The statement above is one I actually recall asking. I have thought it more often than I’d like along the Way as well. It is what motivated me to post the pictures in the previous post.

When you have been walking after God for 20+ years or far less for that matter - we can begin to think that merely accumulating years accounts for the growth of our soul. We know cognitively that this is false, but we can still believe it on other levels. So when the Mystery of the Universe comes in with a cosmic pruning shear or a chain saw and begins to lop off years of accumulated “growth” - it seems a fair question…

Is God killing me? Or keeping me?

Pruning and reshaping can sound pastoral and even “pretty” but as we go through the process we begin to see it as the great spiritual writer and mystic and poet St. John of the Cross states it, “the dark night of the soul.” We see it in light of the pain and desperation of Elijah’s flight to the desert. We begin to emote with our Lord in Gethsemane. And we begin to see beyond the burning hearts to the desperation and hopelessness of the pilgrims who couldn’t even recognize their Messiah and Master before them on the Emmaus road.

And if you have ever spent a sleepless night tossing and turning you know how LONG a night can last.

In these times of pruning and shaping the Spring time offers some hope. My faith can stop shaping me into question marks and for a moment I can rest and take hope in the buds and new life emerging around me.

So today I choose to say, the Potter prunes and reforms that I might in time reflect the Glory of my Maker even more.

In the beginning O God
You shaped my soul and set its weave
You formed my body
and gave it breath.
Renew me this day
in the image of your love.
O great God, grant me your light
O great God, grant me your grace
O great God, grant me your joy this day.
And let me be made pure
in the well of your health.
(prayer by J. Philip Newell from Celtic Prayers from Iona)

Made me smile.
Made me wonder.
Made me pray along with her.

Hope it helps you smile, wonder and pray, as well.

One way I attempt to remain attentive to God and to increase my awareness of God’s nearness and presence is through saying “breath prayers.” One breath prayer I say countless times a day is the Jesus Prayer. (I posted about this here.) There are many other breath prayers that I have said throughout a given day… The following ones all come from scripture and could accompany and punctuate your days as you attempt to increase the frequency and duration of your holy moments.

[Note: the first phrase is said while breathing in and the second phrase is intended to coincide with exhaling.)

* “Speak Lord… for your servant hears” (Samuel, 1 Samuel 3:9 & 10, NKJV)
* “Give thanks to the Lord… for he is good” (David, 1 Chronicles 16:34)
* “The Lord is my Shepherd… I shall not want” (David, Psalm 23:1, KJV)
* “Taste and see… that the Lord is good” (David, Psalm 34:8)
* “Be still… and know that I am God” (Korah’s family, Psalm 46:10, KJV)
* “The Lord… will be [my] confidence” (Solomon, Proverbs 3:26)
* “The joy of the Lord… is [my] strength” (Nehemiah 8:10)
* “Let it be to me… according to your word” (Mary, Luke 1:38, NKJV)
* “Our Father… Hallowed be thy name” (Jesus, Matthew 6:9, KJV)
* “Father… glorify your name” (Jesus, John 12:28, NKJV)
* “Father… into your hands I commit my spirit” (Jesus, Luke 23:46, NKJV)
* “Live by the Spirit… Keep in step with the Spirit” (Paul, Galatians 5:25)
* “To live is Christ… and to die is gain” (Paul, Philippians 1:21, KJV)
* “In Christ’s humility… consider others better than yourselves” (Paul, Philippians 2:3)
* “I want to know Christ… and the power of his resurrection” (Paul, Philippians 3:10)
* “My God… will meet all your needs” (Paul, Philippians 4:19)

[Note - passages from New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise indicated]

In getting started with these simple prayers intended to accompany you on “your way;” begin your day with about 5 minutes of quietly reciting and repeating your breath prayer (do so in a relaxed and unhurried manner - learning the rhythm and wording of your prayer). After this “initiation” in repeating your prayer as you go throughout your day - in idle moments, in anxious moments, in moments of joy and when loved ones come to mind - return to reciting your breath prayer.

Peace.

If we are going to be passionate about the God of the Universe we must come to terms with God on God’s terms not our own. A god of our own construct is no god - but an idol of our own creation. God must be appreciated as God truly is; revealed on the terms God has determined and employed: through the created order and through the special revelation of Scripture. We need our faulty and incomplete images of God refreshed and re-oriented often for our calibration to understand and appreciate God seems to be easily skewed. The prescription for me is regular time in reflection/meditation on a portion of Scripture accompanied by being attentive to God’s presence in silence. Through doses of scriptural reality and times just “being with God” my life is reordered and my passion for God reignited.

“The Church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshipping men. … We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence.” (A. W. Tozer. The Knowledge of the Holy. The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life. New York: Harper and Row. 1961. pg. 6).

Just noticed this as I was praying this past week.

Our Father,

Amen

In the prayer Jesus taught us, besides being obligated to pray in this manner - I am only obligated to forgive - each of the other items in this prayer are requests, praise or acknowledgement of God as being God.

Help me be merciful as You are merciful, Father.

The Reading for Today: Sun - Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 & John 20:1-18 & Luke 24:1-12

Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In His great mercy
He has given us a new birth
to a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead
and to an inheritance
that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.
It is reserved in heaven for you,
who because of your faith in God
are being protected by His power
until the salvation
that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.
–From New Saint Joseph People’s Prayer Book

All is quiet.

Jesus lays in the tomb.

The King of the Universe is lying cold in a dark, sealed tomb. All is on hold. We await. In silence.

Art work by Fr. Michael Obrien

The Reading for Today: Psalm 22 & John 18:1-19:42 (read it slowly & devotionally)

Why “good”? In German this Friday before Easter is “Mourning Friday” - it is a day of facing the reality of the suffering and pain Jesus endured and the way of the cross before all those who follow in His way. This day is also referred to as Holy Friday and Great Friday. But why good? It seems to be peculiar to the English language and may have found it’s root in being called God’s Friday and over time just as “God be with you” was distilled to goodbye - God’s Friday evolved to Good Friday. Or maybe in English it was always “good friday” referring to the pious retrospect we have and confess as our Christian hope that no tragedy—not even death—can overwhelm God’s providence, love, and grace. All that tragedy brought about the greatest good there could be. [Short answer to why good? - Don’t know for sure.]

Prayer for Good Friday:

Holy Father,

Amen.

Artwork by Father Michael Obrien “Crucifixion”

The Reading for Today: Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 & John 13:1-17 & 31-35

Where did that word, “maundy” come from? Well the word comes from middle english - mandé, from the Latin mandatum - which is the first word in our text from John - “A new command I give unto you…” so the maundy of Maundy Thursday - is the mandate or new command.

He commanded us to love - then He loved.

A Prayer for Maundy Thursday:

Dear Savior,

Amen.

The Reading for Today: Psalm 70 & John 13:21-35 (Mark 14:1-11)

It was this day in antiquity that we remember Judas’ deal with the priests to “turn Jesus over to them.” It is for this reason that Wednesday of Holy Week is referred to in some circles as “spy Wednesday.”

Collect for Spy Wednesday

O God, who desired Your Son to undergo,
on our behalf, the yoke
and subjugation of the Cross;
so that You might drive away
from us the power of the enemy,
grant to us Your servants,
that we may attain the grace of the resurrection.

Amen