What is Taize?
In 1940, a 25-year-old man from
Switzerland, Brother Roger, came to
the small village of Taize in the
Burgundy Region of France with the
dream of starting an ecumenical
community for contemplation and for
the reconciliation of Christians of all
faiths.
Today the community is made up of
brothers from several continents and
various denominations, draws ten’s of
thousands of people from all parts of
the world. They come as part of their
search for trust and communication in
their lives. Three times each day they
join with the brothers for prayer in the
Church of Reconciliation.
An important part of the Taize
experience is the singing of simple
meditative songs that were developed
for the prayer service.
“Singing is one of the most important
forms of prayer. A few words over and
over again reinforce the meditative
quality of the prayer. These simple
chants also provide a way of praying
when one is alone, during the day or
at night, or even in the silence of one’s
heart while one is working.”
What is Taize Prayer?
The prayer is flexible and has no real
beginning or end. Songs are repeated
over and over again to help us enter
into the contemplation of the presence
of God. The simple phrases are easily
memorized so that books are not
necessary.
In the music and prayer of Taize many
different languages are used to reflect
both the international and ecumenical
nature of the community. It is
appropriate, whenever possible, that
different languages be heard in the
prayer as a reminder that we are all
part of one, universal Church of
Christ, which is for all nations and
peoples, and exists in all times and
ages.
People often ask why Latin is used in
many of the chants. The brothers
found that with so many people
gathering together who did not
understand each other’s language, a
common language of unity needed to
be found. Although a ‘dead’ language,
the Latin phrases are able to bring
people together. The Latin phrases are
easy to pick up and understand.
Why Taize?
In the busy world, we need more and
more to feed ourselves on the spiritual
rock, which is Christ himself. The
prayer tradition of Taize, based on the
monastic hours of prayer each day,
can help us let to go of our own
preoccupations and get in touch with
spiritual realities.
What Can I Expect?
People may kneel or sit, taking
whatever posture is most comfortable
for them.
Taize at St. Barnabas combines
candlelight, silence and Scripture with
these simple chants to help build
awareness of God’s presence in
ourselves and in community. As the
psalmist wrote:
“ O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my
eyes are not raised too high; I do not
occupy myself with things too great
and too marvelous for me. But I have
calmed and quieted my soul, like a
child quieted at its mother’s breast;
like a child that is quieted is my soul,
O Israel, hope in the Lord from this
time forth and for evermore
http://www.stbarnabas-toronto.com/
