Xn Stoic
Second Sunday in Lent
O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious
to all who have gone astray from thy ways, and bring us
again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and
hold fast the unchangeable truth of thy Word, Jesus Christ
your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
to all who have gone astray from thy ways, and bring us
again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and
hold fast the unchangeable truth of thy Word, Jesus Christ
your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
OK, so there we go is the collect for next Sunday, February 24, 2013. it’s a good one, eh? I think so. Hatchett says that, though new to our prayer book collects for Sunday, it was a Good Friday collect in the 7th, 8th and 9th century Missalae Gallicanum vetus, Gelasian and Gregorian sacramentaries, where it prayed for schismatics and heretics. Today, we are praying for those of us who have fallen into sin and away from the practice of the Christian faith. Which makes it especially apt for a Sunday in Lent.
For my own use, I correct the word them to us because practicing the Christian faith means not only loving God and loving neighbor and self, but patience. Patience. That’s me, alright. Patience.
Last evening I drove to the church office to print some things for Sunday. Knology has done some work at the office building about faulty operation of their internet system, and in the process installed a new password. The password wouldn’t work for me. Grrr, gritting and gnashing of teeth, right? Folks are starting to gather for EfM, so must wear the beatific beam of the holy man. OK, I’ll just print from my MacBook as usual. After nearly four years of no problem, the printer would not connect. Try over and over and over again. Grrrrrrrr and stirring of sailor mouth, lips sealed lest what might profane this semi-holy place and singe the ears of the innocent and disillusion them. Let them abide in their illusions. I walk across the street to the Library building to try out the newly installed internet connection there. It won’t connect either. Password doesn’t work. Tantrum and rage? Not at all. Saved.
Saved by recent months of absorbing Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. None of this, nothing trivial is of any consequence whatsoever. Nor even things that might seem major. Lock up, look around. “For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies ...” Peaceful ride home enjoying the sunset along the shore of St. Andrews Bay, which is as close to heaven as I ever need to be.
After all, in 2010 I was diagnosed with inoperable heart problems and given two to five months to live. Yet here I am in +Time.
Right shoe first and PTL.
TW+