Most High, glorious God, enlighten the shadows of my heart, and grant unto me right faith, certain hope and perfect charity, sense and understanding, Lord, so that I may accomplish Thy holy and true mandate.
This is one of my favorite Franciscan prayers. Enlighten the shadows of my heart and grant me a faith, hope and perfect charity to accomplish your holy and true command. How is my heart enlightened? Do I spend my day or even parts of my day in prayer. What do I read? What do I think about? There are lots of distractions. Blogs and even bloggers can be distracting, so too can television, email, and the hectic pace of communication. Where can I draw the line? How much time is necessary to listen to the still small voice that enlightens the darkness of my heart?
I decided this Lent not to give up anything per se, but to add more quiet time. I’m committing myself to at least ten minutes of centering prayer a day. “Be still and know that I am God”-Psalm 46:10.
Peace.