How did you begin your day in prayer?
At the crack of dawn this morning, I was sitting on the rectory deck with a cup of coffee in hand and my dog on my lap. Next to me was my prayer book, the Liturgy of the Hours, and the morning paper. In my morning prayer, I gave thanks to God for the beauty of the day. With each breath that I took, I was breathing in the Holy Spirit and breathing out the fears and anxieties that keep me from more completely trusting in God’s abiding love for me.
I begin each day in prayer thanking God for the faith we share as a parish community. In and through the human brokenness of each of us, we believe that God’s love for each of us is unending. May we always recognize our need for God’s healing grace, and God’s unconditional desire to share His love with us.
How did you begin your day in prayer this week?
posted by Fr. Jim Schwartz at
2:00 PM
3 Comments:
Lately, I've been thanking God every time I sit down on my lawn chair to read. I focus on all the natural sounds around me: birds, trees rustling, crickets, cicadas etc., and even the laughter of my children talking and thank God for the natural "noise" God has brought to me at that moment. I don't know if that makes sense, but I just try to open up my senses as best I can to the natural world. I find I can meet God there.
I have been striving to attain an intimate relationship with God through prayer. In my prayers I have been asking for the human freedom to return to adhering to God's will rather than my own self will. It's almost as if I have seen the devasting effects of my sins on myself and others and like the Prodigal Son wonder if God will receive me back and if so will I incur wrath or mercy?
Sunday morning, I was doing my yoga asanas outside with the words of Ezekiel 36 from my Liturgy of the Hours prayerbook in my head. These words: " I will sprinkle clean water on you....and give you a new heart" became real as a nearby tree swayed in the breeze and "rained" on me. Later, when I was out jogging, it happened again. As I sat with my journal and reflected on this, I realized the reality of the words and the hope that they contained. This sense of blessing was yet another sign to me that the God of surprises is at work in my life in many ways.
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