recognizing, sunday

Sunday, August 3

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

Opening Prayer: Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you!  You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you.  In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created.  You were with me, but I was not with you.  Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all.  You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness.  You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness.  You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you.  I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more.  You touched me, and I burned for your peace. (The Confessions of St. Augustine)

Scripture Reading for the Day: John 1:9-13

Reading for Reflection:

 

Spiritual life seems to be about seeing and harvesting.  Seeing the holy in the ordinary!  Harvesting angels out of what appears to be the crumbs of daily existence!  Spending your days in the fast lane of life impairs the quality of your seeing.  If you want to see to the depths, you will need to slow down.  You live in a world of theophanies.  Holiness comes wrapped in the ordinary.  There are burning bushes all around you.  Every tree is full of angels.  Hidden beauty is waiting in every crumb.  Life wants to lead you from crumbs to angels, but this can happen only if you are willing to unwrap the ordinary by staying with it long enough to harvest its treasure.  (A Tree Full of Angels by Macrina Wiederkehr)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

Closing Prayer: Help me to recognize you, O True Light of the World, whenever and wherever you may appear.  Help me not to miss you in the comings and goings of this day, but help me to see you, and see you truly, in all things.  This day and forevermore.  Amen.