4
Let each and every intercessor be persuaded and led to that place of His appointing. But at the same time, let every local church deeply ponder and seriously consider raising up and supporting in every way conceivable, at least one night-and-day (8) house of prayer in their midst. Such will be sparks and hot embers in the dry timber of the possibilities of God's plans and purposes, deeds and feats in these last and most extreme of the Last Days.
"And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God." (Rev 8.3-4)
(1) "Prayer and Preaching" by Karl Barth (SCM Press, London 1964)
(2) Nevertheless, these prayer-pioneers invariably welcomed the oversight and counsel of spiritual advisers..."confessors" and "fathers". John of the Cross wrote concerning this, "The virtuous soul that is alone and without a master is like a lone, burning coal. It will grow colder rather than hotter."
(3) Frere Roger has written, "I have never lost the intuition that community life could be a sign that God is love, and love alone."
(4) On another occasion, Frere Roger reflected upon the prophetic message of Taize's geographical position. "It is undoubtedly significant," he said, "that our village lies between Cluny and Citeaux. On the one hand there is Citeaux, revitalised by a remarkable Christian, St. Bernard. St. Bernard foreshadows all the reforming zeal that was to explode in the 16th C. He refused to compromise the absolute of the Gospel in any way. He had a sense of urgency. On the other hand Cluny, the great Benedictine tradition, which humanised everything it touched. Cluny, with its sense of moderation, visible community built up in unity."
(5) In 1951, the Arabic scholar and admirer of Charles de Foucauld, Professor Louis Massignon wrote, "In 1917 everyone insisted that he had failed completely...He was a man of violent action who charged with such headlong momentum that he was alone when he reached the top...He was leading us when he died, and he was so far ahead, that I knew then we would have to work desperately to catch up with him."
(6) Historically, prayer houses have been built in the "desert" and the wilds to make use of land no one else has wanted, and to follow in the footsteps of John the Baptist (and thus Elijah too!) by serving the Lord "in the wilderness". (Mk 1.4)
(7) Such houses of prayer are "indispensable", according to Edith Stein (1891-1942, Germany), Carmelite and martyr, "and are the 'green lungs' (like trees) in a city."
