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PRAY NOW: TODAY'S PRAYER
Awareness
There (Mount Horeb) the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush;
he looked and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, 'I must turn
aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.'
Exodus 3:2-3
Prayer
O God,
turning aside,
stopping and stooping . . .
to look and listen,
I might glimpse You.
Curiosity,
an intentional gaze,
an attentive ear;
gives opportunity
for transcendence.
Yet so often
I rush by
without a second glance,
iPod or plans for the day
wired into my consciousness.
Holy ground missed,
Gut feelings ignored,
Voices, within and without,
Blanked.
Too busy, tired, or preoccupied.
O God,
in being aware
of numinous possibilities
in ordinary moments. . .
I can encounter you.
Readings
Luke 19:5 Jesus' encounter with Zaccheus
Luke 8:46 Jesus' encounter with the woman with heavy bleeding
Habakkuk 2:3 Waiting attentively
Mark 10:46f Blind Bartimaeus
Prayer activity
The priest-poet R S Thomas described the essence of life not as hurrying through
the present moment to reach a hoped for goal or future but as 'turning aside like
Moses to see the miracle of the lit bush.' As I write this I am looking out at a bright
red azalea bush in the garden and Moses' example encourages me to set aside my
typing and to go outside and enjoy its beauty. What have you seen today but not
really observed, listened to but not really heard and felt but not taken notice of?
Ask God to help you be attentive, to turn aside in your time of quiet and see, hear
and discern the miracle of the moment.
Prayer for the Church
Those involved in a healing ministry, Christian Counselling and Hospital and Hospice
Chaplaincy
especially the Christian Fellowship of Healing and local prayer groups within your
own parish.
Blessing
God be in my ears, and in my hearing;
God be in my eyes, and in my seeing;
God be in my gut and my discerning;
God be in my heart, and in my feeling;
God be in my head and in my understanding.
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