POD TRACT 5 Praying the Daily Office in a Digital World How To Reclaim the Rhythm of God's Attention

·27 min·2 clips

Bishop Kevin Donlon reveals how the ancient prayer 'O Lord, open thou our lips' confronts our digital crisis of attention.

Bishop Kevin Francis Donlon, Prefect of the Anglican Union for the Propagation of the Gospel, hosts this fifth PodTrack episode on the Feast of St. Martin of Tours. He opens with the Daily Office prayer 'O Lord, open thou our lips,' highlighting human dependence on God. The episode addresses the crisis of attention in a digital world, where phones act as shrines of distraction. The Daily Office, with cycles of prayer dating to the 4th and 5th centuries, is presented as an ancient solution. In Anglican tradition, it includes morning, noonday, evening prayer, and Compline. It sanctifies time, offering sacred segments against busyness. R.R. Reno's concept of the Daily Office as a 'daily office of vigilance' is cited. Practical advice includes using spiritual apps like Halo, Pray As You Go, or Daily Prayer from the Church of England. Creating quiet spaces by using 'Do Not Disturb' mode or audio versions for driving is recommended. The transition to stillness is emphasized, with breathing exercises and personal prayers. Morning prayer should precede checking email or social media. Evening prayer can involve psalms like the 23rd Psalm. St. Benedict's Rule of imperfection acknowledges distractions as normal. Suggestions include digital fasts, using prayer books, and practices like the Jesus Prayer for refocusing. The Daily Office provides a theological compass through fixed prayers and readings. Discipline from sports analogies is compared to prayer practice. The term 'office' derives from Latin 'officium,' meaning duty. Praying connects individuals to a global communion, including Christians in Nigeria and East Africa. It uses 'we' and 'our' pronouns to emphasize community over self. The practice aims not just to ask from God but to be transformed. It serves as countercultural resistance in the digital age, reclaiming attention for God. The episode concludes with a preview of PodTrack six on beauty and holiness.

As heard by us

A grounded reflection on reclaiming morning and evening prayer from the pull of the digital day.

This fifth PodTrack for Our Times frames the Daily Office as a way to recover spiritual rhythm amid digital distraction. Kevin Francis Donlan, Prefect of the Anglican Union for the Propagation of the Gospel, starts with the office's opening pleas for God to open the lips, save,…

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You can give the first fifteen minutes of your day back to prayer before email gets there.

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