In the work of tending to the tensions of opposites, a key part of the work is to seek the “third thing,” the force that resolves or transforms the tension between the two opposing sides. In the case of the tension between our experiences of life and death, I wonder about our experiences of connection, or lack thereof, with the cloud of witnesses, the communion of saints, those who have passed to the other side of the veil of life.
Prayer Is A Real Force
The late Mary Darnall, long-time member of the House of Prayer, was known to say at poignant times, “What we do here every week matters. It makes a difference. The reverberations of our prayer go out across the world and throughout the universe.”
Prayer Is Communal
Within a few short months, I lost both my grandpa and a dear mentor friend. It had been over a decade since I lost someone close to me. As I sat in prayer with each of their passing, I recognized that I was showing up to prayer-through-death in a different way than before.
