Monday Morning Offering: 11/9

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Good morning, good God!

So I'm wondering, Lord,
what will I offer you today
for my Monday morning prayer...

Shall I offer you my heart
with all its ragged imperfections
and pray you do some healing
of its rough and tumble edges?

Shall I offer you my mind
and its idle, wasteful musings
and pray your light of wisdom

will illumine all my thoughts?

Shall I offer you my dreams
and all my fantasies and schemes,
and pray you bring sharp focus
to my vision and my plans?

Shall I offer you my grudges,
my resentments and my anger
and pray you mend and heal
the hurt and pain to which I cling?

Shall I offer you my envy,
my jealousy of others,
and pray you show me clearly
all the gifts I truly have?

Shall I offer you my lust
and my cravings and my greed
and pray you cleanse and purify
my longings and desires?

Shall I offer you my apathy,
my lethargy and dullness
and pray your Spirit's fire
burn afresh deep in my soul?

Shall I offer you my joy,
my sweet contentment, all my peace
and pray I come to understand:
without you I have none...

Shall I offer you my faith
with my uncertainty and doubt
and pray for greater, deeper trust
in all that I believe?

Shall I offer you my hope 

although I haven't much to spare
and pray you give me confidence
in all you've pledged and promised?

 

Shall I offer you my lethargy,

my post-election fatigue?

And ask you for some wisdom,

some unity and healing?

 
Shall I offer you this prayer then

as another week begins  
and ask that in my stumbling words
you hear what my heart speaks?

Yes, I'll offer you this litany, Lord,
my Monday morning prayer:
my needs and pleas and trust you'll walk
this day, this week with me... 

Amen. 

 

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A foolish man preaches on wisdom...

 

Above you'll find the audio of my homily for November 8, based on the first reading and the gospel from today's mass, both of which treat of wisdom. (If a widget doesn't appear above, click here.)  The text of my homily follows below.

Let me pose a simple question: would you prefer to be known for your wisdom - or for your foolishness? Which reputation would you prefer to have? Might seem an unfair option: either/or, wise or foolish. But really, there isn't a lot of middle ground here.

 

If I'm wise, then I'll more readily spot my foolish tendencies and work to correct them. Whereas, if I'm foolish, I might not recognize what's wise - even if it scares me right in my face.

 

Whether I'm wise or foolish, I need to learn to desire, to desire wisdom. If I'm wise, then it's the continuing desire for wisdom that will keep me away from my own foolishness. And if I'm foolish, then the desire for wisdom will at least help me see my foolishness for what it is - and help me see that there's always another way for me to live my life, a wiser way.

 

Wisdom is by no means theoretical, ethereal, or esoteric. Wisdom is very practical. In the scriptures, wisdom is that very practical knowledge I need to know how to love God and others, as I live in the world. Wisdom is knowing how to love God and others. Sounds like Jesus’ two great commandments: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind – and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.  Wisdom is the knowledge we need to follow to obey those two commandments.

 

Foolishness is what happens when I love God with less than all my heart and mind and soul… when I love myself more than I love my neighbor…

 

I'm most inclined to be foolish when wisdom asks more of me than I'm naturally or readily willing to give - to God or my neighbor. The greatest foolishness of all is for me to imagine, to think, to believe, to pretend that I am wiser than God. (You might be sitting there saying, “I wouldn't ever think that I was wiser than God.” Every time we sin - we think we're wiser than God. We think,“Well, you know what? I think God doesn't have this right. I'm gonna do it my way…” We all do that at least once in a while. And when I think and act as if I know better than God, then it's easy to convince myself that my foolishness is, in fact, some kind of wisdom.

 

I so easily and often forget how today's folly becomes tomorrow's regret. I fail to see how easily my foolish indiscretions quickly become foolish habits. I foolishly ignore the ageless wisdom that a life of foolish choices has never made anybody truly happy.

 

On the other hand, even just the desire for wisdom can open me up to so much more than I can see with my own eyes, or know with my own thoughts, or discern with my own mind, or feel in my own heart.

 

Just the desire for wisdom can begin to draw me out of myself, out of my own foolishness, to see that there is a way, there is a truth, there is a life for me that leads to: contentment, even in hard times… That brings me joy, even in sorrow… That offers me hope, especially when all seems lost…

 

Foolishness is life on my turns. Wisdom is life on God's terms.

 

We live in an age when foolishness is often mistaken for and valued as virtue; a time when belief in God is often mocked as simple and naive. One need only look to what our culture celebrates and how faith is marginalized and mocked to see how often and easily the wisdom of the ages is tossed aside, dismissed, forgotten. We live at an age when foolishness often triumphs as excellence.

 

Wisdom is the gift I need when, in such an age, I'm making choices; choices between what's right and what's wrong… between what's true and false… between what's loving and selfish… between what's life giving and death dealing… between what's just and what's oppressive… between what's foolish and what's wise.

 

Foolishness is life on my turns. Wisdom is life on God's terms.

 

So on whose terms, then, do you and I live our lives? Or better yet, on whose terms do you and I desire to live our lives? Most of us will likely answer that we'd prefer to be known for our wisdom - not be mistaken for fools. That's a choice we make over and over and over again. I'll be more likely inclined to choose wisdom if wisdom is what I try to desire. I'll choose wisdom if I'm willing to forego the ease, the comfort of foolishness and accede to the demands of wisdom. I'll choose wisdom if I choose to live my life on God's terms - not on my own.

 

There’s a beautiful passage in the Book of Proverbs speaking of wisdom again, in the feminine. Proverbs says, Wisdom has built herself a house. She has spread her table, and she says, Come, eat of my food, and drink of my wine. Forsake foolishness, so that you may live and advance in the way of understanding.

 

Tonight, Wisdom spreads her table here at the altar - and she invites us to share in the banquet that Christ has prepared for us. Let's pray, then, that we will - all of us - desire wisdom, so that we might choose wisdom, and come to know the peace that wisdom brings.

 

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Night Prayer: SUNDAY 11/8

On Sundays, Night Prayer takes its lead from some element from the day's liturgy. The first reading and gospel for today's mass draw us to the gift of wisdom.  Keep in mind that in the scriptures, Wisdom is often described in the feminine!

 

Wisdom!

Dare I invite Wisdom into my heart, Lord?

Or - dare I not welcome her advances?

 

Do I not desire her - and deeply so -

    in my thoughts, in my words, in all I do?

 

Wisdom! 

She comes at no small cost, Lord.

To welcome her is to kiss goodbye

    to self-indulgent folly,

    playing with the truth,

    and selfish pride and ego...

         

Wisdom!

A demanding friend is she

who asks for all I have 

but in return gives back much more 

than ever I might dream to call my own... 

 

Wisdom!

A jealous lover she 

who seduces me with truth

down a simple path to peace,

to serenity and joy...

 

Wisdom! 

She shimmers and she shines 

in the corners of my mind

with a mesmerizing light 

undimmed by my confusion...

 

Wisdom! 

She trains my eyes to seek what's true,

what's just, what's pure, what's whole,

what's worthy of my will, my love,

in all I say and do...

 

Wisdom! 

Dare I invite her, Lord,

to settle in my soul,

to dwell deep in my thoughts

and take hold of my desires? 

 

Or dare I not welcome her advances?

Dare I chance a wasted, foolish life,

spent in vain pursuit

of passing, empty pleasures?

 

Lord, I choose Lady Wisdom! 

 

Send her to my arms

    to renew me from the inside out,

    to govern all things in my soul,

    to abide with me

       in spite of all my foolish ways,

    to fill me with your mercy

       and the grace and peace she brings...

 

Give me courage, Lord,

   to court the one who seeks me out,

who never tires in her quest

   to take my mind, my heart, 

      my soul, my all...

 

Wisdom! 

May she lead me to a quiet place

   where I might rest with her

while she holds me close 

   and shares with me

from all her many treasures,

   your word of truth and peace...

 

In the stillness of my prayer, Lord,

    send Wisdom to my soul,

to take me as her own,

    to make my heart her home...

 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep rest in your peace...

Amen. 

 

Two songs for prayer tonight: the first,reflective and the second, uptempo... If you don't find two videos below, click here!

 
Wisdom Gives by Good Branch's Sound

 

 

Wisdom, Wisdom! by Lori True

 

 
 

Wisdom, Wisdom, be attentive
Wisdom, Wisdom, be attentive
Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts
Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts
    in our conflicts and chaos
    in our struggles and strong will
    in our pride and our passion
    O Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts

Wisdom, Wisdom, be attentive
Wisdom, Wisdom, be attentive
Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts
Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts
    in all of our doubting
    in all of our choosing
    in all of our searching
    O Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts

Wisdom, Wisdom, be attentive
Wisdom, Wisdom, be attentive
Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts
Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts
    when we're tired and closed minded
    when we think we're the wiser
    when we can't hear you calling
    O Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts

Wisdom, Wisdom, be attentive
Wisdom, Wisdom, be attentive
Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts
Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts
    let your Word dwell within us
    let your Good News inspire us
    let your Gospel Truth shape us
    O Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts

Wisdom, Wisdom, be attentive
Wisdom, Wisdom, be attentive
Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts
O, Wisdom, Wisdom, open our hearts

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Pause for Prayer: SUNDAY 11/8

 

 

Lord,

your Spirit is with me 24/7/365,
    pushing and pulling me,
    prompting and prodding me,
    nudging me always
    to love what's good,
    to do what's just,
    to speak the truth,
    to do the next right thing,
    to help my neighbor,
    to choose wisely,
    to lift my heart to you in prayer
    and to walk humbly

        by your side...

But so often, too often, Lord,
    I'm deaf to your voice,
    blind to your presence, 

    too busy, too lazy,
    too foolish, too self-absorbed
    to see, to hear, to notice
    all the ways your Spirit moves
        in me, around me and through me...

Today, Lord,
    open my ears and my eyes,
    my mind and my imagination,
    and my heart's and my soul's desires
        - all to your Spirit -
    living and breathing within me
        and through the whole of creation...

Amen. 

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Night Prayer: SATURDAY 11/7

Both the first reading and the gospel for mass tomorrow focus on wisdom - so wisdom's on my mind... 

Lord, I'm working on my homily 

 and trusting you won't laugh too loudly

  when you hear me preach about wisdom!

 

Just thinking about wisdom 

 reminds me of how foolish,

 how unwise, I often am

 and of just how much I need

 to cling to your wisdom

  every day of my life...

 

I need to cling to your wisdom 

 as I make decisions:

  big ones, small ones and everyday choices

  that make a difference in my own life

  and in the lives of those around me...

 

I need to cling to your wisdom

when foolishness seeks to seduce me

 from your will to mine,

 from your ways to my ways,

 from living by your word

 to living by mine…

 

I need to cling to your wisdom, Lord, 

 when I shape my ideas,

 form my opinions

 and pledge my allegiance

 to party, power and privilege...

 

I need to cling to your wisdom 

 when I'm lost, confused or discouraged,

 lest I take the wrong path,

 succumb to my doubts

 or abandon my hope in you...

 

I need to cling to your wisdom, Lord, 

 because you are my way

 you are my truth

 and you are my very life:

  without you I'm lost

  and truly have nothing...

 

I need to cling to your wisdom, Lord: 

 she’s the light in my shadows,

 the strength in my weakness

 my hope in hard times

 and joy in my sorrow...

 

I need to cling to your wisdom:

 to save me from playing the fool,

 to help me discern the truth

 and to lead me, wisely, day by day

  to your mercy, your grace and your peace…

 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

  and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

  and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

 

Christ Our Wisdom

   by  Sovereign Grace Music

 

If a widget doesn't appear below, click here!

 

 

Christ our wisdom, we are humbled 

When You hide Your ways from us 

You have purposes unnumbered 

Each one good and glorious 

Help us trust when we grow weary 

Free us from our anxious thoughts 

Give us grace to see more clearly 

You are God and we are not 

 

Christ our wisdom, be our gladness 

When we fail to understand 

You ordain all joy and sadness 

To fulfill Your perfect plan 

Help us know You rule with power 

Over every raging flood 

In our most uncertain hour 

You are God and we are loved 

 

Christ our wisdom, we will follow 

Though the way ahead is veiled 

As we journey through the shadows 

Grant us faith where sight has failed 

Help us cling to Your commandments 

Strengthened by Your faithful Word 

We will never be abandoned 

You are God and we are Yours 

 

Christ our wisdom we adore You 

For the beauty of the cross 

Once in foolishness we scorned You 

But Your blood has ransomed us 

Help us sing the endless mercies 

Of Your humble heart to save 

Christ our wisdom, Christ our glory 

You are God forever praised 

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