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Keep your eyes clean and your ears quiet and your mind serene. Breathe God's air. Work, if you can, under His sky.
But if you have to live in a city and work among machines and ride in the subways and eat in a place where the radio makes you deaf with spurious news and where food destroys your life and the sentiments of those around you poison your heart with boredom, do not be impatient, but accept it as the love of God and a seed of solitude planted in your soul.
- Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
(There are many kinds of Lenten disciplines, the most difficult ones being those which transform us in the midst of ordinary life. What might be some of these disciplines for you to work with this Lent?)
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Topic: God and I: Exploring the connections between God, Self and Ego (spiritual
theology) Learning Process: 9 written conferences; private discussion forum for participants; video
conferences. See http://shalomplace.com/inetmin/GodandI for more information and registration options.
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JL 2:12-18; PS 51:3-6, 12-14, 17; 2 COR 5:20-6:2; MT 6:1-6, 16-18
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
For I acknowledge my
offense,
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned,
and done what is evil in your sight."
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in
me.
O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
USCCB Lectionary
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The forty days of Lent is the annual retreat of the people of God in imitation of Jesus' forty days in the wilderness. Forty is a significant number in the scriptures. Moses went to the mountain to seek the face of God for forty days in prayer and fasting. The people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years in preparation for their entry into the promised land. Elijah fasted for forty days as he journeyed in the wilderness to the mountain of God. We are called
to journey with the Lord in a special season of prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and penitence as we prepare to celebrate the feast of Easter, the Christian Passover. The Lord gives us spiritual food and supernatural strength to seek his face and to prepare ourselves for spiritual combat and testing. We, too, must follow in the way of the cross in order to share in the victory of Christ's death and resurrection. As we begin this holy season of testing and preparation, let's ask the Lord for a fresh
outpouring of his Holy Spirit that we may grow in faith, hope, and love and embrace his will more fully in our lives. "Lord Jesus, give me a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, and a great love of you. Take from me all lukewarmness in the meditation of your word, and
dullness in prayer. Give me fervor and delight in thinking of you and your grace, and fill me with compassion for others, especially those in need, that I may respond with generosity."
DailyScripture.net
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The Way of Perfection, by Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Continues the description of a method for recollecting the thoughts. Describes means of doing this. This chapter is very profitable for those who are beginning prayer.
So do not suppose, sisters, that you would have been prepared to endure such great trials then, if you are not ready for such trifling ones now. Practise enduring these and you may be given others which are greater. Believe that I am telling the truth when I say that you can do this, for I am speaking from experience. You will find it very helpful if you can get an image or a picture of this
Lord -- one that you like -- not to wear round your neck and never look at but to use regularly whenever you talk to Him, and He will tell you what to say. If words do not fail you when you talk to people on earth, why should they do so when you talk to God? Do not imagine that they will -- I shall certainly not believe that they have done so if you once form the habit. For when you never have intercourse with a person he soon becomes a stranger to you, and you forget how to talk to him; and
before long, even if he is a kinsman, you feel as if you do not know him, for both kinship and friendship lose their influence when communication ceases..
- Chapter 26 (Keep in mind that she is writing to sisters in a cloistered contemplative order.) Paperback (Kindle edition available)
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