I picked up a Celtic Prayer Book at a thrift store several years ago. From time to time I really enjoy the prayers and insights in this book. Today was one of those days. Here’s an excerpt that was very thought-provoking to me today from the Aidan readings section, May 8th:
Imagine your soul as being like the Tyne Bridge. There are busy times and quiet times. The job of the bridge is not to ask what is in the cars or lorries but simply to bear their weight for a few seconds and then allow them to go on their way. There is no problem when the flow of traffic is even, but when breakdowns and bottlenecks occur, the fights and impatience begin. Your soul, too, has to take the weight and let it go. The suffering becomes prolonged only when you do not acknowledge its existence and let it pass on. Then it sits on your soul like a judgement.
The time to repair the bridge is in the night when the traffic is light. Your prayer in the quiet times gives you the strength to cope with the heavy, busy times. You dig, patch and repair in the night. As a result, the world can flow over your soul in the day without congestion. You must allow the flow of faith, love, healing, joy and light to pass through you into the world. You must allow the flow of hatred, darkness and sin to flow from the world through you to God.
All of this is done by prayer, and by forgiveness of yourself, of others…little by little you grow in the power of prayer, in the ability to bear the weight and accept[t the contradictions of the two-way flow between God and the world. ~ Aidan Clarke
Psalm 42:11
The Message (MSG)
11 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul?
Why are you crying the blues?
Fix my eyes on God—
soon I’ll be praising again.
He puts a smile on my face.
He’s my God.
Enjoying the journey! 