Required reading
Ante-Nicene Fathers (Volume 3) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read 'On prayer'.
My summary
Today Tertullian teaches us about prayer.
Firstly he unpacks the meaning of the Lord's prayer. A nice summary of his thoughts is given at the conclusion of the section: 'In summaries of so few words, how many utterances of the prophets, the Gospels, the apostles—how many discourses, examples, parables of the Lord, are touched on! How many duties are simultaneously discharged! The honour of God in the “Father;” the testimony of faith in the “Name;” the offering of obedience in the “Will;” the commemoration of hope in the “Kingdom;” the petition for life in the “Bread;” the full acknowledgment of debts in the prayer for their “Forgiveness;” the anxious dread of temptation in the request for “Protection.” What wonder? God alone could teach how he wished Himself prayed to. The religious rite of prayer therefore, ordained by Himself, and animated, even at the moment when it was issuing out of the Divine mouth, by His own Spirit, ascends, by its own prerogative, into heaven, commending to the Father what the Son has taught. '
Secondly Tertullian gives us his thoughts on matters relating to prayer, including:
(i) washing;
(ii) dress;
(iii) posture;
(iv) kissing;
(v) places;
(vi) times;
(vii) use of Psalms.
Thirdly, to end the book Tertullian instructs us on the power of prayer.
What grabbed me
I found Tertullian to be a bit of a mixed bag today, helpful in some places, unhelpful in others.
I did like his discussion on addressing God as 'Father': '...our Lord very frequently proclaimed God as a Father to us; nay, even gave a precept "that we call no one on earth a father, but the Father whom we have in the heavens: and so, in thus praying, we are likewise obeying the precept. Happy they who recognize their Father!'
To call God 'our Father' is an incredible privilege and we should make the most of such a privilege.
Next week's reading
Read 'Ad Martyras' and 'Appendix - The martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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