prayer, tuesday

Tuesday, June 24

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

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

Scripture Reading for the Day: John 17:1-26

Reading for Reflection:

 

To kindle in his heart such a divine love, to unite with God in an inseparable union of love, it is necessary for a man to pray often, raising the mind to Him.  For as a flame increases when it is constantly fed, so prayer, made often, with the mind dwelling ever more deeply in God, arouses divine love in the heart.  And the heart, set on fire, will warm all the inner man, will enlighten and teach him, revealing to him all its unknown and hidden wisdom, and making him like a flaming seraph, always standing before God within his spirit, always looking at Him within his mind, and drawing from this vision the sweetness of spiritual joy. (The Inner Closet of the Heart by St. Dimitri of Rostov, The Art of Prayer by Igumen Chariton of Valamo)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

            

Closing Prayer: Look upon us, O Lord, and let all the darkness of our souls vanish before the beams of thy brightness.  Fill us with holy love, and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom.  All our desire is known unto thee, therefore perfect what thou hast begun, and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer.  We seek thy face, turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory.  Then shall our longing be satisfied, and our peace shall be perfect.

                                                                        ~St. Augustine