Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Today’s reading

Philippians 3:4b-8a

“If anyone has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing knowledge of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Phil. 3:4b-8a).

Prayer

I sink into my gray chair, and nothing else matters. Nothing. There is only you and me. You draw me here before I give myself to the duties of the day that you may give yourself to me. For these few minutes I know what Paul knew. For I know you, Blessed Mystery, and knowing you I realize anything I might lose or surrender in the quest to know you does not matter.

All that matters is knowing the Unspeakable Love you are. All that matters is receiving the life you reveal in my brother, Jesus. All that matters is being here where you shape my distorted soul into the image of your love. For a few minutes every morning I know this completely, without confusion or ambiguity. I know what you taught Paul: Knowing Christ matters. All else can be surrendered.

You alone can teach this. My soul can neither grasp nor believe it unless you tutor my heart again and again, for I am a slow learner. And I forget easily. But I thank you. My heart fills with gratitude for your insistent self-giving through my confused and ambivalent years, through days when you wanted to give me you life, and I knew not how to receive.

You have brought me to this time where I have tasted enough, just enough of the love in which you hold the universe--and me--that I know what you are pleased to give all your beloved. I know you, and knowing you nothing else much matters. This day, may I receive you in the places and people through whom you desire to give yourself to me. And may my face and flesh be the places of your self giving, for the life of the world. Amen.