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Dwelling in the Word

A Prayer for MARCH 2005

Lord, we love to talk and discuss all matter of trivia every day. We talk about sports, the weather, other people. But how does this help us? On the Day of Judgment, when we stand before the throne of God, our ignorance of these things will not be held against us. Teach us Lord to focus on that which is profitable for our souls and to ignore that which is mere folly.

What have we to do with the great issues that everyone is talking about? What care we about the latest book by the best-selling author?

It is better for us that the living Word speaks to our soul, for from this Word are all things and of this Word do all things speak. Without this Word, no one understands or judges rightly. The people to whom this Word is everything, who trace all things to it and who see all things in it, may ease their hearts and remain at peace.

Lord, make me one with you in everlasting love. I grow weary of things I see on TV: anger and blood and death. These things have nothing to do with me. You are all that I long for. You alone speak to my heart.

Help me, Lord, to be a pure, simple, and steadfast spirit. Give me peace of soul and let me not seek my own selfish ends in anything. I know that much of the trouble of this world stems from human selfishness and greed. Deliver me from this evil way of thinking, O Lord, and let me work only for your glory.

But, Lord, we realize that if we are going to make any kind of spiritual progress, we must have not just knowledge, but self-knowledge. Humble knowledge of self is a surer path to you than knowledge of what this or that great theologian said.

Not that learning is evil. On the contrary, learning is good in itself and so ordained by you, Lord, but a clean conscience and good life ought always to be our first priority. Many go off the wrong way because they try to become learned and smart when they ought to try to live well.

Lord, we know that if we used as much effort in uprooting bad habits and implanting good habits as we do in discussing other people’s failures, there would not be so much scandal in the world.

We know that on that day you shall not ask what we have thought about theology but what we have done; you shall not ask how well we have spoken but how well we have lived.

Lord, one generation comes and is proud of what it does and says, and thinks that no other generation has done as well. Then they are gone and another generation takes their place and they, in turn, speak and do what they think best.

During this life, there are many who seem to be something, but they pass away and are seldom remembered. Such is the glory of the world. Show us, Lord, another glory.

Teach us, Lord, to renounce our will, to seek your will; to be little in our own eyes, to give all honor to the Living Word, to look upon all earthly things as leading only Christ. This we pray in his name. Amen.

[Derived from Of the Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis Book 1, chapter 3]

If you have questions or comments, email Tony Grant

Last Modified: 08/16/05