its purpose is to serve as an example of how this Saying might be used primarily in the context of a Prayer Group, but it may be used by individuals too. It is not intended to be definitive.  In the context of a group: the periods of silence should be appropriate for your group - probably not less than 5 minutes, or more than 15 minutes.

Saying for the month: ‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit’ (Luke 12.35). NRSV.

In your time of contemplation, you may like to shorten this to ‘Be dressed … have your lamps lit’.

To begin the exercise, first spend a short while in relaxation and preparing to be still; you may want to relax your way through your muscles or you may find it helpful to become aware of the sounds around you and then put them aside as you offer this time of prayer to God.

Say this introductory invitation to prayer, then keep a further minute or two of silence:  ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11.28).

Introduction to the first silence - a preparation for listening with the mind:

‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit’.

This chapter of Luke, and the start of the one following, form a collection of Jesus’ teaching about the future, and the way future events should affect life in the here and now.

We all have concerns about the future, immediate or long-term – Christians seek to find a balance between proper responsible concern, and anxiety and worry, which prevent us from trusting in God.  Here Jesus gives us guidance – indeed, a command – as to how we go about finding this balance.  Surrounding this are several issues:

First, the importance of complete honesty - the hypocrisy of the Pharisees is to be abhorred. Don’t get together in huddles, muttering and whispering among yourselves, but be open and honest with one another and with yourself.  How much easier the present life would be if we were always thus.

Second, don’t be afraid of those things that ‘assault and hurt the body’ – they can only touch our body, and it is our souls about which we should be concerned.  This is easier said than done, when we or those we love are in discomfort or pain or worse, but it is nonetheless part of Jesus’ instructions for dealing with the present and the future.

Third, know that you are precious to God – even the sparrows, sold at five for a penny in the market place, are known to God (Matthew 10.29, Luke 12..6,7): we are so precious to God that each of the hairs on our head is numbered.  Even so, we still have responsibility for our actions, and through the Holy Spirit given to us at Pentecost we are enabled and strengthened to act as we should.  We are valued by God – so we too must learn to value what is really precious and not ‘lay up treasure on earth’ (Matthew 6.19-20).

This could all be at the forefront of our minds as we review our lives.  We have to sort out our priorities: to be dressed for action – for freedom of movement at work, the long tunic was drawn up through a belt – and have our lamps lit.  We need to be ready; to live each day as if it were our last.

So we acknowledge our position as members of God’s creation, with all its privileges and all its responsibilities.  In our first silence, we might begin by concentrating on the light of the lamps … we allow ourselves to think of the light of God in creation; allow that light to warm us, to enable us to relax and be open to its warmth; allow it to illuminate ourselves to ourselves, acknowledging who and what we are with honesty, accepting that we are as God made us and are valued in His sight, however imperfect we may feel.

Be honest; don’t be afraid; know you are valued – this is our preparation.

We take this Saying into our minds, allowing the saying to speak to us:

‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit’

A time is now kept for silence of the mind – perhaps between 5 and 15 minutes.  The silence concludes with a short thanksgiving, and/or feel free to repeat the Saying.

The first silence ends with the words: Father, we thank you for the gift of your Word.

Introduction to the second silence - a preparation for listening with the heart:

‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit’.

God tells us in Psalm 46 to be still: ‘Be still and know that I am God’.  This month’s saying asks us to get ready for action. A proper balance is found in life by including elements of both contemplation and action.  The action gives rise to heat – the warmth of human affection, of caring, of being involved with others and playing our part in the situation in which we find ourselves.  But the contemplative side of our nature allows the light to play its part, the light which illuminates our way and shines in the darkness and overcomes the world.  Heat without light is less than the whole.

Keeping the light in our lamps burning means that we have to keep the oil topped up – by prayer and by worship, both contemplative and corporate.  We thereby fuel the lamp and then use it to see where we are going, and to help others to see by sharing our light with them.  The light of Christ which illumines our lives will also show us the way to translate vision into action.

And action is different for all of us. These words have a very important conjunction in the middle of them: ‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit’.  There has to be a balance, not just in the individual, but in the whole body of believers: those who are less capable of physical action support the active, and the ‘worker bees’ rely on the prayers and support given by the tenders of the lamps.  Even if we feel we are unable to attend every or many meetings, make visits, get to all the services, we can provide an invaluable service by holding others in prayer and lending them support, by having time for people who have little to spare themselves.

We meet together in our groups, prepared to give time to drawing closer to God; to seeking His presence with us; and to drawing others into that presence in our intercessions.  We are tending our own private lamps in the time of quiet contemplation - we try to use the time of silence to be aware of God’s presence with us and to still ourselves. As St Augustine said: ‘Our hearts are restless ‘til they find their rest in thee’.

Now we take this word into our hearts, as we allow Jesus’ words to speak in us, to let it touch us and let it work more deeply upon our lives.

A time is now kept for silence of the heart – perhaps between 5 and 15 minutes.

The second silence ends with the words: Father, we thank you that your Word is alive and within us.

Introduction to the time of intercession – taking God’s word outwards into the world.

‘Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit’.

Many of us struggle to find a balance in our lives between time for action and time for contemplation.  So in our intercession we might find we are praying for a right balance in the people for whom we pray.  As we come to the final part of our three-fold exercise, we acknowledge the power of the Trinity in assisting us to find balance.  We give thanks for the Word of God, spoken to us; for the Word made Flesh spoken within us; and for the Word that is Spirit and Life spoken through us to we name in our time of intercession.

We remember again that this Saying is one that commands.  It is not a reassurance, a ‘peace’ or a ‘do not be afraid’ one, but it comforts in the sense of the Bayeaux tapestry, where the text has ‘Bishop Odo comforts his troops’ - and is seen prodding them from behind with a long stick or spear …

Say the name of a person or a group of people, and after a short pause, repeat the saying. For example:

‘Alison and your family … "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit" or "Be dressed … have your lamps lit".

As we allow the word to speak through us we might direct Jesus’ word towards those people and situations where there is suffering, hurt and an absence of joy and where abiding in Christ would bring comfort.  Conclude this time of intercession with words of thanksgiving: Father, we thank you that your Word has gone out through us to those for whom we pray.

The Conclusion

Feel free to use the Fellowship Prayer (below) or another closing prayer to conclude your time of contemplative prayer:

Loving Heavenly Father, we thank you for all your unsearchable riches which pour forth from you as light from the sun, in boundless profusion and generosity, whether received, ignored or rejected. And now we offer to you, in so far as we are able, as an emptiness to be filled with your divine fullness, ourselves, our souls and bodies; all that we are, all that we have and all that we do. Amen

You may wish to say the Grace together before departing.