The New Year

Monday, December 1, 2008 -- Week of 1 Advent; Year One
Nicholas Ferrar, Deacon, 1637

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 936)
Psalms 1, 2, 3 (morning) 4, 7 (evening)
Isaiah 1:10-20
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Luke 20:1-8

It is a new year. We begin the Church Year anew on the First Sunday of Advent. Today we start the Daily Office cycle of readings from Year One (the left side of the pages of the Daily Lectionary, Prayer Book, p. 936f).

New beginnings are times for new resolutions.

And what better feast than that of Nicholas Ferrar to start the year. Ferrar and his household dedicated themselves to following the patterns of daily prayer as structured in the Book of Common Prayer and founded a community of prayer and devotion called Little Gidding. T.S. Eliot visited there to "keel where prayer has been valid," and named the last of his Four Quartets for that chapel and community.

It is a good day to recommit to the disciplines, vision and order that is foundational to living the good life. The gospel reading reminds us to be self-defined, not tossed about by opinion or approval. The reading from Isaiah reminds us that following the external forms of prayer is futile unless it leads us to "seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow." Paul invites us to imitate the little congregation in Thessoliniki that proved to be so generous despite its poverty and weakness.

On this first day of a new year it is a good time to recommit to the prayer and meditation that grounds us in our Source. To "delight in the law of the Holy One" and to "meditate on that law day and night." To be "like trees planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither." (Psalm 1)

Sitting here reading the ancient texts and prayers, listening and remembering, I drink from the deep wells that fed Nicholas Ferrar in his day and Paul and Isaiah in theirs. It is the work of putting first things first.

Quick now, here, now, always -
A condition of complete simplicity
(Costing not less than everything)
And all shall be well and
All manner of thing shall be well
When the tongues of flame are in-folded
Into the crowned knot of fire
And the fire and the rose are one.

(from T.S. Eliot, Little Gidding)

Lowell

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Audio podcast: Listen to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the past week. Click the following link: Morning Reflection Podcasts

About Morning Reflections
Morning Reflections is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas