Sunday-Ps. 51 is the classic psalm of praying with penitence for forgiveness. Few prayers reach its depth of feeling. Many of us lack the sense of guilt assumed by this prayer. Nonetheless, it can be a good guide for self-reflection, especially at this penitential time of year.
Monday-Kythe is a Celtic verb meaning "to appear or be present or close to," as folks may say, "they're kith and kin." Kything prayer means visualizing another as though present, holding them with love. picture the face of a person you want to pray for in the Light: imagine their face with light around it or in it; hold the face in your mind's eye... (perhaps picture yourself in some context with that person)... imagine the person with their countenance uplifted......... Now gently place your arms & hands across your chest in an X shape... "holding the person in your heart" (Philippians 1:7). After a few minutes, exhale... open your hands... release your loved one to the arms of Love, letting go**--the hardest job parents or caregivers have! Ira Kent Groff
Tuesday-M. Basil Pennington-Unfortunately, in seeing ourselves as we truly are, not all that we see is beautiful and attractive. This is undoubtedly part of the reason we flee silence. We do not want to be confronted with our hypocrisy, our phoniness. We see how false and fragile is the false self we project. We have to go through this painful experience to come to our true self. It is a harrowing journey, a death to self – the false self – and no one wants to die. But it is the only path to life, to freedom, to peace, to true love. And it begins with silence. We cannot give ourselves in love if we do not know and possess ourselves. This is the great value of silence. It is the pathway to all we truly want.
Wednesday-Holy Ground-John S. Mogabgab-Holy ground is the place of life-giving rootedness in something larger than our own lives.Holy ground is the stable place of clarity and confidence in a turbulent human landscape of shifting values, crumbling hopes, frayed trusts, uncertain commitments. Holy ground is the place of life-giving rootedness in something larger than our own lives, something deep enough and enduring enough to keep us anchored and oriented in the storm. Holy ground is the place at once attractive and fearsome, where God speaks and we listen; the place of empowerment, transformation, and sending forth to live victoriously in a world too often disfigured by the defeat of justice, peace, and human dignity; the place where the gracious rule of God is known and the new creation becomes visible; the place where faith can move mountains (Matt. 17:20).
Thursday-Thomas a Kempis-Many will follow him as far as the breaking of bread, but few will remain to drink from his passion. Many are awed by his miracles, few accept the shame of his cross. Many love Christ as long as they encounter no hardship; many praise and bless him as long as they receive some comfort from him.
Friday-Alan Thames-If you live wide-eyed in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. Keep your eyes open, your lamp burning, so you don't get musty and murky. Keep your life as well-lighted as your best-lighted room."
Saturday-Discernment can provide deep knowing, can see through the denial of others, and exercise careful discernment. Through this energy we have the power to name what is happening, there is a kind of intuitive vision where we see beyond the surface. We can see through illusions to the core of things."-- Christine Valters Paintner, PhD
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