letting go, monday

Monday, April 7

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

Opening Prayer: Take, Lord, and receive all that I am and have.  You’ve given it all to me; I give it all back to you.  Do with me as you want.  Just give me your love and your grace and that’s enough.

                                                                                                ~St. Ignatius

Scripture Reading for the Day: Hebrews 12:1-3

Reading for Reflection:

     Seeking to live a spiritual life while staying in close contact with the world is no easy matter.  If you think so, you are dangerously mistaken.

     We live in a world, and we have to do business with the world.  Because of their work, or position, some must even live as worldly men do, taking part in the luxuries of the world.  Yet inwardly we are strangers to the world and enemies of its way of thinking and its false system of honor.  For at this present time, we are living in exile from our true home—and so we must abide in two worlds, living like men and women, but thinking and acting like angels!  If we would lead others, with spiritual wisdom and insight, we must live inwardly as men and women who see ourselves protected as in a mighty fortress.

     Our first rampart is this: to understand that nothing this world offers is eternal or lasting, and nothing earthly can offer the hope or security of knowing life eternal.  In fact, earthly things can transfix us, trap us, keep us from forsaking all in order to know God.  If you come to see things this way, you will keep this world and all of its alluring offers from having any power over your spirit.

     This is the manner by which we become detached from the things of this earth—whether people, or possessions, or honored positions.  And this detachment is a great good, because all these things, great or lovely as they may seem, will come to an end.  We need to let them go, and become attached to things eternal… namely Jesus. (The Way of Perfection by Teresa of Avila)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

                                        
Closing Prayer: O great Creator of the earth, cleanse the wounds of our souls with the freshness of your grace, destroy wrong impulses, and let us be filled with your good things.  Amen. (The Little Book of Hours)