Places of Prayer

As we walked over most every inch of Tinos, a Greek Isle in the Cyclades, we found small grottoes and piles of stones with icons or crosses stuck in them or fastened to their faces.  Some were at scenic overlooks, some marked ancient sites of the Greek gods that had been "bought back" by Orthodox Christians as Christian sites of import, some were nestled off along some path where a hidden spring existed.  All of them were unobtrusive and quiet.

It was easy there, on the semi-deserted island, to find a path to the heart while standing at the make-shift shrines.  There was nothing to interrupt.   If you stood at them, with your hands raised in prayer (the "orans" stance) or crossed yourself occasionally, no one bothered you.  People knew you were talking to God.

Making places in our homes and on our properties that stand for prayer can also provide this sense of sanctuary.  Once you have established a prayer-rocker or prayer-corner, folks will get the message that you have gone apart for a reason.  Even if for a moment of reflection or intercession, you will be able to escape the noise that makes it so easy to not focus.  You may find a path in - the the interior space that holds the kingdom.

TJM+