Consecration to the Heart of Christ
in Daily Practice-
The
Christification of our Lives:
A central theme of Eastern Christianity is that the life's journey is the
divinization of our humanity in Christ. The Praxis of Prayer of the Heart is
the actualization of this mystery.
Essential to this process is the way we consecrate the space, the
activity, and the motivation of our daily human life. We liturgically celebrate this consecration and
Christification of our humanity in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, in sacred
time and space we liturgically enact at the altar and Eucharistic table, the
movements of the self-offering of our humanity in Christ, and the receiving of
the Self-Offering of Divine Life in Christ.
Consecration
of Time: To consecrate
time is to make it holy, to set it aside as sacred offering. On a practice
level, this means we set aside, or consecrate, time at intervals in the day to
give ourselves to formal practice. For most this means the time in the early
morning, just after rising, before the activities and responsibilities of the
day began to ask our attention. At this early hour we give our first attention
and responsibility to the vertical relationship with God alone, in solitude,
silence, and interiority. This consecrated time of refuge in the Heart of
Christ in interior silence and communion is the pivot point for daily
life.
It is recommended
in the early morning we set aside at least a half hour of silent sitting prayer
of the heart time in addition to the devotional, intercessory, and lectio
divina prayer we may practice. A similar amount of time in the evening is
recommended. For some an evening prayer session may be difficult because of the
demands of family. In that event it is recommended that two periods of sitting
practice be integrated in one's life in the morning time.
Consecration
of Space: In our homes
too often we provide space only for what we regard as utilitarian purposes or
the habit patterns and cultivated distraction of our lives. It is a vital
necessity in the spiritual life to set aside space that is dedicated to the
life of inner communion with Christ.
The qualities of this space are quiet, reverence, and symbols which hold
the Heart of Christ ever before us as our refuge and home.
In our sacred
space the placement of an altar is recommended. In the mystical Christian
tradition the altar as symbolic and liturgical point of contact between human
and Divine is a primary way of establishing sacred space. The altar is also the
symbol in Judeo-Christian tradition of the Eternal wedding feast of union
between God and Creation. In the
Prayer of the Heart practice many people place icons or symbols of Christ on
the altar, to help us connect with our purpose and motivations for entering
sacred space. There are many
powerful versions of the icon of Christ Pantocrator, which symbolically point
to the Heart of Christ and Mind of Christ in the Torah or sacred scripture. For
some a Christ candle or light, representing the Light of Christ in our own
Heart is also a central expression of our interiority of communion in Christ.
This sanctuary of sacred space, where we reverence with silence, respect, and
devotional expressions of bowing and respect, becomes our daily space of
encounter and renewal of the practice of refuge in the Heart of Christ.
Consecration
of Intention: Many
motivations can be heard in this culture for undertaking contemplation or
meditative prayer. In the Prayer of the Heart practice there is only one
motivation, to be fully united and given in love to God in all things. This motivation is already present
within us. It can remain unrealized and unlived, however, unless we continually
consecrate our motivation in our practice. We renew our motivation daily in
prayerful expression and, as we purify our will, to be wholly given to our
singular desire to be one with God in all things. This is the
actualization of the Great Commandment of love. Yeshua invites us to love God
with our whole, undivided humanity.
A short prayer of consecration to be
invoked at the beginning of our silent sitting prayer time can assist in this
purpose. In this prayer of
consecration we connect our consciousness and will with the deeper "willingness"
of the Heart. Each time we recite it in sincerity of purpose we are making an
ever-deepening commitment to give ourselves over in entirety to the Love of
God. We enact the deep willingness
and desire of our outstretched hands that continually bow, open, and offer, and
cling to nothing.
Some examples of
a prayer of consecration of intention might be: "Lord Yeshua, I give
myself to You." "O Beloved Yeshua, I take refuge in You alone."
It is helpful for us to find the language that best expresses this inner
intention in a personal way. This may require some listening and attunement,
trying on language that fits for each person. This prayer of consecration may not only be invoked at the
beginning of our prayer period each time, but also at intervals during the day
when we need to "bring ourselves back". It is recommended to habitually bring the prayer word as a
continual and ongoing anchor throughout all activity in my life. But at
intervals in the day, one may take a short pause or breather, settling in deep
breathing, and invoke the prayer of consecration.
Another form of
consecration of Intention is a daily recitation of a "Vow of
Practice." This is recited at the end of the first prayer period of the
day. An example of a "Vow of Practice" might be: "O
Beloved Yeshua, this day I vow to love you in all things." "Heart of
Christ, this day I vow to take refuge always in you." "O Beloved, I
will love you in all my being, in all my doing. I will love my neighbor as
myself." This
vow of practice then becomes the basis of our recollection at the end of the
day. The inner desire and willingness, to offer ourselves, our humanity, to be
wholly united in love with the Self-Giving Life of Christ in us, is at the root
of our own Christification.
