On July 31, Archbishop Shelton visited and blessed the Chapel of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus at the Maloney Center, the office building at the corner of Shelby and Oak streets that houses several of the archdiocesan pastoral agencies and administrative offices.
The creation of this small, simple space happened slowly over several months and is the manifestation of a longtime dream of having a dedicated prayer chapel in the building.
This occasion offers an opportunity to reflect on the importance of sacred space.
All of creation is sacred, indeed. But a sacred space like a church or chapel is set apart for worship and is particularly conducive to prayer. It is a place that physically orients us to God. Sitting or kneeling, we face an altar or a tabernacle or a crucifix, fixing our gaze on the Lord.
Sacred space also has a catechetical function. It instructs us. Every item, piece of furniture, decoration or piece of art in a church or chapel is designed to point us to God. In its beauty, each element invites us to contemplate the mysteries of faith. It reveals some aspect of the truth to us, if we are open to it.
Finally, sacred space allows us to “get away” and to retreat from all the worldly things that so often distract us from prayer.
I have worked at the Maloney Center for nearly 10 years and have begun almost every day by praying Lauds at my desk, surrounded by piles of work. The threat of interruption from a phone call or visitor is always looming.
There is nothing wrong with that! Prayer can happen anywhere and even amid the chaos of the day. However, it is a tremendous gift to now have a prayer space free of those distractions, where I can retreat for a few uninterrupted minutes.
The name of the chapel is inspired by siblings Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, whose family home at Bethany was clearly a sacred space for Jesus. He retreated there at various times during his ministry to be with his friends, to rest and reflect.
We all need such sacred spaces where we live and work. They need not be whole buildings or rooms. Perhaps just a special chair or nook fits the bill. For me, the presence of the little chapel at the Maloney Center now serves as an enticement to prayer. I expect that its presence will only increase my productivity and capacity for pastoral ministry.
On the topic of prayer, St. John Vianney wrote, “Your hearts are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God.”
Like every workplace, mine has its share of frustrations and pettiness. But in the field of ministry, we must have big hearts. Prayer helps us to do our jobs with compassion, generosity, patience and love.
The chapel is now a place where we can do that stretching of the heart in preparation for all the difficulties we may face in a given workday.
