Prayer Goes Further with Some Brownies
Table Talk
Setting the Table
You are welcome here. The Spirit of God is gifting you great joys in little things. May your eyes and your body soften for a few moments to receive the wonders of being fully present.
How might we attend to the daily tasks of our lives with great love and prayer? As you sit, read, and reflect, may this be a moment to practice prayer without ceasing.
Prayer consists of attention.
- Simone Weil
We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed… I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him.
- Brother Lawrence
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
Food for Thought
The Christian monastic tradition declares that the prayers of the monks hold the world together. The sacrifice and discipline of their prayers is a grace to us all, whether we realize it or not. From the ancient desert fathers and mothers in the 3rd century, to the Protestant Shakers of the 18th century, to the modern monks of today, the prayers of the monks are rooted in detachment from the world and a rigorous asceticism of self-denial—from food, to fun, to family. This is one way to love God and “hold the world together,” as they say. But in my own experience, the world is held together by the prayers of my grandmother.
My grandmother is known to her friends as “Pozy” and to her grandchildren as “Nanny.” Different from the monks, you will always know when Nanny is praying for you, because she brings you your favorite homemade treat. As soon as she knows you are coming over, Nanny will have a pot of coffee, a cake in the oven, and a banana pudding chilling in the fridge.
A few years ago, everyone in my family tried to buy her a dishwasher for Christmas. All that cooking for the church, for the sick and shut-ins, for the neighborhood reading group, for friends and family—you need a dishwasher, we told her. Nanny outright refused. “No, no, no, don’t buy me that. I pray for my grandchildren when I’m washing dishes.”
I remember going to church with my Nanny growing up. We would roll up to the back of the Fellowship Hall with a giant tub of chicken salad and croissants, and everyone’s mouths would water the whole service just thinking about the lunch to come.
One Sunday after church, I was playing some games with my brothers while Nanny busied herself in the kitchen. Before long, my brothers and I all smelled that sweet, chocolatey smell of Nanny’s famous brownies baking in the oven. We rushed in, “We’re ready for our brownies, Nanny!” She chuckled, gave us the beaters to lick, but said, “These aren’t for us. These are for the Johnsons. Remember that family we prayed for at church this morning? Well, prayer goes a little bit further with some brownies.”
Perhaps this is what the Apostle Paul meant in his letter to the Thessalonians when he instructed them to “pray without ceasing.” One of the great mistakes of religion is that we have to leave our food, fun, family, friends—that we have to deny ourselves—in order to pray. But Nanny shows me a different way. Washing dishes and making brownies are not chores, but practices of prayer, ways of holding someone close and lifting them in love to God.
Whether we are prepping food, washing dishes, driving the car, making the bed, folding the laundry, balancing the checkbooks—our daily tasks are not distractions from a faithful prayer life; they are invitations to do all things in prayer, with tenderness and care. What’s more, when we come with the right quality of attention, the daily tasks of life become opportunities to embody the values of our faith.
May this truth free you to pay more attention to your life, to honor it, to walk through your day with a sacred reverence.
This week, think about how you can approach your “to do” list differently. Whether you are delivering the mail, teaching school children, caring for the sick, doing taxes—may you do it all in love. May you embrace the tasks of your daily life as practices of care, connection, and prayer. And if you’re not sure where to begin, maybe start by making someone some bread, some tea, or some brownies.
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Blessing
God of welcome and embrace,
help us embody your love
through the prayerful attention
we dedicate to the tasks of our lives.
A little Table Talk for your table...
For a moment, take inventory of your prayer life. Share with each other a specific hope or goal you can start working on today.
Discuss what prayer looks like to each of you. Notice the similarities and differences, and talk about what makes your practice special or sacred to you.
How can you adopt a “pray without ceasing” type of attitude? Challenge one another with new ways to incorporate prayer as a throughline of your daily lives?
Try taking it to the Kids Table...
Talk about what it means to “pray without ceasing.” Discuss how your kids can bring a prayerful attitude to their day.
Ask your kids who they want to pray for, and think of ways to show the person you are praying for them.
Consider making and delivering some brownies or fresh baked goods to someone who might need or enjoy them.
Meet our Welcoming Voice!
Rev. Keith A. Menhinick is a pastoral theologian, Baptist minister, and trauma chaplain. He enjoys deep conversations and the active life — he’s most often found hiking, reading in the park, or hosting a fire pit hangout.
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