Most mornings I say the following prayer, attributed, I believe, to St. Augustine.*
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen
Yesterday (see my blog www.acottagebythesea.net), my car got stuck in the ice at the end of a rather desolate road. I knew I needed help, so I prayed; help came and I was on my way—a rather usual, simple prayer story, I’d say.
The unusual prayer story, however, is that from the moment my wheels started spinning, I didn’t fall into adversity. St. Augustine’s prayer had become mine, at least for that moment. The prayer doesn’t ask that no adversity happen, but that we don’t become part of it. And I didn’t.
(I didn’t take any photos, so here’s one of the moonrise last night.)
* This is included in “The Divine Hours” by Phyllis Tickle, in book form and found on
www.explorefaith.org.
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen
Yesterday (see my blog www.acottagebythesea.net), my car got stuck in the ice at the end of a rather desolate road. I knew I needed help, so I prayed; help came and I was on my way—a rather usual, simple prayer story, I’d say.
The unusual prayer story, however, is that from the moment my wheels started spinning, I didn’t fall into adversity. St. Augustine’s prayer had become mine, at least for that moment. The prayer doesn’t ask that no adversity happen, but that we don’t become part of it. And I didn’t.
(I didn’t take any photos, so here’s one of the moonrise last night.)
* This is included in “The Divine Hours” by Phyllis Tickle, in book form and found on
www.explorefaith.org.
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