Compline: September 21 - 27

Did you ever get lost in the wonder of the night sky? Or sit around a campfire, warmed by the glow of the fire, filled with a deep sense of contentment? Maybe it is because we see the expansiveness of the universe in a star studded sky. Maybe we sense our smallness and wonder about our place in this world. Maybe in the quiet hush of sleep, we hear the deepest stirrings of our restless heart. For all of these reasons and more, I find myself wondering, seeking, reaching out, often in the darkness at the end of the day. For me, night is the most intimate time to pray.

I suppose my parents are partially to blame. I grew up in a home where my sisters and I kneeled around my parents' bed every night to pray together. On a side note, in practice I often confuse meditation and prayer. For me, they are just opposite sides of the same thing. When I pray, I pour out my heart to the divine. When I meditate, I listen deeply to the divine within. As I fall asleep each night, I rest in God, releasing my cares, remembering my blessings, and hoping for a brighter tomorrow.

When I was in religious life, we closed our day by gathering in chapel one final time for Compline. Compline comes from the Latin word for completion. The glow of the candlelight, the simplicity of the prayers, the peaceful silence, soothed the worries of my day. Compline is as much a desire for peace within as it is a contemplative practice.

Practice

I'm turning memory into meditation this week. Join me for night prayer.

See yourself at the end of a long and busy day. Hear a bell inviting you to leave behind the unwashed dishes in the sink, to shut down all of the screens vying for your attention, and to gather your stray thoughts as you enter a peaceful sanctuary, lit by glowing candlelight.

You bow before you sit, remembering to honor the unseen holiness within you and around you. You take your familiar seat on a wooden bench. For thousands of years, throughout traditions, and around the globe, others have gathered as you are doing now. You take three deep breaths, joining your intention for peace with all the others who have prayed throughout the ages. You are part of an ancient tradition.

Now take a moment to examine your conscience. Recall how your words and actions planted seeds of kindness. Soften the hard places in your heart where you held onto anger or withheld compassion. Remain in silence for a moment, allowing forgiveness to cleanse the corners of your soul.

Bless the day. Express gratitude for the gifts of light and love. Maybe sing a hymn. Pray a sacred text. Reflect on a poem or favorite passage. Remember those who have gone before you. Cherish their memory. Allow their lives to strengthen and guide you. Call to mind those in need of grace and healing. Pour out your heart.

Remain in silence a little longer. Allow the stillness of the night to calm the troubled places within. Carry the soft light of this place into your sleep, into your dreams, and into your tomorrows.

Amen.