bloggerel from a silent inner monologue

I feel a certain amount of loyalty to the regular readers of this blog: both of you! You take the time a trouble to log on and read my bloggerel, so it’s only fair that I try to provide you with something meaningful or funnyful to read, reflect on and regret. That loyalty is one of the things that keeps me writing*. It also adds a certain amount of pressure when I am not feeling particularly inspired or (like tomorrow) when I am too busy and can’t get around to posting a bloggage.

*[I suspect that there may be some sort of infinite loop here: I write because you read and you read because I write. Perhaps one of us should stop before the world is consumed by a vortex of drivel.]

You may have noticed that when I have not got much to say I reflect on the fact that I have not got much to say, thereby saying something and rendering the initial point irrelevant and incorrect. And on those occasions I generally find that if I pause and listen hard enough my internal monologue becomes audible and I am able to reflect on it.

In this case, the internal monologue is narrating how I am in the middle of preparing another sermon on prayer. One of the things that I am reflecting on is the practice of saying ‘Amen’ at the end of a prayer. It has now become part of the grammar of prayer – a punctuation mark that says, “End of prayer,” and provides everyone else with a cue either to open their eyes or to launch into their own prayer.

But when we pray and say, “Amen” at the end, I think it should be punctuated itself: with a question mark. I think what we are saying is, “Amen?” (do you agree?) and inviting those listening to affirm their agreement to that prayer with a hearty, “Amen!” (we agree!).

Do I hear an ‘Amen’?

By the way, I have considered that I may send some bloggerel about the grammar of prayer into the blogosphere… but I don’t want to put anyone off praying by thinking that I am parodying or criticising their prayers, so at this point you can imagine how erudite, witty, clever and perceptive it would have been without taking offence.

Be blessed, be a blessing

Amen?