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In this brief collection of letters, C.S. Lewis discusses a rainbow of
issues concerning all kinds of prayer: prayers of adoration, prayers of
repentance, prayers of petition. Since these are only letters, Lewis's
views on these matters are often sketchy, but deeply suggestive. (I
think it would be quite interesting to discuss this book with a
Christian reading group.)
A few bits I hope to remember from this slim volume:
1) "Does not every movement in the Passion write large some common element in the sufferings of our race? First, the prayer of anguish; not granted. Then He turns to His friends. They are asleep--as ours...are so often, or busy, or away, or preoccupied. Then He faces the Church....It condemns him....There is the State [which washes its hands of His plight]...There is...an appeal to the People [He had served and blessed]...But they have become over-night...a murderous rabble, shouting for His blood. There is, then, nothing left but God. [But] to God, [Christ's] last words are 'Why hast thou forsaken me [too]?'" (page 43) It might be interesting to discuss this passage in connection with I Corinthians 10:13.
2) I very much like Lewis's gloss on the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13). Especially, regarding thy will be done: "...a great deal of it is to be done by God's creatures, including me. The petition, then, is not merely that I may patiently suffer God's will but also that I may vigorously do it. I must be an agent as well as a patient." (pages 25-26) And, yes indeed, this seems true--even in the context of the rest of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). After all, it's God's will that I not think wrathful nor lustful thoughts, nor be self-seeking in my prayer and giving. For myself, I certainly need a prayer to have the strength to adhere to those parts of God's will! I hope I can always remember Lewis's understanding of that: "Thy will be done--by me."
3) I wonder about Lewis's claim that a true "religion" must contain elements of both: (a) the miraculous ("magical" is his word, meaning an "objective efficacy which cannot be further analyzed [explained?]"); and (b) the moral ("ethical" is his word). Where do you draw the line? Lewis wisely shrugs: "I am not going to lay down rules as to the share--quantitatively considered--which the magical should have in anyone's religious life. Individual differences may be permissible. What I insist on is that it can never be reduced to zero. If it is, what remains is only morality, or culture, or philosophy." (page 104)
As one can guess, I found this book challenging and thought-provoking. I could certainly see myself re-reading it (as I think I'd need to, to fully grasp all of Lewis's remarks on prayer).
A few bits I hope to remember from this slim volume:
1) "Does not every movement in the Passion write large some common element in the sufferings of our race? First, the prayer of anguish; not granted. Then He turns to His friends. They are asleep--as ours...are so often, or busy, or away, or preoccupied. Then He faces the Church....It condemns him....There is the State [which washes its hands of His plight]...There is...an appeal to the People [He had served and blessed]...But they have become over-night...a murderous rabble, shouting for His blood. There is, then, nothing left but God. [But] to God, [Christ's] last words are 'Why hast thou forsaken me [too]?'" (page 43) It might be interesting to discuss this passage in connection with I Corinthians 10:13.
2) I very much like Lewis's gloss on the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13). Especially, regarding thy will be done: "...a great deal of it is to be done by God's creatures, including me. The petition, then, is not merely that I may patiently suffer God's will but also that I may vigorously do it. I must be an agent as well as a patient." (pages 25-26) And, yes indeed, this seems true--even in the context of the rest of the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). After all, it's God's will that I not think wrathful nor lustful thoughts, nor be self-seeking in my prayer and giving. For myself, I certainly need a prayer to have the strength to adhere to those parts of God's will! I hope I can always remember Lewis's understanding of that: "Thy will be done--by me."
3) I wonder about Lewis's claim that a true "religion" must contain elements of both: (a) the miraculous ("magical" is his word, meaning an "objective efficacy which cannot be further analyzed [explained?]"); and (b) the moral ("ethical" is his word). Where do you draw the line? Lewis wisely shrugs: "I am not going to lay down rules as to the share--quantitatively considered--which the magical should have in anyone's religious life. Individual differences may be permissible. What I insist on is that it can never be reduced to zero. If it is, what remains is only morality, or culture, or philosophy." (page 104)
As one can guess, I found this book challenging and thought-provoking. I could certainly see myself re-reading it (as I think I'd need to, to fully grasp all of Lewis's remarks on prayer).
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