Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870, Spain) explains how integral the body is to Christian spirituality. She says, “I will imagine that my soul and body are like two hands of a compass, and that my soul, like the stationary hand, is fixed in Jesus, who is my center, and that my body, like the moving hand, is describing a circle of assignments and obligations.”
Scripture: Psalm 131
Focus: I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother ... ~Psalm 131:2
Commentary: Some attribute this psalm to a woman because of the image of God as a woman whose gentle presence quiets the soul of the psalmist. With only three verses, this psalm offers us a moving image of the contentment, hope, and peace that flow from a humble trust in the God of Israel. This type of peace does not require a peaceful environment because it comes from within.
As one of the later Psalms of Ascent, the pilgrims are close to Jerusalem. It is the outpouring of a mature faith, the people not swayed by distractions but focused on the presence of the God of Hope.
Reflection: What are the distractions in your life, those things that pull you off center from yourself? How does God calm and quiet your soul in your wilderness wonderings? Where is the source of your hope in God’s presence?
Invitation to Embodied Prayer: Take a calm and quiet walk and find a place to sit OR sit in the midst of outer chaos, close your eyes for a moment and imagine a calm and quiet bench in your mind's eye. Invite Jesus to sit with you, and listen to him say, “Come and just be .” Let all your cares, worries, stresses and anxieties fade away until you find the quiet center within yourself.
If music is a spiritual pathway for you, listen to this sweet little song, Come and Find the Quiet Center, which has a bit of a Celtic twist, performed by B.J. Collins in the midst of the pandemic.
Breath Prayer for the Day:
Breathing in … God of Hope
Breathing out … Quiet my Soul
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