Routine

A few weeks ago I retired and in just that small time I have learned a lot about the power of routine.

I have learnt that I need to develop a new daily routine - and if I don't do that, I will drift through days, accomplish very little, and frustrate myself.

I have quite deliberately given up all my old routines, but not yet developed new ones. My body clock no longer gets me up at 5.40 every morning, but because I am now waking when my body has had enough sleep I am awaking at different times. That means my start-up routines are non-existent. 

One routine I have lost over the last month is morning prayer. 

Some years ago I became very interested in the Orthodox Church as an organisation which has held onto more early Christian practices than other Churches. There are things that happen in their liturgies for instance, that I really like. 

One of the things that distinguishes the Orthodox Church is formalised routine prayer for lay people. I picked up that practice, developed it for myself, and still formally pray twice a day.  It is not the Catholic Divine Office, but I can see common ancestry.

Well, I did pray twice a day - but when we lose our routine we lose the regularity in all sorts of things.

And it is important. We are surrounded by influences that tell us we are primarily individuals living in a material world, that MY individual happiness, wealth, security, style and presumptions are really important, and definitely far more important than anyone else's - that I am an island - and that only the things we can see and touch exist.

I do not believe any of that - but everything around me keeps telling me I am wrong. If I am not careful I find myself drifting into grudges, resentments, worries about appearances and comfort, and a primary concern for personal financial security.

One way to keep my feet on the ground is to maintain regular contact with God and the spiritual world, and there are many ways to do that. Three that I use are daily reading, meditation, and morning and evening prayer. Other people use daily Mass, rosary, or social justice and other support groups. 

When I led St Peter's College and Garin College I was regularly told we were very "lucky" as a school. Good things happened for us. That was true and I always agreed when people said that. 

But I smiled too. "Luck" implies that life is random and there is no way to predict what will happen. That just isn't true. Good things happen far more often when people pray for them - and in both schools I know that individuals and small groups of people regularly prayed for the students and staff. I certainly did.

So, as I move into the next phase of my life, I am working to establish new routines. And one that is more important than others is my slot for morning prayer - if only to keep myself truly aware of the presence of God within me, and God's creation all around me.