Come to Stillness: Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to
be still before God.
Opening Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I am still so divided. I truly want to follow you, but I also want
to follow my own desires and lend an ear to the voices that speak about
prestige, success, popularity, pleasure, power, and influence. Help me to become deaf to those voices and
more attentive to your voice, which calls me to choose the narrow road to
life. I know this will be a very hard
road for me. The choice for your way has
to be made every moment of my life. I
have to choose thoughts that are your thoughts, words that are your words, and
actions that are your actions. There are
no times and places without choices. And
I know how deeply I resist choosing you.
Please, Lord, be with me at every moment and in every place. Give me the strength and courage to live my
life faithfully, so that I will be able to taste with joy the new life which
you have prepared for me. Amen. (The
Road to Daybreak by Henri J.M. Nouwen)
Scripture Reading for the Day: Luke 18:18-30
Reading for Reflection:
The Gospel today reveals
that Jesus not only had good, faithful friends willing to follow him wherever
he went and fierce enemies who couldn’t wait to get rid of him, but also many
sympathizers who were attracted, but afraid at the same time.
The
rich young man loved Jesus but couldn’t give up his wealth to follow him. Nicodemus admired Jesus but was afraid to
lose the respect of his own friends and colleagues. I am becoming more and more aware of the
importance of looking at these fearful sympathizers because that is the group I
find myself mostly gravitating toward.
I love Jesus but want to hold on to my own
friends even when they do not lead me closer to Jesus. I love Jesus but want to hold on to my own
independence even when that independence brings me no real freedom. I love Jesus but do not want to lose the
respect of my professional colleagues, even though I know that their respect
does not make me grow spiritually. I
love Jesus but do not want to give up my writing plans, travel plans, speaking
plans, even when these plans are often more to my glory than to the glory of
God. (The Road to Daybreak by Henri J.M. Nouwen)
Reflection and Listening: silent and written
Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself
Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself
Closing Prayer: God of Fire and Grace, you offer love that
knows no bounds, forgiveness that pardons the lost. Pour your presence into me, fill me with
passion, then consume me with your Spirit’s hungry flame. Take me wherever you want, change me as you
wish, mold me into the shape of your dreams.
Break through the comforting illusions of my life and bring me something
terribly wigglingly, writhingly real.
Amen. (A Heart Exposed by Steven James)
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