tears, day 2

Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God.

Opening Prayer:O Lord my God, thank you that you keep track of all my sorrows. That you have collected my tears in your bottle. That you have recorded each one in your book. And that all the tears I’ve shed cannot begin to compare with the ones you shed for me. Amen. (JLB)

Psalm for the Week: Psalm 116

Scripture for the Day: Luke 7:36-50

Reading for Reflection:

After prayer, the church needs to teach people what I call “the weeping mode.”  Weeping is different from beating up on ourselves.  Weeping is a gentle release of water that washes, baptizes, and renews.  Weeping leads to owning our complicity in the problem.  Weeping is the opposite of blaming and also the opposite of denying.  It leads to deep healing when inspired by the Spirit.  The saints talked about weeping frequently, far more than I was ready for when I first started reading the mystics.  They often referred to “the gift of tears.” (Everything Belongs by Richard Rohr)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

Song for the Week: I Need Thee

 

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee


I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby
Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee


I need Thee every hour in joy or pain
Come quickly and abide or life is in vain
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee,
Every hour I need Thee
Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee

 

I need Thee every hour, teach me Thy will
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
Oh, bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee


Closing Prayer:
Thank you, Lord Jesus that you wept. Thank you that you are a God who weeps—that our sorrow and sadness bring tears to your eyes as well. Thank you that you hold us, as well as all our tears, in the palm of your pierced hand. Amen. (JLB)