The third book I read this last week is The Celtic Way of Prayer, by Esther de Waal. I have read this book a number of times over the last 10 years and never fail to gain fresh insights about the Celtic Christian movement and its lessons for us today.
This time I was particularly impacted by the comment:
They saw the world through eyes washed miraculously clear by continual spiritual exercise; they was with “rinsed eyes”. They was with such clarity because the seeing came out of contemplative vision (96).
This concept is one that I need reminding of time and again. Taking time to see the world, with contemplative vision so easily gets lost in the midst of busyness. Living in the present, being alive to the world around, totally listening to God, looking and listening for the sacred in the midst of every mundane act of the day, finding in the world in which we live the reflection of God’s invisible world, these are the things that I keep coming back to.
A couple of days ago in my post Am I Fully Recognized for What I am I wrote: for Celtic saints all of life was organized in light of spiritual realities. It was the same for the Trappist monks I wrote about yesterday. The centre of all things is meant to be the spiritual reality of our relationship to God. It is this that should control our time, our rhythm of life, our use of resources.
As I continue my journey this is the focus of my thoughts. The questions that keeps revolving in my mind is: What would it be life to give myself totally to God? How can I organize my time, my habits, my thoughts and actions to become instruments of spiritual formation? I hope that you will continue to walk the journey with me. And to guide me today I pray this prayer – one version of St Patrick’s prayer known as “the deer’s cry”
This day I call to me;
God’s strength to direct me,
God’s power to sustain me.
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s vision to light me,
God’s ear to my hearing,
God’s word to my speaking,
God’s hand to uphold me,
God’s pathway before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
9 comments
Thank you for sharing. I LOVE that prayer!
Thanks laurie – it is one of my favourites
Reblogged this on Whatcha Thinkin'? and commented:
I’m sharing this on my blog for the beautiful prayer at the end. I desire all of those things from God!
I have this book …. LOVE it but Laurie like you it has been a while since I read it … I’m going to dig it out again and get into it one more time …. I just recently read THE MYSTIC PATH OR MEDITATION by David Cole …. it too is a powerful book and I have found many pastors (as I get to visit with them with my work at Promise Keepers Canada) who are turning to a book by Peter Scazzero EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY SPIRITUALITY. I love the prayer you shared …. thank you … blessed for the day ! Like you — my desire is for MORE of Him and LESS of me …. I remember the prayer of Brother Lawrence ( Practicing the Presence of God) ” Make me according to YOUR heard God, make my thoughts YOURS. For me — life had become too much of me DOING things for God … now its coming to be more of me BEING WITH God.
Thanks David for your thoughts and for the recommendation – another book to add to my wish list. I love books like this that can be dipped into again and again over the years.
The three paragraphs above the beautiful prayer are so where I find myself at present. Thank you for sharing your heart. I shared this on my timeline for my friends to see your post.
Arthur – I am glad that my journey has ministered to you too.
I especially loved the question, “How can I organize my time, my habits, my thoughts and actions to become instruments of spiritual formation?” I wonder what it might be like to start the day with the same question for myself. Thanks for the insight!
Lacy that is part of what I am trying to do – thinking about the day & asking that question and then trying to incorporate a modified Prayer of Examen at the end of the day to see how well I have done – still working on what this looks like for me