Thursday Prayer
My African friend takes me to her home in a black township in South Arica. We wait for her mother to come home. My friend explains that today, being Thursday, is the day the women of the township go to prayer.
What this actually means is that they spend a large part of the day visiting those who are sick, or who have recently been bereaved, or are in some other kind of trouble.
Contemplation in action!
This practice of Thursday prayer is widespread among black women in South Africa, and goes back to the time when domestic servants traditionally had Thursday off, and they spent it in prayer.
How different things might be, if we all turned our prayer into practical action, and if we realized that all our practical action needs to be rooted in prayer. How different things might be in Sunday and Thursday always went hand in hand.
 | This reflection is from Compass Points by Margaret Silf. |
Margaret Silf
Margaret is passionate about making Christian spirituality, and especially Ignatian spirituality, accessible to people with no theological background. She travels widely as a speaker and retreat director.
See More