Jesus used mud and saliva to give sight to a blind man. When the neighbors and the Pharisees heard what had happened, they began looking for Jesus, whom they could neither find nor understand.   Once found, the conversation with Jesus continued about light and darkness and who was a sinner.  Some things don’t change; we seem to love to blame others for things like blindness.

Jesus’ response was confusing. “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.”

Some of the Pharisees heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?”

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”

Here is the tension in the story.  Those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.  So if I am blind, and then I see, am I suddenly blind again?

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Morning Prayer at Our Lady of Grace Monastery starts with this call and response:

“O Lord Come to my Assistance. Make haste to help me.”

Three times a day the community gathers for prayer.  They drop whatever they are doing and follow the bells to the chapel to pray.

Ten days ago, I received the following email from Sister Luke at Our Lady of Grace.  She wrote:

“Throughout the season of Lent, it has been my practice to pray individually for the Women Touched by Grace.  It is my privilege and my pleasure to remember you today, Nancy. My mass intention is for you and each time I enter chapel and see your name in my Office book, you will be remembered. I am most grateful to have you in my life and I thank you for the good work you do and for the fine woman you are.  You are a credit to your denomination.  May God’s graces be abundant in your life today.

Until we meet again, know you are loved.  Luke”

I responded to the email with tears of love and gratitude.  I imagine Sister Luke walking into the chapel and praying for me. Thank you God.  Thank you Sister Luke.

And yet, I don’t even know what I believe about prayer.

Does it work?  Does it matter?  Does God do our bidding?

Some research suggested that people are healed by prayer even if they don’t know that they are being prayed for; other research showed the opposite—that there is no obvious connection between unknown prayer and demonstrated healing.

What do I think?  I don’t know.

Once I lay in a hospital bed and the clergy stopped by as I was still drugged, took my hand, said “God bless you,” as he made a quick exit.

“Good riddance,” I thought.

Another time, another minister took my hand and his prayers for me touched me deeply.

How does prayer work?

I simply don’t know.

I used to think that I had to know and had to believe, especially to be a good Christian.  Today, I am content to let it be a mystery.

I know that when a group gathers three times a day to pray and individuals take more time for meditation that something profound happens, not every time and not every prayer, but enough to change the day and the life of the one who prays. With practice, with discipline, with habit something shifts and God moves in and through us. When we make room for a spiritual discipline, we are more likely to notice God. Prayer is a way of paying attention and learning to open our hearts to one another and to God.

It matters that a group of Sisters gathers in prayer. It matters that the Broad Bay Church gathers in prayer.  For those of us who make time for worship, prayer, and study on a regular basis, there is a blessing. It is not that God will smite us for not showing up, but that we will miss something when our lives are not anchored by regular practices of prayer and contemplation. It is easier, I think, to be disciplined in a community of faith where the bell rings and the people gather together.

At Our Lady of Grace, the sound of the bells calling the sisters to prayer is heard inside and outside.  By that sound, the worship and prayers of the sisters move beyond the chapel. The bells serve as a reminder to all who are within earshot that a small and faithful group is preparing for worship.

From the day that Broad Bay purchased this building to the death of our faithful bell ringer, this bell rang every week to announce worship; its peal reverberated up the hill to the home of a shut-in. When a rooky bell ringer took over, neighbors commented on the difference; people notice. Church bells serve as reminders that God is in our midst and that faithful Christians gather weekly for prayer and worship.  The church bell is part of our mission to those around us.  

Do I believe that the fact that a sister is praying for me in the chapel of Our Lady of Grace will make a difference to God?  Doubt it.

I followed the funeral procession out to the monastery cemetery.  The sisters sang out the names of saints followed by the words “pray for us.” They went on to sing the names of all their departed sisters followed with the plea, “pray for us.”  It is a holy ritual that makes space for the grief that always wells up when we lose one we love. Do I believe in asking the dead to pray for me?  I don’t think so.  Yet, walking to that cemetery, I felt a cloud of witnesses and love and comfort that comes from the source of daily prayer and intentional community. Rituals matter.

When we cling to rituals as absolutes, they become idols. When we stand on rituals and immerse ourselves in daily, weekly, yearly times of prayer and ritual, something can shift in us.  Prayer, ritual and worship anchors us.

We don’t need to sort out exactly what we believe. All we have to do is show up. Jesus left the disciples with the somewhat bizarre idea that those who see can’t and those who can’t can.

I simply know this.  When I get an email from Sister Luke saying that she will pray for me, my heart opens further.  I feel loved by God. I am so grateful that a small group half way across the country, stops everything to pray together 3 times a day and I am blessed.   I feel God’s presence more fully in my life.  When I know that Sister Luke or members of this congregation are praying for and with me, I find more strength for the journey. Our mutual ministry is strengthened.

I know this.  When I take a deep breath in this place and say, “Let us Pray…”  something happens.  I can’t explain it.  All I can do is notice it and celebrate it.  Amen.