By Laura Smith

Living Prayer is the story of Robert Benson’s exploration into the mystery of prayer. His journey begins when he has the “notion of wanting to be a person whose first words in the morning were a prayer.”

Benson discusses prayer through a study of his own experiences with the centuries-old traditions of prayer that the church offers: the Eucharist, the liturgy, the calendar, prayers of confession, contemplative prayer from the monastic tradition, and intercessory prayer. He effectively guides us through these traditions and demonstrates their relevance to the needs we have in our own lives today, our needs for silence, retreat, order, community and communication with God.

With simple prose and a candid voice, Robert Benson invites readers to explore with him the possibilities of living a life “at attention” with daily prayer. Throughout the text, Benson compares prayer to an ancient dance with rhythms, habits, steps and turns. This image is an example of the rich narrative text he creates using illustrations, quotes, and personal stories.

Living Prayer encourages readers to explore ways to practice faith, to practice prayer, and to discover a “frame upon which one’s life can be lived and within which one’s journey can be made.”