Time to sleep?

I have been teaching my students on the life of Benedict this week and I have loved being re-acquainted with this man of faith. He seemed to have a good grasp of the urgency of time and sharing the gospel while we can. He is known to have said the following:

"It is time now for us to rise from sleep."

"The sleepy like to make excuses." 

It is a sad reality that the Church ends up moving into seasons of 'sleep', where we forget the urgency of the Gospel. These times of 'sleep' are different from planned 'rest' or 'sabbath', but are occasions when Christians have fallen asleep in the face of the Mission of God.

Where is your faith at the moment? Is it alive and awake or have you fallen asleep?

Mark 14:37 -"Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?"

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Prayer for you

Here is a prayer for you today.

"Gracious and Holy Father,
give us the wisdom to discover You,
the intelligence to understand You,
the diligence to seek after You,
the patience to wait for You,
eyes to behold You,
a heart to meditate upon You,
and a life to proclaim You,
through the power of the Spirit of Jesus, our Lord." - St. Benedict

May you be blessed by these words today.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

A wonderful prayer

Benedict was born in the town of Nursia during the 5th and 6th Centuries. His life took him to many different places and his influence lives on through the Monastic moment and especially through the 'Rule of Benedict.'

I love the way that he was able to articulate his prayers. Take this one for example...

Gracious and holy Father,
please give me:
intellect to understand you;
reason to discern you;
diligence to seek you;
wisdom to find you;
a spirit to know you;
a heart to meditate upon you;
ears to hear you;
eyes to see you;
a tongue to proclaim you;
a way of life pleasing to you;
patience to wait for you;
and perseverance to look for you.

Grant me:
a perfect end,
your holy presence.
A blessed resurrection,
And life everlasting.

There is so much 'meat' to chew on in this prayer. I invite you to make this part of your prayers for today.

God Bless
Living in grace
D3LM3