Morning Prayer
Luke 10: 38 – 42
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Reflection
“You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better.”
Choosing what is better. In our own way, not having Jesus walking amongst us in the flesh today, we endeavour to choose what is better. Perhaps we set aside time multiple times a day for prayer or we open our hearts to the spoken word each day. And yet, of course, we remain worried and upset about so many things. More and more as we turn to Jesus, we will learn to recognize the disorder of our mind, the clamor that pulls us away from our centre. We will turn instead to the quiet refreshment that is Jesus’ presence with us always, that is being a child in Abba’s presence. Give us grace Lord to choose the better path more and more that we too might be transported as was Mary, that we too may drink in the water of life flowing from your heart, flowing from our hearts as we connect more and more deeply to the source.
Noon Day Prayers Question
You have spontaneously invited Jesus to your house and after the supreme happiness of having him arrive with his whole entourage, you are very busy making sure food is getting organized, while most everyone else is naturally sitting with Jesus, hanging on his every word. Stop and consider now, are you able to have a Mary moment of focusing on Jesus in the midst of this storm of busy-ness or are you a stress bunny?
There is of course always time for both, if we allow ourselves to focus, like Mary did, on what was most important. Other hands will suddenly be helping when it is time but this is the time when you could be deeply touched as you open to his presence in your home. Where and when could you use a Mary moment more often?
Evening Prayer
Luke 11: 1 – 13
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say:
“‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.
And lead us not into temptation.’”
Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Reflection
Teach us to pray Lord Jesus. Dearest Abba, so high and holy Abba, may all your children find their way back home to you. We trust you with everything we need, forgive us our many mistakes as we forgive others theirs and in your refining love for us, do not test us too severely. We talk to you all the time, for we know that you love to give good gifts to us, you love to take care of us and you want the best for us. And whatever we need, whenever we need it, you are ready and willing to give us your Holy Spirit again that we might have more in any situation than we could have asked for or imagined, having the Spirit of our creator indwelling! Amen.