Save Me From Myself
Tuesday, February 19, 2013 -- Week of Lent 1 (Year One)
[Go to http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html for an online version of the Daily Office including today's scripture readings.]
Today's Readings for the Daily Office
(Book of Common Prayer, p. 952)
Psalms 45 (morning) // 47, 48 (evening)
Deuteronomy 9:4-12
Hebrews 3:1-11
John 2:13-22
Today Moses tells the Hebrew people not to be smug when they inherit the promised land. It is not because of their goodness that God has given it to them, but because of the wickedness of its inhabitants. Today Jesus takes the pride of Jewish life, the Temple, and accuses it of becoming a business instead of a house of prayer for all people.
From Thomas Merton:
Lord, I have not lived like a contemplative. The first essential is missing. I only say I trust You. My actions prove that the one I trust is myself -- and that I am still afraid of You.
Take my life into Your hands, at last, and do what ever You want with it. I give myself to Your love and mean to keep on giving myself to Your love -- rejecting neither the hard things nor the pleasant things You have arranged for me. It is enough for me that You have glory. Everything You have planned is good. It is all love.
The way You have laid open before me is an easy way, compared with the hard way of my own will which leads back to Egypt, and to bricks without straw. If you allow people to praise me, I shall worry even less, but be glad. If You send me work I shall embrace it with joy and it will be rest to me, because it is Your will. And if You send me rest, I will rest in You.
Only save me from myself. Save me from my own, private, poisonous urge to change everything, to act without reason, to move for movement's sake, to unsettle everything You have ordained. Let me rest in Your will and be silent. Then the light of Your joy will warm my life. Its fire will burn in my heart and shine for your glory. This is what I live for. Amen, amen.from A Book of Hours
Lowell
______________
Audio
podcast: Listen
to an audio podcast of the most recent Morning Reflections from today and the
past week. Go to: http://www.stpaulsfay.org/id244.html
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 http://www.missionstclare.com/english/index.html
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's
"Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location
The
Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.
See 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
posted by Lowell @ 7:53 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Thanks Fr. Lowell for sharing that TM prayer! It is a very beautiful insight into just accepting whatever comes my way and it reminds me to always carry a grateful attitude. Whether I feel something is good or ill, it is on me to realize that in trusting that everything is ultimately good, just because it comes from love. I accept the love on it's own terms and not on mine.
Again, thanks for sharing that prayer!
Jack Douglas
Thanks for the comment, Jack. There is something profound about trusting God in all of the circumstances of life and simply trying to follow God's will.
Lowell
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