PREMS

Brother Lawrence 1614-1691

We become creatures of habit: night-owls, smokers, maniacal hikers, workaholics. Any action repeated a dozen times, at the same time of day, becomes a habit. Over the past few months I’ve found that I wake at around 6:30, and spend 45 minutes or so supine and relaxed before going down to make what Alan Clark called EMT – Early Morning Tea. Those 45 minutes have become extremely precious, because in a semi-awake but entirely lucid state I use them for prayer and meditation. I begin with the Our Father, then say (mostly in my mind, as I don’t sleep alone) the second Collect for Morning Prayer:

O God, who art the author of peace and lover of concord,

in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life,

whose service is perfect freedom,

Defend us thy humble servants in all assaults of our enemies,

That we, surely trusting in thy defence,

may not fear the power of any adversaries,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And the third, which is one to recommend to anyone:

O Lord our Heavenly Father, almighty and everlasting God,

Who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day,

Defend us in the same with thy mighty power,

and grant that this day we fall into no sin

neither run into any kind of danger,

but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance,

to do always that is righteous in thy sight,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

After that, I open myself up to anything God may want to say to me – about the coming day, for instance, but not necessarily. Or I ponder what I have been reading, which currently is a re-reading of Pope Benedict XVI’s magnificent Jesus of Nazareth, one of the most thoughtful and intelligent discussions it’s been my pleasure to encounter. (More about this soon.) And then, EMT. Creature of habit, as I said.

In order to help improve and order habits, I’ve lately been using the acronym PREMS. The French laugh at this, because it’s the French child’s cry when something desirable is on offer, meaning “Me first!” But for me it represents the things I should like to include in every day: Prayer, Reading, Exercise, Moderation, and Service. Prayer, not just formal or at specific times, but intermittently constant, so to speak (see the 17^th-century Brother Lawrence’s delicious The Practiceof the Presence of God). Reading, which I frequently do in the loo (or john, if you’re North American) – currently Benedict – and which harnesses the brain to the faith: something many, alas, ignore. Exercise, because I am a bulky sedentary bear by nature, not given to rapid motion, and my doctor tells me half an hour’s walk a day is a damn good idea. Moderation, because I tend to excess and, while I hate killjoys, a little touch of sobriety is salutary and not always unpleasant. And service, because doing things for others – even in a domestic context – has a beauty it would be a shame to deprive oneself of.

Why the acronym? Because it helps one remember the bits one has perhaps not yet included in this particular day.

Why mention all this here? Because you never know if it might help someone. Pass it on.