Practicing Attention while we wait

This past Sunday, Maddie continued our sermon series "Advent through the Gospel of Luke" by preaching about the story of Anna and Simeon. One of the themes we explored through that story is that waiting is never neutral. While we wait, something is always shaping us.

In the story of Simeon and Anna, Luke shows us two people who have waited a very long time — and who have somehow not become numb, cynical, or closed off. They are able to recognize God when God shows up quietly, not because they are unusually holy or spiritually gifted, but because they’ve practiced showing up, praying, and paying attention over time.
So this week’s resources are meant to help us practice the kind of waiting that keeps us open.

A Simple Prayer Rhythm: The Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is a collection of set prayers that has been used by Christians for centuries, and it’s still prayed today by a surprisingly wide range of people. It’s used by Episcopalians and Anglicans around the world — but it’s also used by people who didn’t grow up with liturgy at all. 

​People pray the Book of Common Prayer today because:

• it allows you to pray even when you don’t have the words
• it doesn’t require certainty or inspiration
• it assumes long seasons of waiting, grief, and unfinished hope
• it reminds you that you’re not praying alone

This kind of prayer fits beautifully with the story of Anna and Simeon. Like them, it’s about showing up consistently, even when nothing dramatic seems to be happening. It’s about trusting that returning — again and again — keeps our hearts from closing.

If you’re curious, you don’t need to do everything. Even praying a single psalm or the Lord’s Prayer once a day is enough. The point isn’t perfection — it’s presence.

You can find a free online version of the book here or you can buy a copy here.

Practicing Attention Through Poetry: Mary Oliver
Alongside prayer, poetry can help train us in attention. This week, we recommend reading a poem by Mary Oliver, especially “Why I Wake Early”. Oliver’s poems don’t rush toward answers. They linger. They notice. They stay with what is small, ordinary, and easily overlooked. That kind of noticing is spiritual work.

Simeon recognizes salvation in a baby. Anna recognizes redemption in a moment most people would have missed. Poetry helps us slow down enough to notice what we might otherwise pass by.

You might try reading one poem slowly this week. Don’t analyze it. Just notice what line stays with you. Let it accompany you through your day.

Advent doesn’t promise that our waiting will end quickly. But it does promise that our waiting is not empty. As we practice prayer and attention — as we keep showing up — we become the kind of people who can recognize God when God comes near quietly, humbly, without spectacle. That’s the kind of hope we’re practicing together this season.