God, you have prepared in peace the path I must follow today. Help me to walk straight on that path.
If I speak, remove lies from lips.
If I am hungry, take away from me all complaint.
If I have plenty, destroy pride in me.
May I go through the day calling on you, you, O Lord, who know no other Lord.
Beginners must realize that in order to give delight to the Lord they are starting to cultivate a garden on very barren soil, full of abominable weeds. His majesty pulls up the weeds and plants good seed.
Now let us keep in mind that all of this is already done by the time a soul is determined to practice prayer and has begun to make use of it.
And with the help of God we must strive like good gardeners to get these plants to grow and take pains to water them so that they don’t wither but come to provide refreshment for this Lord of ours.
O God, you both comfort me and disturb my complacency through your Spirit. May I recognize the blind, the lame and the prisoner in the circumstances of my life, and understand my call to proclaim the good news to the poor. I ask this through Jesus who is my way, my truth and my life.
Amen
From Compline tonight …
We should renew our purpose daily, and should stir up ourselves to fresh enthusiasm, as though this were the first day of our conversion, and we should say, "Help me Lord Jesus, that I may perservere in my good purpose and in Your holy service to my life’s end. Grant that I may now, this very day, perfectly begin, for what I have done in time past is as nothing."
Thomas à Kempis
I read these words from Thomas Aquinas while praying compline using Phyllis Tickle’s "The Divine Hours". May these same words be our hearts’ cry …
Grant me, O Lord my God,
a mind to know you,
a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you,
conduct pleasing to you,
faithful perserverence in waiting for you,
and a hope of finally embracing you.
Amen!
During morning prayer I read this astounding blessing from {bible}Psalm 20:1-5{/bible}. I prayed it for myself and it is my prayer for you today too …
May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble, the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May He send you help from His holy place and strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings and accept your burnt sacrifice;
May He grant you your heart’s desire and prosper all your plans.
And together we will shout for joy at your victory and triumph in the Name of our God;
May the Lord grant all your requests.
Amen!
from Phyllis Tickle’s Divine Hours …
O Lord my God, to you and your service I devote myself, body, soul, and spirit.
Fill my memory with the record of your mighty works; enlighten my understanding with the light of your Holy Spirit; and make all the desires of my heart and will center in what you would have me do.
Make me an instrument of your salvation for the people entrusted to my care, and let me, by my life and speaking, set forth your true and living Word.
Be always with me in carrying out the duties of my vocation; in praises heighten my love and gratitude; in speaking of You give me readiness of thought and expression; and grant that, by the clearness and brightness of your holy Word, all the world may be drawn to your blessed kingdom.
All this I ask for the sake of your Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Generous God,
save us from the meanness
that calculates its interest and hoards its earthly gain;
as we have freely received,
so may we freely give;
in the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord.