Morning Prayer - The Gospel of Mark 1: 35-39
Jesus of Nazareth possesses a dual nature: he is simultaneously fully divine and fully human. As a man Jesus needed his rest like any of us. He also needed solitude to renew his spirit exhausted from interpersonal interaction and spiritual confrontation. Mark’s Gospel supplies us with a sample of Jesus’ schedule. At sundown in Capernaum, Jesus begins to heal the sick and to cast out the demons. Mark notes that the entire city gathered around Jesus. Archaeologists estimate Capernaum to have been home to 1,500 residents in Jesus’ day. And so, Jesus could have been busy healing and casting out demons for several hours into the night. After an exhausting evening, Jesus rises early in the morning while it is still dark to pray in a desolate place. He prayed until the disciple’s search party found him. His sweet moment of solitude and prayer is broken by Peter saying, “Everyone is looking for you.” In the late morning, Jesus transitions from prayer to leadership announcing that he and his disciples are departing Capernaum to preach extensively throughout the region of Galilee.
Much has been recommended regarding early morning prayer in the Christian tradition. Many of us have read Martin Luther’s quote: “If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.” Continue reading »
