open
"Earth is crammed with heaven,
and every common bush afire with God,
but only he who sees takes off his shoes."
+ Elizabeth Barrett Browning
God is with me, but even more, God is within me, giving me existence.
Let me dwell for a moment on God's life giving presence in my body,
my mind, my heart and in the whole of my life.
+ Irish Jesuit Prayer
scripture
+ Old Testament: Genesis 12:1-9
+ Psalm: Psalm 121
+ New Testament: Philippians 3:12-4:1
+ Gospel: Mark 8:31-38
reflection
O Son of God,
do a miracle for me
and change my heart.
Thy having taken flesh
to redeem me
was more difficult
than to transform
my wickedness.
+ Irish, 15th Century
"No one is strong in his own strength, but he is safe by the grace and mercy of God."
+ Cyprian (d.258)
Breathe in me,
O Holy Spirit,
that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me,
O Holy Spirit,
that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart,
O Holy Spirit,
that I love only what is holy.
Strengthen me,
O Holy Spirit,
to defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then,
O Holy Spirit,
that I may always be holy.
+ Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
"Fasting is not confined to abstinence from eating and drinking. Fasting really means voluntary abstinence for a time from various necessities of life, such as food, drink, sleep, rest, association with people and so forth. The purpose of such abstinence... is to loosen to some degree the ties which bind us to the world of material things and our surroundings as a whole, in order that we may concentrate all our spiritual powers upon the unseen and eternal things."
+ Ole Hallesby (1879-1961)
We believe and trust in God the Father Almighty.
We believe and trust in Jesus Christ His Son.
We believe and trust in the Holy Spirit.
We believe and trust in the Three in One.
+ Celtic Daily Prayer
"O Lord, we beseech thee to deliver us from the fear of the unknown future; from fear of failure; from fear of poverty; from fear of bereavement; from fear of loneliness; from fear of sickness and pain; from fear of age; and from fear of death. Help us, O Father, by thy grace to love and fear thee only, fill our hearts with cheerful courage and loving trust in thee; through our Lord and Master Jesus Christ."
+ Akanu Ibaim (1906-1995)
