The Art of Spiritual Practice

NOTE: Last weeks email failed to send, if you would like to read it please visit Pastor Marcia's Blog  HERE.

As I referenced last week, I am using prayer lines from the book, Illuminated Prayers by Marianne Williamson as a prompt for prayer practices for the next few weeks. This week the line I am using from one of her prayers is:

“May all those I meet or even think of today feel better for it.” (pg.13)

Read that over a few times. How did it strike you? Notice if this could be your prayer as well or if you resisted it. “All those I meet or even think of today” is a very inclusive prayer, and it humbled me as I read it. I’m sure not ALL persons would have felt better for it if they had felt my judgment of them or lack of love in some way when I met them or thought of them.

But although humbling, I am curious to see if I can make a start. Just to notice if the next person I meet or think of could feel better for how I greet them or how I think of them.

I remember that line from Luther’s Small catechism on the meaning of the 8^th commandment that we should “defend our neighbor, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything.”   Oh, it’s tough being a Christian, especially when it’s easier to criticize and judge and project all our own failings on others.

The Way of Love is so challenging. We can only pray for the grace of having our hearts changed in the way this author suggests—changed enough so that all we meet or even think of will feel better for it. We are the ones called explicitly to love our neighbor by Jesus. Join me in prayer that it may be so.

Williamson ends this prayer by praying: “May I serve Your purposes with all I say and do, today and always. Please show me how. Amen.”

Pastor Marcia Wakeland is a retired ELCA pastor, a spiritual director and a listening advocate. She is interested in the actual experience of having faith and how that is lived out. She can be reached at mwakeland@gmail.com for comments or more questions Her ongoing blog of living out spiritual practices is listeninglife.live