Daily Primer — May 28

    "The worst thing that can happen to a man who is already divided up into a dozen different compartments is to seal off yet another compartment and tell him that this one is more important than all the others, and that he must henceforth exercise a special care in keeping it separate from them.  That is what tends to happen when contemplation is unwisely thrust without warning upon the bewilderment and distraction of Western man.  The Eastern traditions have the advantage of disposing man more naturally for contemplation.
    The first thing that you have to do, before  you even start thinking about such a thing as contemplation, is to try to recover your basic natural unity to reintegrate your compartmentalized being into a coordinated and simple whole and learn to live as a unified human person.  This means that when you have to say “I”, there is really someone present to support the pronoun you have uttered."

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, you are the good shepherd: the one willing to lay down your life for the sheep.  You call us and we follow because we recognize your voice.  Lead us Lord, through the peregrinations  of this day — to green pastures, to still waters, in right paths.  Should trial and trouble confound us, may we take note of your rod and your staff and regain our confidence that goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our life.
    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, 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.
    Preserve us this day from the sin of Hubris — from the sort of pride and arrogance which distorts our self-understanding and which creates a chasm between us and others and between us and you too.  From all impulses to set up shop as our own Lords, preserve us.  We confess the sin of pride which threatens to keep us from the gift of salvation, because we insist on earning our place.  Help us embrace the humility which eschews the need to control others.  Teach us wisdom to see that it is the ultimate arrogance to think that we will control you.  
    May we show the virtue of Prudence — and rightly understand our true place in relationship to you and to those we meet today.  May we come to embody the wisdom of humility and to show that we truly know you through acts of justice and mercy to all whom you love. Today in moments when we need to surrender, help us to embrace this most important posture for discipleship.  In the name of the one who in humility loved and suffered for our sake, our good shepherd,  Jesus the Christ.  Amen.

Lord, it is night.  The night is for stillness.
Let us be still in the presence of God.

It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done;
let it be.

The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own  
lives rest in you.

The night is quiet.
Let the quietness of your peace enfold us,
all dear to us,
and all who have no peace.

The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day, new joys,
new possibilities. In your name we pray.  Amen.