In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity (Jeremiah 31:31-34) every person can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so may you be pleased to find here a variety of helps to the life of faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.
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ENDING THE DAY WELL & STARTING THE DAY WELL
Homeless people tell
us that perhaps their greatest suffering is the sense of being invisible when
people pass by without acknowledging, greeting, or even looking at them.
Conversely, we take joy in our daily relations with others, in the mutual
exchange of greetings - especially when these are sincere and express genuine
interest - and in the sharing of personal presence and common activities. Human
eyes are truly windows that open on the soul and it is very life giving to
exchange long, loving looks with another human being, conveying and receiving a
deep sense of shared intimacy. A simple way to allow God to
loom larger and become more personally real in our life is to end the day well
and start the day well by doing both of these spiritual exercises prayerfully
and deliberately "in the Presence of God".
ENDING THE DAY WELL – At the end of the day, after having set aside
normal activity and before or after accomplishing the night time hygiene
routine, one can consciously and deliberately "be conscious of God's
abiding Presence" and, in his Presence, gently review the day. Remembering
faults, omissions, and any other motive for regret, we simply acknowledge our
failing and ask God's forgiveness.
As good actions taken and words spoken, acts of kindness and care performed,
and other "blessings" come to mind, we thank the Lord for his gift of
life to us this day and for his spiritual guidance and help. Then we can pray
using prayers from memory or one or two Psalms or the formula for Night Prayer
in the Liturgy of the Hours, the Daily Prayer of the Church, entrusting our
life into God's hands for the night.
STARTING THE DAY WELL – This exercise resembles the one before going
to sleep and has a similar purpose but with a different focus, coming as it
does at the start of a new day. Upon waking - even before getting out of bed to
attend to the "needs of nature" - one enters consciously
and deliberately "into God's abiding Presence" and, greeting the
Lord Jesus (or the Father or the Holy Spirit or the Holy Trinity) one thanks
Him (or Them) for the night's rest, whether it was great or less restful, and
for the gift of life to one / me / us. In a brief moment looking ahead at the
day as a simple thumbnail sketch, one entrusts the day to God; asking his grace
and guidance so as to live the day honorably, with hope and faith, with
patience towards others, and out of genuine love and care with concern for
serving the common good.
In the "New Covenant" made by our Creator God with humanity (Jeremiah 31:31-34) every person can know God from within - because the Holy Spirit is revealing our Creator to all who are willing to know the Lord and trust in Him. We can still help each other along the way; so may you be pleased to find here a variety of helps to the life of faith in God through Jesus Christ. G.S.
© 2006-2021 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate Priest of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC
© 2006-2021 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
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