For you to think and share...

I volunteered to read the Bible in the my college's chapel after suggested by our dean of chapel, Reverend Christopher Whithall. There were only two of us in the quiet chapel, the dean and me. It began with saying of praises to the Lord. In the middle, it was my turn to read parts of the Bible. I was asked to read Ezekiel 28: 1-19 and John 13: 1-11. After that, we did a few more verses of praises. I actually like the effect of the chapel when our voices echo the within the chapel space.

The most beautiful part of all is still the prayer after all the praises and reading. It was the same feeling when I did group metta in buddhist temple. The boundless love is powerful. The vibration stimulates the tear glands, induces the opening of our hearts. I think this is something to learn from our Christian friends. They do more direct prayers than Buddhist groups do. I am also suspecting that the words and sentences used in Christian prayers create direct effects. It might be the translation of the Pali language to English causing the slight loss of metta effect for lay people who have yet got to the high level of cultivation of metta.

"We pray for the person who is now reading this post, let him or her find peace and happiness." (Christian prayer)

"May the person who reads this post be well, peaceful and happy" (Buddhist metta meditation thoughts)

Above are examples of the way the two groups of people would normally structure the sentences in their prayers. I think Buddhists might need to learn quite a bit from the Christians.

From this prayer session, I understand even more what is meant by love of God which has always been the driving force for all Christians to have faith in Him. I was actually questioned as to why I, who is not a Christian (but a Buddhist instead) would be willing to do Bible reading and Christian prayers. I said it is because I am a Buddhist, I should go for it. It is because I am a Buddhist, I should pray (metta) for other people whether it is in a church or a buddhist monastery. I do not see the difference.