The Trinitarian Prayer

Dear Friends,

Is there one thing you can do to kick start your spiritual engine that is simple, memorable and repeatable? Yes!  I'll get to that in a minute.

For those of you that know me at least a bit, you'll know that I'm fascinated by complexity: the complexity of Life, our Great Tradition, Theology, Science, Politics, Psychology and, of course, the game of golf!

But for many of us, complexity is a daunting word (it is for me too!).  I've found that when it comes to "kick-starting my spiritual engine" I don't need a bunch of different techniques and information bombarding my heart and brain but a simple, repeatable practice that engages my relationship with God, others and myself.  

For many Christians of the Great Tradition (broadly speaking the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Reformed and Orthodox churches), saying the "Our Father" several times during the day is a way of engaging God, asking for what we need and orienting ourselves to the most important actions of love that God calls us to; I highly recommend it!

But something I've used as a brief orienting prayer that is both declarative of my faith, a recognition of my partnership with God, and a prayer of hope for myself and the world is something called the Trinitarian Prayer: it goes like this:

"Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,

establish your Kingdom in our midst."

"Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God,

have mercy on me a sinner."

"Holy Spirit, breath of God,

renew me and all the world."

The prayer was crafted by the renowned biblical scholar and Anglican Bishop, N. T. Wright and is styled after the "Jesus Prayer" (basically the middle clause of this prayer) used by Orthodox Christians for centuries.

It combined with some deep breaths--I recommend breathing in the first line of each clause and then breathing out the second line--it is a form of meditation, intercession and orientation to fundamental realities both regarding God, but also regarding the world and ourselves.  Use it several times a day and you may find that you have extra spring in your step, new awareness that God is with you, and that the world is not so without hope as the news cycle would lead us to believe.  

If you take this up, let me know how it's going!