Saturday, December 10
Desire by Jan Richardson
How I long for all of you. – Philippians 1:8
Take some time to center yourself today. Find a quiet spot. Light a candle if you have one near. Breathe in and out, slowly and deeply, inviting the Spirit of God to speak to you in the silence.
What is it that we most desire with our hearts and souls? Such a question deserves ample time for consideration. Even if we can answer definitively or quickly, taking time to delve even deeper can help us to allow the suggestions and voices of others to fall away so we can identify what really matters to us. Ads on TV, in the newspaper and in store windows are at the ready to convince us of what we need to make our holidays and lives complete: presents, food, decorations and more. These outward expressions of Christmas too often skim the surface of the deep holy yearnings within us, our desires for that which we have not dared to name. Within each of us lies a desire for God, and a hope that God sees us as desirable. The anthem, As Truly as God is our Father” by William Mathias, is inspired by the words of Julian of Norwich, which eloquently express God saying: It is I, who teach you to love. It is I, who teach you to desire. It is I, who am the reward of all true desiring.
Prayer
Most Holy One, we long for your presence and desire to know you. As you gaze upon us with favor, as you did with your servant Mary, let our souls proclaim your greatness, and our desires be fulfilled in you. Blessing God of the open window, the star-drenched sky, the gathering dawn; God of every creature that takes flesh and form from your own desire; when night is at its deepest may we know the comfort of home beneath your welcoming wing, that when day comes to the window, I may gather up my dreams and fly. Amen.