From today's Morning Prayer-Lauds
Let our striving for your kingdom not fall short through selfishness or fear:
may the universe be alive with the Spirit, and our homes be the pledge of a world redeemed.
– Father, send us your Spirit.
This prayer seems to me to be particularly timely after all the political events which have caused us all so much distress since the beginning of the year.
Let us not fall into either self-pity, self-centeredness or craven fear. Let us trust Divine Providence, at all times, daily.
Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to come to all on the earth.
Let us make our homes, "the pledge of a world redeemed".
A pledge is a promise, an oath, a commitment. A promise of redemption looks towards eternal life.
An oath of redemption is the fulfilment of our baptismal promises. A commitment is our covenant with God, made in baptism, set in confirmation and watered like a precious plant with the grace of the sacraments.
This phrase means to me that we create a space of redemption, a place of solitude and peace, a place where saints can be made and grow, in our very houses.
Forget the mad rush of commercialism and consumerism. Forget the need to be doing something all the time.
Make your homes into signs of redemption. I repeat; a pledge is a promise, an oath, a commitment.
Make you homes a covenant of grace with the Holy Trinity. Make your homes the Kingdom of God at hand.
Let our striving for your kingdom not fall short through selfishness or fear:
may the universe be alive with the Spirit, and our homes be the pledge of a world redeemed.
– Father, send us your Spirit.