Archive for July, 2008

wisdom for wednesday (V)

Posted July 2, 2008 * Comments(0)

desert flowerToday - our midweek dip into the wisdom of those early Christian ascetics continues. Today we are guided to look at our appetites - what do we find ourselves hungry for? What do we crave?

“Abbot Palladius said: The soul that wishes to live according to the will of Christ should either learn faithfully what it does not yet know, or teach openly what it does know. But if, when it can, it desires to do neither of these things, it is afflicted with madness. For the first step away from God is a distaste for learning, and lack of appetite for those things for which the soul hungers when it seeks God.”

(from Thomas Merton, The Wisdom of the Desert pp. 44-45)

a prayer for the day’s beginning

Posted July 1, 2008 * Comments(1)

O Lord open our lips, and we shall declare Your praise.

prayer candleAlmighty God,
to you all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from you no secrets are hidden.
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Opening Prayer The United Methodist Hymnal 1989 p. 6)

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