Autumn W

“The time of work," he said, "is not different for me than the time of prayer. In the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several people are calling out at the same time for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the Blessed Sacrament.”
― Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God In Modern English

“Jesus as full of grace means there wasn’t any perfection checklist that was met to deserve His presence. His arrival stands against the idea that if you do it right, you get access to His presence. His presence was freely given. He never withheld it. Grace is presence not withheld.”
― Scott Erickson, Honest Advent: Awakening to the Wonder of God-with-Us Then, Here, and Now

“One of the biggest mistakes we’ve made in the modern church is to reimagine spiritual maturity as the need to confess less. The unspoken assumption is, “As I ascend in relationship with God, I confess less because I have less to confess.” True spiritual maturity, though, is the opposite. It’s not an ascension; it’s an archaeological dig as we discover layer after layer of what was in us all along. Spiritual maturity means more confession, not less. Maturity is discovering the depths of my personal brand of fallenness and the depths to which God’s grace has really penetrated, even without me knowing it.”
― Tyler Staton, Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools: An Invitation to the Wonder and Mystery of Prayer

“Morning Prayer Gregory of Nazianzus (329–390) ☙ 15 As the sun rises, I lift my hand to you, O God, for you to determine my path. Please control my passions. Help me stand firm in your ways and live this day for you. Allow no dark words, no sin-filled acts, no base thoughts even to enter my life. Rather, watch over all my internal actions so that I may truly keep my vow to you. Please keep me from bringing shame to myself or, more importantly, to your people. Indeed, let your will be done through the grace that you give to me. Amen.”
― Jonathan W. Arnold, Cloud of Witnesses: A Treasury of Prayers and Petitions through the Ages