On Prayer When One Wakes in the Morning

“When you wake from sleep, and are ready to pray, you will feel yourself fleshly and heavy, tending downwards to vain thoughts…then it is necessary to quicken your heart by prayer and stir yourself up to some devotion…but take care to draw your thoughts from beholding any bodily thing” [Walter Hilton, The Scale of Perfection, Part II, Ch.1, a paraphrase].

Which is why, when you wake you should not make it the first thing you do to check on the social media, or other news, which will immediately draw you into the worries, concerns, and lusts of the world. Social media in particular is insistent that it should be heard; but turn off the sound on your cell phone so that it doesn’t sound for attention in your time of prayer.

By all means make your coffee or tea, or whatever helps you awake, and take yourself into a quiet place to pray. Pray a Morning Office; either Vigil or Morning Prayer. Praying a Prayer Book Office is particularly helpful at the beginning of the day. Leaning on the saints who went before you will help you focus, rather than being drawn away by subjectivity when you are stirring yourself up to pray.

Take care at the beginning to labour at paying attention, but be patient with yourself and labour with the assistance of Divine Grace to connect your mouth with your mind and your heart as you pray. St. Paul tells us that our approach to God requires both our effort and the grace of God, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” [Philippians 2:12-13].