Office of Readings

I love doing the Office of Readings, but it is something I struggle with. In lent I tried to pray it every day and that went very well, but as soon as Easter came, I found myself growing lax in it once again. I know it's soooo good for me, but for some reason there's always this hurdle in front of it. I guess that's the way it goes with many things that are good for us. There always seems to be a great temptation to stay away from them. So, I'm attempting to re-discipline myself once again and get back into it during the laziest time of the year, summer.

I usually find myself saying the psalms in the office of readings quickly to get to the readings which I often find most fruitful, but today God had me really chew on the third psalm for the day. It's a good one! (In case you're wondering where to find it in the Bible it's a chunk of Psalm 73)


Ant. Those who depart from you will perish; my joy is to remain with you, my God.

And so when my heart grew embittered
and when I was cut to the quick,
I was stupid and did not understand,
no better than a beast in your sight.

Yet I was always in your presence;
you were holding me by my right hand.
You will guide me by your counsel
and so you will lead me to glory.

What else have I in heaven but you?
Apart from you I want nothing on earth.
My body and my heart faint for joy.
God is my possession for ever.

All those who abandon you shall perish;
you will destroy all those who are faithless.
To be near God is my happiness.
I have made the Lord God my refuge.
I will tell of all your works
at the gates of the city of Zion.

Glory to the Father....

Ant. Those who depart from you will perish; my joy is to remain with you, my God.

I thought this was really great to read this morning. The first stanza really spells out what we all fall into now and again. When we are bitter and short, when we are stupid and don't understand we're like beasts in the sight of the Lord. Hah! So true! It's often so difficult to look past the "stupid little instances" (the deacon at Bl. Sacrament mass mentioned these moments) and remember the peace and joy that we're constantly called to. We're always called to be in the presence of the Lord and to remember that the only thing we should want is heaven with Him. So even amidst the wonderful pleasures and irritating annoyances we're supposed to remember that our happiness and long lasting joy comes from God. Which brings me back to one of my favorite quotes from St. Teresa of Avila (mom's patron saint).

"Let nothing disturb thee,
Nothing affright thee
All things are passing;
God never changeth;
Patient endurance
Attaineth to all things;
Who God possesseth
In nothing is wanting;
Alone God sufficeth."

Well I hope that was as fun for you to read as it was for me to think!