That I may put on the armour of your light, O Lord.

It is now the hour for you to wake from sleep,
for our salvation is closer than when we first accepted the faith. 

The night is far spent; the day draws near.
Let us cast off deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 

Romans 13:11-12

Renew my heart, O God.

O God, have mercy on me:
my inmost being must be renewed,
and I must put on the new man.
(cf. Ephesians 4:23-24)

___________________

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offense.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.

My offenses truly I know them;
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done.

Indeed you love truth in the heart;
then in the secret of my heart teach me wisdom.
O purify me, then I shall be clean;
O wash me, I shall be whiter than snow.

A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.

Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervor sustain me,
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.

O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise.

(Excerpts from Psalm 51)

   

Spirit of the God is upon me, Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia.
      The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
      because he has anointed me
      to bring glad tidings to the poor.
            Alleluia, alleluia.

Luke 4.18a

  

Grant us strength and peace, O Lord.

The Lord will give strength to his people,
the Lord will bless his people with peace.

Psalm 29.11

    

May the Lord find us waiting, eager in joyful prayer.

Lord our God, help us to prepare for the coming of Christ your Son.
May he find us waiting, eager in joyful prayer.

  

May I seek and find the Lord in everyone.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
      Live in harmony with one another;
      do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;
      do not claim to be wiser than you are.

Romans 12:14-16a

  

Make mine a meek and humble heart

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:29

  

Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you;
consider how their lives ended, and imitate their faith.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
      Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching.

Hebrews 13:7-9a

  

Incline my heart according to your will, O God.

Turn my heart to your decrees,

and not to selfish gain.

Psalm 119:36

  

Protect us, Lord

The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
    silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
    purified seven times.
You, O Lord, will protect us;
    you will guard us from this generation for ever.
On every side the wicked prowl,
    as vileness is exalted among humankind.

Psalm 12.6-8

   

For this I long: to live in the house of the Lord

There is one thing I ask of the Lord, 

for this I long,

to live in the house of the Lord, 

all the days of my life,

to savor the sweetness of the Lord, 

to behold his temple.

For there he keeps me safe in his tent 

in the day of evil.

He hides me in the shelter of his tent, 

on a rock he sets me safe.

And now my head shall be raised 

above my foes who surround me,

and I shall offer within his tent 

a sacrifice of joy.

I will sing and make music for the Lord.

Psalm 27.4-6

Return blessings instead

All of you should be like-minded,
sympathetic, loving toward one another,
kindly disposed, and humble. 

      Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult.
      Return a blessing instead.
This you have been called to do,
that you may receive a blessing as your inheritance.

1 Peter 3:8-9

Do shine like the stars

In everything you do,
act without grumbling or arguing;

prove yourselves innocent and straightforward,
children of God beyond reproach
in the midst of a twisted and depraved generation
—among whom you shine like the stars in the sky.

Philippians 2:14-15

God will never fail you

Be strong and courageous;
have no fear or dread of them,
because it is the Lord your God who goes with you;
he will not fail you or forsake you.’

Deuteronomy 31:6

Prayer of Abandonment

Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me,  
and in all your creatures -
I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you
with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord,
and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself
into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,  
for you are my Father.

~ Charles de Foucauld

Lord, you do give us what we need

And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours 

according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  

        To our God and Father be glory 

        for ever and ever. Amen. 

Philippians 4.19-20

You visit the earth and water it,

you greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water;

you provide the people with grain,

for so you have prepared it. 

You water its furrows abundantly,

settling its ridges,

softening it with showers,

and blessing its growth. 

You crown the year with your bounty;

your wagon tracks overflow with richness. 

The pastures of the wilderness overflow,

the hills gird themselves with joy, 

the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

the valleys deck themselves with grain,

they shout and sing together for joy.  

Psalm 65: 9-13

Make me know the way I should walk

I remember the days of old,
I think about all your deeds,
I meditate on the works of your hands
I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.
      Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
      for in you I put my trust.
      Teach me the way I should go,
      for to you I lift up my soul.

Psalm 143.5,6,8

Let us not use the Mass to decorate political or secular events

[78.] It is not permissible to link the celebration of Mass to political or secular events, nor to situations that are not fully consistent with the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, it is altogether to be avoided that the celebration of Mass should be carried out merely out of a desire for show, or in the manner of other ceremonies including profane ones, lest the Eucharist should be emptied of its authentic meaning.

~ Redemptionis Sacramentum

Give me wisdom, O Lord

O God of my ancestors and Lord of mercy,
who have made all things by your word,
and by your wisdom have formed humankind
to have dominion over the creatures you have made,
and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,
and pronounce judgement in uprightness of soul,
give me the wisdom that sits by your throne,
and do not reject me from among your servants.

For I am your servant, the son of your servant-girl,
a man who is weak and short-lived,
with little understanding of judgement and laws;
for even one who is perfect among human beings
will be regarded as nothing
without the wisdom that comes from you.

With you is wisdom, she who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
she understands what is pleasing in your sight
and what is right according to your commandments.

Send her forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of your glory send her,
that she may labour at my side,
and that I may learn what is pleasing to you.

For she knows and understands all things,
and she will guide me wisely in my actions
and guard me with her glory.

Wisdom 9:1-6, 9-11

Let not my doubts nor my darkness speak to me.

“Jesus Christ, inner light,
    do not let my darkness speak to me,
      Jesus, Christ, inner light,
        enable me to welcome your love.”

~ Saint Augustine

"The vision still has its time."

First, remember that all of us have been called into the church to labor.  Yes, to labor.  To be saved is to be sent.

Secondly, we didn’t create the church.  Christ did.  We don’t give the church its mission.  Christ does.  The work of the church doesn’t necessarily align with our goals, which isn’t to say that those goals aren’t grand and worthy.  Some probably are; others, perhaps not.  Yet the vision we serve predates us; the vision summons us; we don’t adjudicate the vision; we are judged by it.

For the vision still has its time,
presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
if it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.
The rash one has no integrity;
but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.
(Habakkuk 2:2-4).

Sometimes a loss, or a weakness, of faith doesn’t lead people out of the church.  It leads them into an evangelical lethargy.  Lacking confidence and patience in God’s vision, they substitute their own.  They’re upset with church leaders, church teaching, church congregations.  All their talk is of future church, future bishops and priests, future congregations.  Our God is the God of Is.  The devil deals in what might be.

The church always stands in need of reform, because it is not the Kingdom of God.  It serves the Kingdom.  It attends the vision.  But we must always guard against impatience with the vision, or lack of confidence in it.  Then we’re tempted to replace the church, to which Christ has called us, with one, which we create, and which exists nowhere, save in our minds.  Saints reform the church by serving Christ in the church.  The weak in faith are often seduced into becoming pundits.

Here is one of those Gospel verses, which we don’t often quote.  It sticks a bit in the contemporary caw.

When you have done all you have been commanded,
say, “We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do” (Luke 17:10).

Surrender is scary, but it allows confident rest.  St.  John XXIII used to say to himself, at the end of each of his days as pope, “Lord.  It’s your church.  I’m going to bed.  ”

From "From Groceries to Gospel".  Terrance W. Klein
 (http://americamagazine.org/content/good-word/groceries-gospel)
 October 3, 2016.

What use is it to gain the whole world?

Of what use is it to a man to gain the whole world,
if he pays for it by losing his soul?

  

May I prove myself innocent and straightforward.

In everything you do, 

act without grumbling or arguing; 

prove yourselves innocent and straightforward, 

children of God beyond reproach 

in the midst of a twisted and depraved generation 

—among whom you shine like the stars in the sky.

Philippians 2:14-15

  

Lord, all deference and reverence is yours.

Be still and know that I am God,
supreme among the nations, 

supreme on the earth.

Psalm 46

   

A morning prayer

Almighty Father,
every good thing comes from you.
Fill our hearts with love for you,
increase our faith,
and by your constant care
protect the good you have given us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

from Christian Prayer

Week 2, day 1, Lauds

  

Your law, O Lord, is the joy of my heart.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to observe your righteous ordinances.

I am severely afflicted;
give me life, O Lord, according to your word.

Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord,
and teach me your ordinances.
I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget your law.

The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but I do not stray from your precepts.
Your decrees are my heritage for ever;
they are the joy of my heart.
I incline my heart to perform your statutes
for ever, to the end.

Psalm 119:105-112

Teach me, my Lord, the way of perfection.

My song is of mercy and justice; I sing to you, O Lord.
I will walk in the way of perfection. O when, Lord, will you come?

I will walk with blameless heart within my house;
I will not set before my eyes whatever is base.

I will hate the ways of the crooked; they shall not be my friends.
The false-hearted must keep far away; the wicked I disown.

The man who slanders his neighbor in secret I will bring to silence.
The man of proud looks and haughty heart I will never endure.

I look to the faithful in the land that they may dwell with me.
He who walks in the way of perfection shall be my friend.

No man who practices deceit shall live within my house.
No man who utters lies shall stand before my eyes.

Morning by morning I will silence all the wicked in the land,
uprooting from the city of the Lord all who do evil.

Psalm 101

To live the gospel...

To live the Gospel is not to live as though we are God, nor to speak for God, or to act as God.

We are not God.  We submit ourselves to be instruments of God.  

To live the Gospel is to acknowledge God's presence in life.  We are reliant on God's grace and mercy.  

To live the Gospel means to live in gratitude, in the humbleness of conceding that all goodness comes from God.

//Aug 6, 2013 at 2:05 PM

Peace: a fruit of justice

Wisdom from above is first of all innocent.
It is also peaceable, lenient, docile, rich in sympathy
and the kindly deeds that are its fruits, impartial and sincere.

The harvest of justice is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.

James 3:17-18

The word of the Lord is faithful.

For the word of the Lord is faithful
and all his works to be trusted.
    The Lord loves justice and right
    and fills the earth with his love.

Psalm 33.4-5

Guide me in ways that are level and smooth

Teach me to do your will
for you, O Lord, are my God. 

Let your good spirit guide me
in ways that are level and smooth.

Psalm 143.10

Make me know the way

In the morning let me know your love
for I put my trust in you.
      Make me know the way I should walk:
      to you I lift up my soul.

Psalm 143.9

Let me be guided by the Hoky Spirit

Teach me to do your will
for you, O Lord, are my God.
      Let your good spirit guide me
      in ways that are level and smooth.

Psalm 14

A Sunday Prayer

May each Sunday give us the joy of gathering as your people,

– around the table of your Word and your Body.
   Lord, hear our prayer.

Pour on us your blessing, Lord

Where two or three gather in your name, Lord, you promised to be with them and share their fellowship. Look down upon your family gathered here in your name, and graciously pour out your blessing upon us.

Psalm Prayer #2 W1D1.Monday

May we be like-minded in Faith, Hope, and Love

"All of you should be like-minded, sympathetic,
    loving toward one another, kindly disposed, and humble. 

    Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult.
    Return a blessing instead. 

    This you have been called to do,

     that you may receive a blessing as your inheritance."

1 Peter 3:8-9

May I never be ashamed of the Gospel

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel;
it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith,
to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith;
as it is written, "The one who is righteous will live by faith."

Romans 1:16-17

This you have been called to do: To be like-minded

All of you should be like-minded,
      sympathetic, loving toward one another,
      kindly disposed, and humble.

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult.
Return a blessing instead.

This you have been called to do,
that you may receive a blessing as your inheritance.

1 Peter 3:8-9

Father, accept my morning prayer.

God our creator,
you gave us the earth to cultivate
and the sun to serve our needs.

Help us to spend this day
for your glory and our neighbor's good.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

  

We trust in God's holy name.

The Lord looks on those who revere him,
on those who hope in his love,
to rescue their souls from death,
to keep them alive in famine.
  

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
The Lord is our help and our shield. 

In him do our hearts find joy.
We trust in his holy name.

Psalm 33.18-21

We live responsible to the Lord, we die as his servants.

None of us lives as his own master
and none of us dies as his own master.
While we live we are responsible to the Lord,
and when we die we die as his servants.
Both in life and in death we are the Lord's. 

That is why Christ died and came to life again,
that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Romans 14:7-9

May my restless heart find rest in you.

You inspire us, O Lord, to delight in praising you
    because you made us for yourself;
        our hearts are restless until they rest in you. 

     

May we revere those who are weak in faith

Help us to show reverence for those who are weak in faith,
may we never be hard or impatient with them,
but always treat them with love.

Lord, come to our aid.

from the breviary

The golden rule in Tobit

Do to no one what you yourself dislike.

Give to the hungry some of your bread,
and to the naked some of your clothing.

Seek counsel from every wise man.

At all times bless the Lord God,
and ask him to make all your paths straight
and to grant success to all your endeavors and plans.

Tobit 4:15a, 16a, 18a, 19

Suscipe, Domine

Suscipe, Domine, universam meam libertatem.
Accipe memoriam, intellectum, atque voluntatem omnem.
  
Quidquid habeo vel possideo mihi largitus es;
id tibi totum restituo, ac tuae prorsus voluntati trado gubernandum.
  
Amorem tui solum cum gratia tua mihi dones,
et dives sum satis, nec aliud quidquam ultra posco.
  

~ St. Ignatius of Loyola