Tag Archives: Wisdom

The wisdom to thirst for God

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Martin Schongauer
(ca. 1435/50–1491)
The Fourth Wise Virgin,
from the series The Wise and Foolish Virgins
Engraving, 1470-1491
Metropolitan Museum of Art

O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
Psalm 63:2

It is wisdom to thirst for God. God is our source of life, love, and healing. When our reserves of energy, faith, hope, kindness, patience, and compassion run low, we need to take time to rest, pray, contemplate the natural world, be with people who love and accept us, and practice awareness of our thoughts, emotions, and fears. With the renewal of our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual reserves, we are able to continue to carry out God’s vision of love in our fragile world.

Today I will take fifteen minutes to rest and become aware of my body, my thoughts, and my emotions. I will ask the Holy Spirit for the grace and wisdom to be renewed in God’s power of love and goodness.

Heart-energy

João Cautela
Lighting from the Heart, 2011
“With all the lights in the world turning off, I’m hoping the ones in our hearts keep lighting forever…”

Thus says the wisdom of God: “I found delight in the human race.” Proverbs 8:31

Let us dare to step into the heart-energy of the unity of the Holy Trinity.

Then will we know God’s love heals everything, especially the dis-ease that continues to divide our world.

Then will we understand the importance of our practice of respect, courtesy, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and peace.

Then will we find delight in our family, friends, and neighbors.

Lord, you have poured your love into our hearts. May I delight in your gift of love and recognize it in all people everywhere.

Through, with, and in Wisdom

Seven Pillars of Wisdom at Wadi Rum
By Daniel Case [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons

Love is the will of God. I learn to embody the will of God by practicing respect, forgiveness, kindness, compassion, generosity, patience, and acceptance with all people—even my “enemies.”

Therefore, do not continue in ignorance, but try to understand what is the will of the Lord. Ephesians 5:17

Seek to see

"Zacchaeus' tree" (sycamore fig tree), Jericho, Palestine, 2012 via Wikimedia Commons

“Zacchaeus’ tree” (sycamore fig tree), Jericho, Palestine, 2012
via Wikimedia Commons

Today I have a short list of people I want to pray for, people who have hurt me in some way and against whom I am holding a grudge. Resentment is a form of bondage and I wish to live in freedom.

Lord, teach me to forgive others as you forgive me for being less than perfect. Help me to see all members of the human family with your eyes. Show me your way of mercy.

But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things;
and you overlook people’s sins that they may repent.
For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing that you have made;
for what you hated, you would not have fashioned.
Wisdom (11:23-24)