Sweet Simplicity of Clare of Assisi

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Sweet Simplicity of Clare of Assisi

When I read about saints of the Church, I often feel so inadequate. Clare of Assisi, for example. She took a vow of poverty, and lived a life of simplicity. The others in her community followed her into the privilege of poverty, too.

As I read about Clare, I wonder, why is it so very difficult for me to part with my stuff? I know my husband and I live in a small apartment. Sure, it’s crowded here, but we don’t have a huge house, with lots of furniture, electronic toys and an extra vacation cottage, boat, or snowmobile…

I ask again: WHY is it so SO very difficult for me to give up some of my stuff?

As Clare wrote to the Blessed Agnes:

“O God-centered poverty,/whom the Lord Jesus Christ

Who ruled and now rules heaven and earth,

Who spoke and things were made,/condescended to embrace before all else!” [1]

 

Clare considered it a privilege to live the simple life, and strove to be poor. She considered that way of life “to be strengthened in His holy service, and to progress from good to better, from virtue to virtue.” [2] Good grief, such sentiments seem to be far beyond anyone’s reach. (I guess that might be why she was considered a saint…)

From virtue to virtue. Dear Lord, what a thing to strive for. Help me—help all of us—to simplify our lives and to lighten our loads that we carry through this life. Thank You for Clare of Assisi’s example in dealing with these great issues of life. In Your Son’s blessed name we pray, amen.

@chaplaineliza

 

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my companion blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.  #PursuePEACE. My Facebook page, Pursuing Peace – Thanks! And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er.

 

[1] Spiritual Classics, edited by Richard J. Foster and Emilie Griffin. (San Francisco, California: HarperSanFrancisco, 2000), 135.

[2] Ibid, 136.

Simplicity, According to Martin Luther

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Sunday, March 19, 2017

Simplicity, According to Martin Luther

I just love Martin Luther. Perhaps it is because I was baptized, confirmed, and brought up in the Lutheran Church. Perhaps it was because I read some of Martin Luther’s writings in high school, as well as a biography and several church history books about him. (So, yes. I do know a few things about Martin.)

It was with great joy that I read this selection from Martin’s writings on the Sermon on the Mount, specifically 6:25-34.

I considered Martin’s heartfelt, plain-spoken words to hit the nail on the head: “Now, since the birds have learned so well the art of trusting [God] and of casting their cares from themselves upon God, we who are His children should do so even more….When we listen to the little birds singing every day, we are listening to our own embarrassment before God and the people….Here you have another example and analogy; according to it, the little flowers in the field, which cattle trample and eat, are to become our theologians and masters and to embarrass us still further.” [1]

Yes, I felt the sting of Martin Luther’s words. (I think his words were supposed to sting!) Yes, sting, and convict our hearts. When Martin finally comes around to verses 31 and 32 (“Now let these illustrations persuade you to lay aside your anxiety and your unbelief and to remember that you are Christians and not heathen.”), suddenly it is as if the sun has come out, flowers bloom and birds sing gaily. “[God] will not forsake you. He is faithful and willing to take special care of you Christians, because as has been said, He cares for the birds of the air as well.” [2]

Talk about having faith and trust in simplicity! Martin Luther had it in abundance. When I feel as if the anxiety or stress is growing by leaps and bounds, I can halt, quiet myself internally, take stock, and try to calm myself. Center myself. Breathe, slow down, and loosen up the tight muscles, shoulders and back. It really does help to make things more manageable. (Can I get an “amen” to that?)

Dear Lord, thank You for this wonderful example. Thank You for reminding me about Martin Luther, and about his view of scripture and of faith and trust. Lord, in Your mercy, hear all of our prayers.

@chaplaineliza

 

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my companion blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.  #PursuePEACE. My Facebook page, Pursuing Peace – Thanks! And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er.

[1] Spiritual Classics, edited by Richard J. Foster and Emilie Griffin. (San Francisco, California: HarperSanFrancisco, 2000), 122.

[2] Ibid, 124.

Radical Hospitality.

Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Sunday, July 12, 2015

4.2.7

Radical Hospitality.

“I was hungry and you gave me food;/ I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink./Come, you that are blessed by My Father,/inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” [1] These verses from Matthew 25 always hit me in the gut, whenever I read them. I can hear Jesus speaking them, to me. A personal message to me, every time.

It isn’t as if He is saying these verses to me in a mean way. No. Certainly not. But He does say them to me in all seriousness. With compassion and love for me, as well as for the dear ones I may assist as I distribute food, drink, or other forms of hospitality. Or, for those I pray for, as I go about my prayer time.

As I read this chapter of the book Praying the New Testament as Psalms, the modern verses of this psalm on hospitality give me different insights into what the biblical writers mean. Not only what Jesus had to say in Matthew, but also in other places in the Gospels, as well as the Epistles. Quite a multi-colored picture, so to speak.

I have been thinking about hospitality and charity for the past two weeks. Last Sunday, I preached about the first deacons from Acts 6. And today, I continued part two of the narrative, with Stephen the deacon. (Towards the end of my sermon I briefly spoke of the stoning of Stephen, but that’s not what I wanted to talk about here, today.)

This chapter from Acts is a wonderful example for all of us. Not only can we see the example of hospitality that the first deacons give us, but we can seriously take to heart the words of Matthew 25. “I was hungry and you gave me food;/ I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.”

May I follow the words of Matthew 25, God willing. Perhaps you can, too.

@chaplaineliza

Like what you read? Disagree? Share your thoughts with your loved ones and continue the conversation.

Why not visit my sister blogs, “the best of” A Year of Being Kind.   @chaplaineliza And, read my sermons from Pastor, Preacher Pray-er .

[1] Praying the New Testament as Psalms, Desmond O’Donnell, OMI, and Maureen Mohen, RSM, (United States of America: ACTA Publications, 2002.), 104.

Grace and Peace and Hugs

matterofprayer blog post for Friday, August 29, 2014

Grace and Peace and Hugs

Praying for others can be wishing them grace and peace. People who are in your house, or next door. People who are across town or across the country. People you are mad at, or feeling sad about. People you don’t even know.

Yes, when we intercede for each other, we have the opportunity to ask God to bless others. Wish them grace and peace. “Grace” is a typical Greek greeting, and “peace” (or shalom) is a Jewish blessing and greeting. Grace also has the idea of unmerited favor wrapped up in it. Peace/shalom is not only the general concept of harmony, concord, quiet and tranquility, but it also holds a Jewish component. The idea of wholeness and harmoniousness. The Apostle Paul coined a new phrase as he started greeting people in his letters with these two words.

My, that’s a huge deal to be wrapped up in two little words.

I wanted to add the “hugs” part. Grace, peace and hugs. When the Apostle Paul was signing off, he sometimes would say a phrase like “Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.” (from Philippians 4:21) This is the English translation. In the original Greek, Paul’s readers would read ‘aspazomai.’ That means even more than “greet.” That word means to enfold in one’s arms, even to welcome and embrace each other.

So when we pray for each other, we can wish each other grace, peace and hugs. What a wonderful expression, what a marvelous prayer. And, what a nurturing, encouraging way to act toward one another, too.

Let’s pray! Dear Lord, Gracious God, we thank You for the Apostle Paul’s words, written in the New Testament. Thank You for his faithfulness and earnest prayers for all the saints. Dear God, as each of us is encouraged to pray for one another, help us remember Paul’s excellent example. We can wish each other grace, peace and hugs! And You can embrace each of us with Your everlasting arms of comfort and care, too. In Your name we pray, amen.

@chaplaineliza

(also published at www.matterofprayer.net Shortlink:

Today. Not Yesterday. Not Tomorrow.

matterofprayer blog post for Wednesday, January 22, 2014

from “Winnie the Pooh,” by A.A. Milne
picture by Ernest Shepard

Today. Not Yesterday. Not Tomorrow.

Right now, I freely, honestly acknowledge that I do not know what to do. Admittedly, this was difficult for me to do, when I was younger. Even now, I find twinges of hesitancy (even rebellion) deep within myself. I can’t admit that I don’t know what to do all the time. But for today, I can. This open, honest statement goes a long way toward opening myself up to God.

After a considerable amount of thinking, I need to stay in today, right now. I need to not get lost in yesterday—because I hardly ever can change the outcomes. I need to not get caught up in unreal expectations of tomorrow—because those expectations might easily go up in a puff of smoke. Instead, today is the most important day for me.

I have been faithful in regular prayer and meditation. It’s true, I have only missed two or three days in the past month. That is a terrific track record for me! God knows. Boy, does God know! But I can’t rest on my laurels. Each day is a fresh opportunity for me to get together with God. I mean, He’s always there. Whenever or wherever I decided to show up, God meets with me.

Lord Jesus, You gave me a wonderful example to live by, in Matthew 6:34. You say, “Don’t worry.” And again, “Don’t worry.” Of course, this verse also has some stuff about each day having trouble(s) of its own, among other things. But God strictly warns us (again!) about worry. Don’t do it! Period. Great advice.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Your love and blessing are truly offered to all who come before You. Forgive me for the frequent times I worry and fret. Worry and fret over nothing. Nothing! Thank You for walking at our sides and holding our hands through the daily worry and concern. Help me focus on one day at a time—today! And help us to be the unique, individual persons of God you created each one to be. Amen.

@chaplaineliza

The business—or busy-ness—of life?

Business stuff. My work life has been chock full of stuff lately. As a result, that means my husband, children and apartment all get less time allotted to them. Oh, yeah. And my prayer life usually gets short shrift, too.

I miss praying. I really do. When I feel myself losing my temper, or becoming anxious, or feeling the stress of many pressures weighing me down, I sometimes wish I had taken more time to pray.

I am not particularly a morning person. (The clock on my computer says the time is 11:50 pm right now. Case in point.) However, I now am finding some benefit to getting up early in the morning—earlier than I would prefer, most times—to pray.

From time to time, I remember Martin Luther put a high priority on prayer. So high, in fact, that I cannot ever measure up. Take a look at one of his quotes: “If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.” Luther’s kind of example makes me feel pretty insignificant, for sure. But I need to persevere. Continue to pray. And I can remember that people today are quite similar to the people of the 1500’s.

Luther had many faults, but he also had a great amount of courage. It takes a sizable amount of courage to stand up to a large religious institution and point out some glaring flaws. I can relate to Luther, as far as both of us having a great many flaws. Please, God, help me to have just a little of his tremendous courage and persistence in the face of opposition and animosity. (Except I don’t particularly want to face the tremendous kind of enemies and resistance that he did.)

Thank God that I don’t need to deal with problems the size of Martin Luther’s problems. My problems are sizable enough! When work (and all its attendant necessary stuff) gets to be cumbersome, or frantic, or even deathly dull, what choice do I have? I can pray. And God has promised to be right by my side. Thanks for God’s promise from the Hebrew Scriptures, Isaiah 41:10. It’s stated in a verse of one of my all-time favorite hymns. “Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed/For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.”

What else can I say, except—thanks, God.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thanks for the example shown to us by those who have gone before—like Martin Luther. I remember his faults, and I see mine as well. Forgive me, God. I praise You for Your forgiveness of his faults, and mine, too. Help me to follow his good example of prayer. Thanks for the intimacy You offer us, any time. Amen.