letting go, sunday

Sunday, April 6 (Fifth Sunday of Lent)

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: Philippians 2:1-11

Reading for Reflection:

     You told yourself you would accept the decision of fate.  But you lost your nerve when you discovered what it would require of you: then you realized how attached you still were to the world which has made you what you were, but which you would now have to leave behind.  It felt like an amputation, a “little death,” and you even listened to those voices which insinuated that you were deceiving yourself out of ambition.  You will have to give up everything.  Why, then, weep at this little death?  Take it to you—quickly—with a smile die this death, and become free to go further—one with your task, whole in your duty of the moment. (Markings by Dag Hammarskjold)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

                                         
Closing Prayer: Lord God, be the delight of our hearts, even as we are the delight of yours.  And help us to leave behind all thoughts, actions, and attitudes that do not reflect the beauty of that delight.  May everything else pale in comparison with the passion we have to be truly yours.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.