Endurance: Advent Daybook, 16
Take a few deep breaths, settle your body, mind, and heart into a quiet space, and let’s begin with prayer.
Pray: Heavenly Father, make me more like Jesus as I sit in your loving presence today. Please guide my thoughts and impressions with your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Look: Sudarios, 2011, Erika Diettes - Source
20 black and white photos on silk, each canvas measures 228 x 134 cm. The work has been exhibited in 12 cities in 7 countries (Poland, the Dominican Republic, Australia, Mexico, Argentina, the United States and Colombia), always in holy places, such as churches, temples, chapels, and cloisters.
From Artway.eu: "On Erika Diettes’ website Sudarios is translated as ‘veils’ and as ‘shrouds.’ A shroud is a cloth that is used to wrap a deceased person before burial. The picture of the face and body of the deceased is impregnated in this cloth. In Sudarios it refers to the inner death of the women."
See more photos from this stunning exhibit here.
Listen: Endurance in Christmas Time, Hymns from Nineveh - Lyrics | Spotify | YouTube
Read: Psalm 41, 52, 44; Isaiah 8:16-9:1; 2 Peter 1:1-11; Luke 22:39-53
Excerpts:
"Why do you boast, O mighty one, of mischief done against the godly? All day long you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery. You love evil more than good and lying more than speaking the truth. Selah"
*
"All this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten you or been false to your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way, yet you have broken us in the haunt of jackals and covered us with deep darkness.
If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a strange god, would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart. Because of you we are being killed all day long and accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O Lord? Awake, do not cast us off forever! Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? For we sink down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. Rise up, come to our help. Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love."
*
"I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. See, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the Lord of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.”
*
"He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done.” [[Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]] When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”
While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him…"
*
"They think that a deadly thing has fastened on me, that I will not rise again from where I lie. Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me. But you, O Lord, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them.
By this I know that you are pleased with me: because my enemy has not triumphed over me. But you have upheld me because of my integrity and set me in your presence forever.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen."
- Psalm 52:1-3 * Psalm 44:17-26 * Isaiah 8:17-18, 9:1 * Luke 22:39-47 * Psalm 41:8-13
Pray: On Mondays during Advent we’ll practice a contemplative prayer method called "Centering Prayer"
Today's prayer word comes from several of the passages: "Steadfast love". This word will help call you back to interior silence as distractions arise.
Set your alarm for whatever time you have available (somewhere between 5 to 20 minutes).
Sit comfortably with your eyes closed as a sign of letting go of the world around you and making yourself available to God.
Introduce your word gently into your mind. As thoughts or other distractions arise, call to mind your word (always gently) and let it return you to interior silence. Remain here, open to God, until your alarm draws you from prayer.
When your alarm alerts you, begin to withdraw from prayer. Thank God for the time spent in prayer and let your mind, spirit, and body reacclimate to your surroundings.
Trust that God has heard your prayer and go forward into your day with peace.
Do: Today each time you see your reflection in a mirror or window, simply and thankfully repeat the word from your centering prayer: "Steadfast love."
*Sunday Scripture readings are taken from Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary. Daily Scripture readings are taken from the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and include both Morning and Evening Psalms (Year 1).