Many villages across Europe, especially in the middle ages, had at their center or their highest point a bell tower. Throughout the day, the bell would be rung sending out a distinct chime through the homes, of the village, reverberating in the blacksmith’s stable, echoing across the farmed countryside. The sound was more than mere mention of the time of day, but rather an audible signal for the listener to call to mind that whatever she was doing at the moment of the chime was being done in the presence of God with her, in Christ. As the sound of the bell faded, the listener was taken back into his work, conversation, or thought with the knowledge that whatever he was doing at that moment would be done in the presence of God with him, Christ in him.
The chimes of the bell tower were a communal tool to call to mind that everything dull and ordinary, tiring and laborious, was “the stuff of God’s saving presence for us now.” Wherever we find ourselves when the bell rings, mentally, emotionally, or physically, whatever we find ourselves doing with excellence or lazily, that is productive or an act of procrastination, a necessary task, or a chosen assignment; we are with God and in Christ.
The calling to mind of this shaping reality is the purpose of “Recollected Prayer.” It is why we set our phones to sound at us, to call our attention to being with God and in Christ. If you are like me, you’ll set your timers to a time when you think you’ll be in a mindset or space suited to prayer. But here is the thing, in the villages with bell towers, the chime rang forth no matter if the listener was ready for it to so or not.
The old saying is true, you cannot find time, but you can take it. As I write this, I know that 2 pm is fast approaching. I cannot find it sooner than it arrives, and it will arrive even if I don’t want it to. There is nothing I can do about when it will be 2 pm, but I can take the time 2 pm, and do something with it. In fact, even if I am not aware, I will be doing something at 2 pm, the question simply is, will it be done as a response to God with me, Christ in me, or not. The chime is meant to call my attention to what time it is, and what I am doing at that time.
Joan Chittister has spent her entire life listening to the chimes that intrude upon her day, whether she is ready for them or not. She encourages those of us who are more used to praying at conveniently chosen moments is to be willing to let the timers ring without so much planning on our part, allowing the hours come as they will. In doing so, Chittister explains, the habit of Recollected Prayer will do what it is meant to do: covert us, mature our love of God and neighbor. I think an extended quote is helpful.
Prayer…is not a matter of mood. To pray only when we feel like it is more to seek consolation than to risk conversion. To pray only when it suits us is to want God on our terms. To pray only when it is convenient is to make the God-life a very low priority in a list of better opportunities. To pray only when it feels good is to court total emptiness when we most need to be filled…There will always be something more pressing to do, something more important to be about than the apparently fruitless, empty act of prayer. But when that attitude takes over, we have begun the last trip down a very short road because, without prayer, the energy for the rest of life runs down. The fuel runs out. We become our own worst enemies…Eventually, the burdens of the day wear us down and we no longer remember why we decided to do what we’re doing: work for this project, marry this woman, have these children, minister in this place. And if I cannot remember why I decided to do this, I cannot figure out how I can go on with it. I am tired and the vision just gets dimmer and dimmer.
Recollected Prayer is no mere reciting a prayer now and again, but is the holy habit that allows us to persevere with energy and joy in the relationships and work of the only life we have, life here and life now. Those same relationships and same work which we have been crafted for in Christ Jesus, which has been called “good,” and prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Eph. 2:10). So, no matter if you choose twice, 3xs, or at the hours of our waking day to set your alarm, will you let the bell tower chime when it will, even if you are not ready for it?