archives

The story of the Canaanite woman -- which we will be reading for the 20th Sunday (Year A) is a story about humble and persevering prayer. At least that is the way Bede the Venerable understands it. In this selection from one of his homilies, Bede takes the Canaanite woman as a type of those whose conscience is stained by sin. These should submit themselves with humility, as the Canaanite woman did, and not cease from insistent prayer. Along this line, Cyprian's teaching on prayer -- taken from his catechism on the Our Father -- offers insights on "attentive" prayer. Interesting in this piece is the way he explains "Sursum corda", the beginning of the preface to the eucharistic prayer. Also interesting is the way he uses an observable fact -- people who pray with eyes closed and with moving lips -- as an illustration for vigilant prayer.