There is a parable Jesus tells about seed sown in a field. Jesus speaks in parables rather than giving orders and commands to us. Parables are stories used to illustrate lessons, but you have to fathom out the lesson that applies to you at the point when you read or listen to it. This parable can be applied very easily to our attempts a

"... some of the seed fell on the footpath; and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground... but as it had no root it withered away. Some fell among thistles [which]... choked it. And some fell on good soil, where it produced a crop..."

"On the footpath": we do not even get started. We see reasons to try but we never actually start praying. It is as if the birds live off our passing thoughts and they are no more.

"On rocky ground": we start full of enthusiasm, but somehow we over do it, we try to run before we can walk. Little roots are formed but they have no depth and the idea soon dies away and we stop praying.

"Among the thistles": we know what to do and get started in a sensible manner. We work at it but this time, somehow other things get more priority and eventually all those things in our life crowd out the prayers and we find we have stopped.

"On good soil": well let's just get started now and not bother with the others.

The first thing to remember is not to spend time looking for GOD. He knows where each of us is and there is no need for us to go searching for Him. He cannot be bound by time or by space, otherwise He would not be God.

The second thing is to remember that you are never alone when praying. Just accept that there is a whole host of angels and saints already living outside our dimension - in heaven or in paradise if you like - and they will join with you whenever you pray.

The third thing to remember is that GOD Himself will help you, through his HOLY SPIRIT, you cannot press the wrong button by mistake.

O God come to my aid, O Lord make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end.

Think of how great and glorious GOD must be - 

Our Father Who art in Heaven

Hallowed be Thy Name

Thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven

and how tiny and reliant on Him we must be - 

Give us this day our daily bread

But in spite of that he loves us and is prepared to accept us - 

And forgive us our trespasses

But we have got to play our part, make a commitment - 

As we forgive those who trespass against us

Now raise our hearts again to realise GOD's power to do what He wants for us - 

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil

The Lord bless us and keep us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life, AMEN

Now try to find time to read (or sing if you like) part of a hymn written by an Englishman who lived in Oxford in the last century

Lead kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom

Lead thou me on

The night is dark and I am far from home

Lead thou me on

Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see

The distant scene; one step enough for me

I was not ever thus, nor prayer that thou

Shouldst lead me on

I loved to choose and see my path; but now

Lead thou me on

I loved the garish day, and spite of fears

Pride ruled my will: remember not past years

nd So to Bed

In the company of friends, we do not leave without saying goodnight We should not treat GOD less than our friends This section is intended to help say goodnight

Before going to sleep, or better, before going to bed, it is a good idea to clear up after the day: ready for a clean start tomorrow. That, being a good practice in our domestic lives, is even better practice in our menter Jesus, introduced Completorium later called Compline and which we now call Night Prayer, for this purpose.

It is used all over the World: by private individuals as well as by priests and monks and nuns. It is encouraged by the whole Church. You can therefore be assured that when you say Night Prayer, so will hundreds and thousands of others be saying it with you (below).

The object of the exercise is to finish the day well - to be at peace with God, to be at peace with yourself and to be at peace with your neighbours.

Here is how: start with the same wording as is used at the beginning of the Mass:

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

 - this is a way of being conscious of our relationship to GOD. Now ask for his help:

O God, come to my aid. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Then offer up the praise that has been on the lips of Christians down through the centuries:

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

At this point, take your time - and examine the day which is just ending. Ask yourself whether you really gave yourself to Christ during the day, or whether there was not some small part which you held back. Quietly tell GOD about it, He knows already, but still tell Him. Explain that you regret what happened, ask Him to forgive you and ask for help )grace) to avoid it in future.

Now you might like to find time to read, or sing, a hymn; and then follow this with saying a psalm. If you can get a copy of the Grail Psalter (3.95 in paperback), so much the better. Use a different psalm, or part of one, each night. Do not try to crowd in too much, it is more important to think about what you are saying than to recite quantity.

Next, if you have a Bible handy, read a few lines from one of the Letters in the New Testament. These are full of wisdom which applies as much today as when the Letters were written. But again, keep i short.

In Compline (Night Prayer below), Simeon's song, known as the Nunc Dimittis, is sung at this point. You can find it in St Luke's Gospel, chapter two verses 29-32. It is quite short, but can be extraordinarily restful. 

In your mercy, Lord, dispel the darkness of this night. Let your household so sleep in peace, that at the dawn of a new day, they may, with joy, waken in your name. Through Christ Our Lord.

Lord, give our bodies restful sleep; and let the work we have done today be sown for an eternal harvest. Through Christ Our Lord.

Lord our God, restore us again by the repose of sleep after the fatigue of our daily work: so that, continually renewed by your help, we may serve you in body and soul. Through Christ our Lord.

Perhaps add after it:

Save us Lord, while we are awake; protect us while we sleep; that we may keep watch with Christ and rest with Him in peace.

Finally, conclude with one of the prayers opposite and follow it with

The Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen

editation 

MEDITATION is the seeking of the SPIRIT of GOD It requires patience and perseverance But it is not the preserve of monks and nuns and is well within the grasp of everyone This section is intended to help in that direction

Jesus, we are told, at times withdrew into the wilderness to pray. It is reasonable to assume that He could pray better in the quiet atmosphere of the desert, undisturbed by the bustle of everyday life.

Meditation is a way of praying, a way of allowing GOD to "talk" to us. But it requires us to be quiet, to be still. Atmosphere and attitude are important factors in our attempts.

Jesus, of course, had a particular problem with the crows who followed him everywhere. We do not suffer from such problems and so have less need to find a desert wilderness. We can use any place where we are not likely to be distracted or disturbed and this may be at home or it could be in a church.

Many people find it useful, at least to start with, to fix their mind on an image. This can be a stained glass window, a verse out of a psalm, a picture or an icon. Anything which shows us something of the SPIRIT of GOD.

A word of warning here: beware of accidentally imagining something supernatural in a physical object. The pictures and images we use are only aids. They are physical objects of this world made by man and subkect to decay. However, people down through the ages and across many religions have found such objects useful as reminders, as the starting point for meditation.

Remember that it is the SPIRIT of GOD that we are seeking, not some earthly appearance. Meditation can usefully start with a prayer to GOD, particularly to His HOLY SPIRIT.

Ask His help in the period you are about to devote to meditation. But keep it short and simple; avoid filling the time with chatter.

Lord, send us the Light of Your Spirit

Now relax while still keeping your mental attention on the chosen verse or image.

Do not be discouraged if your attention wanders after a minute or two. This is quite usual, bring it back gently and perhaps say in prayer:

I am sorry, please help me to meditate. But do not develop a feeling of guilt.

Keep your thoughts simple and periodically take mental rests, when you are alert but not really thinking of anything. In these resting moments be aware only that GOD is present in everything and is with you.

After a while, bring the session to a close. Do not spend too long on it at first, no one tries to run a full marathon in the first week.

Close your meditation by thanking GOD for His Love and ask Him to go with you.

Lord, thank you for the Love which created this world. We are as nothing compared with Your creative power but Your Love can give us value. Please send to us Your Holy Spirit so that we may feel that love in our hearts and may live with You throughout this day. We ask this through Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen