Monday, March 19, 2012

March 19, 2012

A Spiritual Practice for Lent

Trailing clouds of glory do come from God,
who is our home.
Those shadowy recollections,
be they what they may,
are yet the fountain light of all our day.
W. Wordsworth, 1807

All our day God comes to us in prayer, all through the day. As we move through Lent let’s focus on prayer all through the day. Each week you will find a prayer for a different part of the day published here. At Easter you may put them together and frame the whole day in words of prayer. The first three prayers were on first waking, then just before launching the day’s activities and noon.

For this week: grace before supper.

I take pleasure in eating
today, God.
Deliver me from taking it
for granted.
Forgive me for hurry
or gluttony
or not acknowledging
the work that goes into cooking
and the production of food.

May I marvel at food
as pleasure and fuel
as gift and hospitality.

The Rev. Dr. Catherine MacLean

Monday, March 12, 2012

March 12, 2012

A Spiritual Practice for Lent

Trailing clouds of glory do come from God,
who is our home.
Those shadowy recollections,
be they what they may,
are yet the fountain light of all our day.
W. Wordsworth, 1807

All our day God comes to us in prayer, all through the day. As we move through Lent let’s focus on prayer all through the day. Each week you will find a prayer for a different part of the day published here. At Easter you may put them together and frame the whole day in words of prayer. The first two prayers were on first waking and just before launching the day’s activities.

For this week: noon.

It is the centre of the day
- the mid point -
and I stop to remember you,
O God.

May I let my morning activities be
now, and pick up
the energies of the afternoon
with pleasure.
May I remember your presence
in all I do and say,
in all I do and say.

The Rev. Dr. Catherine Faith MacLean

Monday, March 5, 2012

March 5, 2012

Trailing clouds of glory do come from God,
who is our home.
Those shadowy recollections,
be they what they may,
are yet the fountain light of all our day.

Wordsworth again: shadowy recollections of prayer surround us in holy mystery to brighten the routine of the day.

We are praying each day through Lent. Last week I sent you a prayer to offer on waking. This week the prayer is a little later in the morning,
just before launching the day’s activities:

God, let me pause
for a full moment
before I launch into the day.
Let me sense you here
close beside me.

Give me patience
to engage what I must,
courage to love
and boldness of vision
to look and see,
to look and see.


At Easter I will put each of the seven prayers together for you, in a little booklet. Blessings on you, as the shadowy recollections of prayer surround you in holy mystery and brighten the routine of your day.



The Rev. Dr. Catherine Faith MacLean