From the Anglican tradition O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; Give unto your servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey your commandments, and also, that by you we being defended from the fear of our enemies [...]
One of the gifts of the Benedictine tradition is the form of prayer called Lectio Divina or Holy Reading. In a world where speed reading is expected, skimming is required and glancing through summaries is de rigueur the monastic tradition is a contradiction. Lectio diving requires us to slow down and read the text meditatively. There is a technique. The first [...]
Benedict calls us first of all to listen with open mind and heart, to God's word. This word is spoken in a special way in the scriptures, but also in people, in events, and in our own being. The Word of God has become flesh in Jesus Christ, and now shares our whole human experience from [...]
From the Old Red Book The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the sower of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. To know what is [...]
English Country Church From the Book of Common Prayer: ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for [...]
Benedict instructs his monks about silence after worship: When the work of God is finished all should leave the church in deep silence and show reverence for God. Our own worship should be punctuated with silence and stillness. Altar servers are instructed to enter the procession in a slow and stately manner. A certain solemnity is [...]
I have not the courage to force myself to seek beautiful prayers in books; not knowing which to choose I act as children do who cannot read; I say quite simply to the good God what I want to tell Him, and He always understands me. -- St Therese
Prayer the church's banquet, angel's age, God's breath in man returning to his birth, The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage, The Christian plummet sounding heav'n and earth Engine against th' Almighty, sinner's tow'r, Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear, The six-days world transposing in an hour, A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear; Softness, [...]
A typical response when a man says he is entering a monastery is, "Why would a smart guy like yourself waste your life doing something like that?" This understandable remark indicates that a man's worth is determined by his usefulness, and in our sated but not satisfied society "usefulness" is usually determined by the level of [...]
My heart is steadfast, God; my heart is steadfast. Let me sing and chant praise. Awake, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn. I will praise you among the peoples, LORD; I will chant your praise among the nations. For your mercy is greater than the heavens; your faithfulness, to the skies. Psalm 58