The Slavery of Death

by Richard Beck

Nothing captures the posture of doxological gratitude—physically and spiritually—as well as prayer. If kenosis—letting go and emptying the self—is the concept, then prayer is the ritual, embodied enactment. In prayer we (quite literally) kneel and open our hands to God, eccentrically receiving from God our lives, identities, and everything we presume to “possess.” Prayer is letting go, surrendering, opening up. Prayer is that posture—in action, word, or silence—where we do not possess anything but receive our lives as gift. The eccentric identity of Jesus is practiced and enacted when we open our hands and pray, as he prayed, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”