On Sundays, Night Prayer will focus on an element from the day's celebration of Mass. Tonight's prayer builds on the gift of wisdom found in the first scripture and which was at the center of my homily.
Keep in mind that in the Hebrew scriptures (the larger portion of our bible) Wisdom is characterized in the feminine...
Wisdom!
Dare I invite Wisdom
to my heart, Lord?
Dare I not welcome her advances?
Do I not desire her, deeply so,
in my thoughts, in my words, in all I do?
She comes at no small
cost, Lord,
calling me to
kiss goodbye
my much inflated ego,
my adolescent folly,
and my
stubborn, selfish pride...
A demanding
friend is she
who asks for all I have
but in return gives back much more
than I had ever hoped to have...
no other claims upon my heart abiding:
she seduces me with truth
along a simple path to peace...
She shimmers and she shines
in the shadows of my mind
with a mesmerizing
light
undimmed by my confusion...
She trains my eyes to
seek what's true,
what's good, what's just, what's pure,
what's worthy of my love, my will,
my thoughts, my words and all I do...
Dare I invite Wisdom to my heart, Lord,
to
settle in my soul,
dwell deeply in my thoughts
and take hold my heart's desires?
Dare I not welcome her advances
and thus chance a
wasted, foolish life,
spent in vain pursuit
of passing, empty pleasure?
No, rather,
Lord,
I choose Lady Wisdom!
Send her to my arms
to renew me from the inside out,
to govern all things well within my soul,
to abide with me, in spite of all my foolish
ways
and hold me in the grace and peace she brings...
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
keep vigil while I sleep,
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and sleep well in your peace...
Amen.
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May you cling to wisdom for she will protect you
and if you cherish her, she will keep you safe.
Take heed my children and listen to my words
and all your years shall be rich and filled with joy.
For I have taught you in ways of wisdom
and paths of honesty.
More than all else, set a guard upon your heart
since there is found the wellspring of your soul!
Upon your journey let wisdom grace you
with steadfast vision.
So may you treasure the things I have to say.
These words of truth shall lead you all to life.
Pray for perception, hold fast to wisdom,
do not forget her.
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