Daily Primer — August 18, North Carolina

Abba Moses — said to a brother:  
“To die to one’s neighbor is this —
To bear your own faults not paying attention to anyone
else — wondering if they are good or bad.
Do no harm to anyone,
Do not think anything bad in your heart towards anyone,
Do not scorn the person who does evil,
Do not put confidence in the one who does evil to his
neighbor,
Do not rejoice with one who injures a neighbor,
Do not have hostile feelings towards anyone,
And do not let dislike dominate your heart.”

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.

Lord God, we rise with the Psalmist and declare,  “in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.”  As the world is once again enlightened by the light of your love, so we pray that our lives may be enlightened by the work of your Spirit.
We confess the sin of acedia which traps us in slothful negligence of duty.  Instead of seeing the needs of others and the demands of duty as a gift, we fear the loss of our freedom to do as we please and have what we want.  This desire to preserve our freedom from obligation only enslaves us deeper in the illusion of autonomy and self-righteousness.  Save us, Lord, from the sin of acedia and win us to the virtue of fortitude.  Give us eyes to see and hearts to embrace the ethics of your kingdom, where the needs of the other are as important as our own.  Shape us in fortitude so that we learn to endure every hardship with quiet trust in your mercy and wisdom.  Lead us in a diligent response to a hurting world which declares your love and redemption by word and deed.
As the dawn reminds us of the power of your resurrection, we pray in glad gratitude that, in your mercy, we have been given another day in which to live and love.  Teach us, Lord, “to number our days that we might gain a wise heart.”  We are pilgrims as were all our ancestors.  We join them in declaring, “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous.  When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us,  we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.  The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders;  and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.  So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have given me.”  In gratitude for your rescue we pledge this day to serve you as we serve those in need around us.
†In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You, Lord, are the living Word — the Word which shines in the darkness.  Though the sin of sloth darkens our vision and deadens our resolve, shine among us, Lord, with the brilliance of your love.  As the day draws to a close and we prepare to enter into rest, may we entrust with confidence every concern and trouble to your faithful care.  Our examination of the day gives us both consolations and desolations to consider as we anticipate the day to come.  Help us, Lord, to conclude our Examen by relaxing into the prayer of resting in your grace.  As we relinquish consciousness into the healing work of sleep, we ask that you preserve us from all evil and from every terror of the night. † In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.