Daily Primer — August 20, Boone - North Carolina
Each day you will be given:
A Florilegium entry
A Daily Prayer
and a Night Prayer.
A Florilegium entry
A Daily Prayer
and a Night Prayer.
One of the greatest challenges of the spiritual life is to receive God's forgiveness. There is something in us humans that keeps us clinging to our sins and prevents us from letting God erase our past and offer us a completely new beginning. Sometimes it even seems as though I want to prove to God that my darkness is too great to overcome. While God wants to restore me to the full human dignity of sonship, I keep insisting that I will settle for being a hired servant. Do I truly want to be so totally forgiven that a completely new way of living becomes possible? Do I want . . . to surrender myself so absolutely to God's love that a new person can emerge?
Henri Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son p.53
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, you are the light of the world: our true sun, our real day. We, who have dwelt for too long in darkness, rejoice that you have rescued us from the power of darkness and have made us inheritors with the saints in the light. Lord God, on this fourth day of the week we offer our glad praise and thanksgiving for the gifts of all creation. This day we are particularly glad for the Sun and Moon, and stars which you have given “for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” The calendars, which your heavenly orbs have made possible, allow us to bring the garden of creation to an astonishing fruitfulness. Help us, Lord, to learn from creation that things need time to become what you have made them to be
We confess that all too often we prefer the darkness to the light. The light of your love has come into the world and we have preferred the darkness because we fear that our dark deeds will be exposed. We confess the lust which permeates every aspect of life and which leads us to see not only objects, but people too, as things to be possessed and used to satisfy our most base appetites.
Save us, Lord! Help us to exchange the sin of lust for the virtue of love, for the night is far gone and the day is near and it is time for us to join you in the life which is the light of all people — a light and life which the darkness cannot overcome. Teach us the power and wisdom of love’s surrender to the needs of the other — that in bearing with others we might fulfill the law of Christ. Today may our enlightened-discipleship join us to your work of bringing the light and life of your love to all people. Let there be light!
In the name of the one who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, Jesus, the Christ. Amen.
We confess that all too often we prefer the darkness to the light. The light of your love has come into the world and we have preferred the darkness because we fear that our dark deeds will be exposed. We confess the lust which permeates every aspect of life and which leads us to see not only objects, but people too, as things to be possessed and used to satisfy our most base appetites.
Save us, Lord! Help us to exchange the sin of lust for the virtue of love, for the night is far gone and the day is near and it is time for us to join you in the life which is the light of all people — a light and life which the darkness cannot overcome. Teach us the power and wisdom of love’s surrender to the needs of the other — that in bearing with others we might fulfill the law of Christ. Today may our enlightened-discipleship join us to your work of bringing the light and life of your love to all people. Let there be light!
In the name of the one who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, Jesus, the Christ. Amen.
John 8:12; John 9:5; John 3:17-21; Gal. 6:2; Phil. 2:6-7; describing Christ as, “our true sun, our real day” comes from St. Cyprian. Liturgy of the Hours — PHL.
Lord God, you are the One who calls —
† sometimes by the restlessness of spiritual longing,
† sometimes as we search for our true home,
† sometimes through the ache of a hungry heart.
Your call asks of us that we be pilgrims — summoning us to a life of glad dependence; of surrender to our creatureliness; of resilience in lives which do not go to plan. As we prepare for sleep we ask that you preserve us from the sin of lust and win us to the virtue of love. Guard us that we might have the mind of Christ - desiring what he desires. Summon us again, Lord, to sojourn with you by the comforting words, “I am with you,” and “You have only to be still and see my salvation.”
We pause to pray, offering you our glad thanksgiving for the blessings of this day. Where we have discerned your will and found courage to follow it, may we feel your consolation. Where we have been hard-hearted, stiff-necked, concupiscent, and unruly — refusing to follow in your way, may we learn from your desolations. As we entrust all we love into your mercy, may we, in our sleep, enter into that deeper communion with you which restores us to health. † In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
† sometimes by the restlessness of spiritual longing,
† sometimes as we search for our true home,
† sometimes through the ache of a hungry heart.
Your call asks of us that we be pilgrims — summoning us to a life of glad dependence; of surrender to our creatureliness; of resilience in lives which do not go to plan. As we prepare for sleep we ask that you preserve us from the sin of lust and win us to the virtue of love. Guard us that we might have the mind of Christ - desiring what he desires. Summon us again, Lord, to sojourn with you by the comforting words, “I am with you,” and “You have only to be still and see my salvation.”
We pause to pray, offering you our glad thanksgiving for the blessings of this day. Where we have discerned your will and found courage to follow it, may we feel your consolation. Where we have been hard-hearted, stiff-necked, concupiscent, and unruly — refusing to follow in your way, may we learn from your desolations. As we entrust all we love into your mercy, may we, in our sleep, enter into that deeper communion with you which restores us to health. † In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Liturgy of the Hours — PHL.