Pausing every day to pray

The joy of three services a day in the chapel is that one always consciously takes a break in the day to remember the creator. I have enjoyed making the journey to Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and the Noon day Eucharist. It has been lovely to watch different students take responsibility for leading our worship.

The temptation for all of us that our days are just so busy that we cannot find time to take a moment to pause. Finding time to acknowledge the reality of God in our lives is difficult. Instead, this email or that call or this conversation are the priority. So sitting in the Chapel, listening to word read, participating in the canticles, and offering prayers to God has been a gift.

The idea of this week in residence is that the habit of prayer is formed. You want every student to finish the week and think “I really must find some time every single day to pause and be in the presence of God.” It is only in this way that we really live our faith.

The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President of Virginia Theological Seminary and President of The General Theological Seminary