Daily Primer — July 31 - Glasgow — Scotland

Anam Cara  “In the Celtic tradition, there is a beautiful understanding of love and friendship.  One of the fascinating ideas here is the idea of soul-love; the old Gaelic term for this is anam cara.  Anam is the Gaelic word for soul and cara is the word for friend.  So anam cara in the Celtic world was the ‘soul friend.’  In the early Celtic church, a person who acted as a teacher, companion, or spiritual guide was called an anam cara.  It originally referred to someone to whom you confessed, revealing the hidden intimacies of your life.  With the anam cara you could share your inner-most self, your mind and your heart.  This friendship was an act of recognition and belonging.  When you had an anam cara, your friendship cut across all convention, morality, and category.  You were joined in an ancient and eternal way with the ‘friend of your soul.’  The Celtic understanding did not set limitations of space or time on the soul.  There is no cage for the soul.  The soul is a divine light that flows into you and into your Other.  This art of belonging awakened and fostered a deep and special companionship.  In his Conferences, John Cassian says this bond between friends is indissoluble: ‘This, I say, is what is broken by no chances, what no interval of time or space can sever or destroy, and what even death itself cannot part.’”
“Soul friendship is distinctive because it is marked by [the kind love formed in Christ] — a love centered in prayer and joy, in sharing the bread of life in its various forms and in mutual disclosure . . . A soul friend is a person who will allow you to tell the whole truth of yourself, and encourage you to seek healing and restoration.”

Florilegium is the Medieval Latin word for bouquet, or more literally flowers (flos, flor-) which are gathered (legere). The word florilegium was used to refer to a compilation of writings, often religious or philosophical. These florilegium are literary flowers—beautiful words/prayers/thoughts I have gathered.  During my sabbatical they will give me something to ponder each day. — PHL.

I implore you, good Jesus, that as in your mercy you have given me to drink in with delight the words of your knowledge, so of your loving kindness you will also grant me one day to come to you, the fountain of all wisdom, and to stand for ever before your face. Amen.

Lord, let your love fill my heart and mind, that I may love the world with the great love that you have for the world; that I may love you with all my heart and mind, and soul, and strength, and my neighbor as myself.
Silence

† O Lord, open my eyes to behold your presence.

† O Lord, open my ears to hear your voice.

† O Lord, open my heart to receive your love.

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

Merciful Father, preserve me while waking and guard me while sleeping, that awake I may keep watch with Christ, and asleep I may rest in that peace which brings me into communion with you and restores me to health.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, Amen.