St. Patrick’s Breastplate I bind unto myself todayThe strong Name of the Trinity,By invocation of the same,The Three in One, and One in Three. I bind this day to me forever,By power of faith, Christ’s Incarnation;His baptism in the Jordan river;His death on the cross for my salvation.His bursting from

A Prayer of Henri J.M. Nouwen: Listen, O Lord, to my prayers. Listen to my desire to be with you, to dwell in your house, and to let my whole being be filled with your presence. But none of this is possible without you. When you are not the one

Prayer of Saint Benedict: Almighty God, give us wisdom to perceive you, intelligence to understand you, diligence to seek you, patience to wait for you, vision to behold you, a heart to meditate upon you, a life to proclaim you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives with you and

A Disciple’s Renewal: O MY SAVIOUR,                            help me.I am so slow to learn, so prone to forget, so weak to climb;I am in the foothills when I should be on the heights;I am pained by my graceless

A Prayer by William Barclay: O God, Our Father, we know our own weakness.Our minds are darkened, and by ourselves we cannot find and know the truth.Our wills are weak, and by ourselves we cannot resist temptation, or bring to its completion that which we resolve to do.Our hearts are

Read Luke 1:67-79. What is Zechariah giving witness to in his song? In this fourth week of Advent, consider adding a special note to your gifts, sharing with loved ones a simple prayer that God’s loving presence would be especially near.  Luke 1:67-79 67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy

Read Luke 1:46-55. What is Mary wondering about in her soul? In this third week of Advent, prepare your heart for Christmas by pausing for one full hour and journaling or sketching as many of God’s good gifts as you can. Luke 1:46-55 46 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,

Read Isaiah 9:1-7. What are the people of God watching for in the future? In this second week of Advent, notice at least three to five gifts of God’s presence embracing you in love, awakening you with wisdom or offering you his companionship through another. Isaiah 9:1-7 1But there will be

Read Psalm 16. What does the psalmist suggest about waiting in our journey? In this first week of Advent, find at least one, 10-15 minute block of time to sit silently in solitude, and ponder the word “wait.” Consider how well or poorly you wait in life. Psalm 16 1 Preserve me,

Beauty I’m struck by how much my soul is enlivened by beauty. Not exclusively of human beauty per se, as delightful as that may be, But of God and his created order, which of course includes the people he designed. Beauty multiplied in the lives of children young and old,