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Oratio: Out Of Darkness
By the grace of GodI will not live in darknessthrough his mercyI will bring my shameto lightI will bring my angerto lightI will bring my fearsto lightI will bring my temptationsto lightand in the light of the Lordin His truthand His lovethe evil one has no powerover who I am ~Robert Van Valkenburgh
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Lectio: Weeping And Mourning
Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. ~John 16:20
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Scriptio: My Ego Is A Raging Storm
My ego is a raging storm that I cannot control. The harder I try, the more it overwhelms me. There are brief moments when it seems like I have tamed it, when it appears as if I have held the rains and winds at bay. But then the calm subsides, the storm overtake me,…
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Oratio: Inconvenient Love
We are not asked to loveit is not a mere suggestionwe are commanded to loveto love Godto love our neighborsto love our enemiesto pray for thosewho persecute usto forgive our fellowsseventy times seven timesthis is not convenient loveit is the hardest love to giveit comes with no worldly rewardnot even prideful satisfactionin fact –…
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Lectio: What The Lord Requires
“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” ~Micah 6:8
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Scriptio: Letting Her Love Me
My wife and I have been married for over fifteen years and it has taken the entirety of those fifteen years just to begin to learn how to let someone love me. I thank God for the fact that she is not only faithful, but persistent. She has never given up on me and…
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Oratio: Tethered To God
Prayertethers my heartto Godpreventing mefrom sinking too lowin depressionor being carried awayby grandiosityprayer keeps mewhere I must bewhich is right herereaching for heavensupported by earthin service to God ~Robert Van Valkenburgh
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Lectio: Depressed Or Inflated
“If you don’t pray, you will inevitably become either depressed or inflated – or bounce back-and-forth between the two. You will either be habitually depressed or obsessed with your own ego.” ~Ronald Rolheiser, paraphrasing Robert Moore
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Scriptio: Presence Is Prayer
So much of what we call prayer is about being present to the presence of God. This is true whether it is petitionary prayer, intercessory prayer, contemplative prayer, centering prayer, or ritualistic prayer like praying the rosary. When we pray, we place ourselves in the presence of God and, through whatever method we happen…
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Oratio: Deliver Me From Exile
Have mercy Lordfor I am a sinnerI look at my fellowswith contemptenvy and lustI cannot runnor hide from your sightfor even in solitudemy thoughts and feelingsbetray my wretched heartand defy your commandI have worshipped false idolsand bowed at the altarof worldly riches and praisefor far too longdeliver me Lordfrom spiritual exileinto your kingdom ~Robert…