Opening Prayer:
Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of you. You only know what I need. You know me better than I know myself. O Father, give to your child what he himself knows not how to ask. Teach me to pray. Pray yourself in me.
~Archbishop Francois Fenelon
Psalm for the Week: Psalm 84
Scripture for the Day: Matthew 6:5-15
Reading for Reflection:
I’ve always had a sneaking suspicion that there is
much more to most things than meets the eye—prayer for instance. For years I was under the impression that
prayer consisted of closing your eyes, bowing your head, and talking to God. The pictures and images of prayer that I
carried around in my heart and mind, quite frankly, left much to be
desired. Prayer was not an activity I
was particularly drawn to or excited about.
My guess is that this had much more to do with my definition of prayer
than it did with the real practice of prayer.
It wasn’t until much later in life that I began to see that maybe my
definition of prayer was far too small and rigid. Prayer wasn’t so much about performing a duty
as it was about building a wonderfully intimate relationship. Prayer was not simply throwing all the words
I can muster at the unseen God, but it—at its very core—has always been about
union with the God who lives within us.
I think that’s what Jesus is really getting at in Matthew 6:5-15; he is
trying to recapture the true meaning and practice of prayer, which is simply
being with God.
"Don’t stand on street corners, don’t
babble on and on; prayer is much more intimate and personal than that. Instead go into your closet—that space where
true intimacy is possible—and shut the door.
Leave everyone and everything else on the outside; I want it to be just
me and you. I want us to be together in
a way and a place where I have your undivided attention. I have so much I want to say to you; so much
of me that I want you to know. And this
space and time is the place where that is most possible; the place where I can
have the deepest desires of my heart fulfilled, which is just to be with you,
my Beloved. Come inside where things are
still and quiet and you can hear every whisper of my loving Spirit deep within
your heart and soul." That’s prayer.
~Jim
Branch
November
2011
Reflection and Listening: silent and written
Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself
Song for the Week: Praise to the Lord the Almighty
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
The King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him,
For He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, Now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in glad adoration.
Praise to the Lord,
Who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings,
Yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen
How all your longings have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Praise to the Lord,
Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness
And mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.
Praise to the Lord,
O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath,
Come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again,
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
Closing Prayer:
You stir us so that praising you may bring us joy, because you have made us and drawn us to yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. (Confessions by St. Augustine)
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