Daily Primer — July 22, Labrador Sea
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.
I consider that the spiritual life is the life of man's real self — the life of that interior self whose flame is so often allowed to be smothered under the ashes of anxiety and futile concern. The spiritual life is oriented toward God, rather than to the satisfaction of the material needs of life, but it is not, for all that, a life of unreality or a life of dreams. On the contrary, without a life of the spirit, our whole existence becomes unsubstantial and illusory. The life of the Spirit, by integrating us into the real order established by God, puts us in the fullest possible contact with reality — not as we imagine it, but as it really is. It does so by making us aware of our own real selves and placing them in the presence of God.
You will, perhaps, think that Merton here should use “insubstantial” but he is intentional in using “unsubstantial.”
Thomas Merton, Author's Note at start of — No Man Is An Island.
Thomas Merton, Author's Note at start of — No Man Is An Island.
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.
God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my understanding;
God be at my end, and at my departing. Amen.
God be in my eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my understanding;
God be at my end, and at my departing. Amen.
from Old Sarum Primer [1514]. — a collection of prayers and worship resources developed in Salisbury, England, during the 13th century. “Sarum” is the abbreviation for the Latin word for Salisbury. The collection was used throughout Britain, as well as parts of continental Europe, until the Reformation.
Lighten our darkness, Lord, we pray;
and in your mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.
and in your mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.
from Sarum Breviary — Compline.