When we wish to suggest our wants to persons of high station, we do not presume to do so except with humility and reverence. How much the more, then, are complete humility and pure devotion necessary in supplication of the Lord who is God of the universe! And let us be assured that it is not in saying a great deal that we shall be heard (Matt 6:7), but in purity of heart and in tears of compunction. Our prayer, therefore, ought to be short and pure, unless it happens to be prolonged by an inspiration of divine grace. In community, however, let prayer be very short, and when the Superior gives the signal let all rise together.

I am asked to pray at celebratory public events. The request often comes one minute or less before the prayer is to begin.

My prayers could - even should - be short. But I do not have such humility. Moreover to suggest the sacramental potential of the event seems too good a chance to pass up.

During one such spontaneous prayer I was concerned to hear laughter twittering through the crowd of bowed heads. Even immediately after the prayer was over I had no recollection of what I said. My wife assured me that what I offered was fine. The wit threshold for prayers is pretty low and a couple of phrases - in combination with the pre-prayer cocktails - struck some as innocently delightful.

I am not sure I was inspired by divine grace. But while there are many, many serious issues to bring to God in prayer, we might try to not take ourselves too seriously.

Which may be close to Benedict's instruction as well.

Above is St. Benedict at table with his sister St. Scholastica.