Since 2005 Gloucester diocese has offered resources for praying together during both Lent and Advent,- a daily pattern that includes elements of Common Worship Daily Prayer, but with additional material for reflection. At St M's we've found this really valuable, not least because the initial Lenten series provided the catalyst for several members of the congregation to join us in praying the Office throughout the year. I've always found the non Scriptural material thought- provoking, and this Advent there is also an action suggested. We're only on day 2, but I'm feeling thoroughly shaken up already, which I guess is rather the idea. So I don't suffer alone, here's today's. So much easier to type than to actually get on and do, but I'm working on it, I promise!
REFLECTION
“If you have a fearful thought, do not share it with someone who is weak; whisper it to your saddlebow and ride on singing.”
Alfred 9th cent., King of Wessex
ACTION: Discover what is your ‘saddlebow’: hold a Cross or your Bible, and whisper your fear to the Lord. ~ Do you fear a person or a situation? Write down the name of who or what disturbs you. Look steadily at that named fear and pray “Our Father . . .”, then ‘ride on, singing’.
2 comments:
Oh so much easier said than done! Can I lift it please? It's something i badly need to do even if it DOES mean that I can't spend all my life whingeing to Complaints Officers (not that the lovely P is weak, but he's probably heard enough from me)
Thank you so much Kathryn - just what I needed to take away with me instead of the weighty Daily Prayer. Also, I suspect, more challenging.... what a lovely idea this is. Not sure this diocese could actually ever agree with itself sufficiently to produce anything like it.
Post a Comment