Should we close our eyes to pray?
Funny question, huh? Have you ever thought about it? Yet, I'm almost certain that the majority of us close our eyes to pray. And you know what? I do too!
I've tried praying with my eyes open before, and for me, it's just really weird. I've always closed my eyes when praying: my parents did it that way, people at my church did it that way, and I learned to do it that way. For me, the two are deeply connected.
And yet, a few years ago, I discovered that there's no passage in the Bible that encourages closing our eyes to pray. However, it does give us plenty of advice on praying according to God's heart: humility (Luke 18:10), faith (Matthew 21:22), perseverance (Luke 18), God's will (1 John 5:14), intimacy (Matthew 6:6), and so on. Jesus even gives the famous model of the Lord's Prayer just after "in secret". But nothing about closing our eyes...
Well, I'll be honest: whether we should close our eyes or not is not the real subject of this article. The real question is, "why do we do things in one way or another?" It's easy to be convinced that we're acting in the best way and for many reasons:
that's how we learned,
that's how our role models act,
it's socially valued,
it seems to work best,
etc.
All these reasons, sometimes combined, can make simple practices inherited from the past take a big place in our lives. To the point that it's unthinkable to do otherwise, as if these habits had integrated into our personal or collective theology.
A little anecdote to illustrate my point. I grew up in a church established in the 1960s in France. At that time, and since 1882, Thursday was the weekly day of rest for schoolchildren. A day reserved for catechism for most of them. So, my church, freshly established, proposed a meeting for families on Thursday afternoons. But in 1972, about 10 years after the creation of this Thursday meeting, the government decided to set the schoolchildren's day off on Wednesday. I say this with a smile and fondness, but this Thursday meeting was never moved to Wednesday. It was maintained for over 20 years, and quickly, only a few grandmothers could attend.
The past can sometimes be a cumbersome passenger. Some accommodate or cherish it, arguing that we should not move the ancient boundary that our fathers established (Proverbs 22:28). While this is true for the fundamental truths of the Christian faith, it can be counterproductive to extrapolate the application of this verse to the "liturgies" through which we live our faith. But then how do we differentiate? How do we distinguish between the biblical and the human and debunk practices that have been so polished over time that they seem to have a veneer of spirituality?
Several solutions:
While on vacation, visit other denominations to see that the same faith that unites us can be lived in other formats.
When new people visit our church, ask them to share what surprises them. This method, known as the "astonishment report," is very effective in giving us perspective where we no longer have it.
Following the methodical doubt cherished by Descartes, methodically question our organizations, processes, and habits to break free from our conditioning and automatic pilot.
Distinguish in our practices what is truly biblical from what is simply cultural. That doesn't mean we have to get rid of the cultural aspect, but perhaps give it its rightful place and allow it to evolve.
And if necessary, don't hesitate to consider "re-education." Sometimes, I force myself to pray with my eyes open. Not because I reject the way I've always prayed with my eyes closed. I find reverence and concentration in it. But because I also want to be able to pray in other circumstances. Like when I'm driving, for example... it's better to keep your eyes open, right?!
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