Friday, May 31, 2024
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
Praying with Jesus
This devotion was first posted, with slight differences, on May 28, 2023.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
When Jesus went to sleep at night, I hope he lay down free from a thousand thoughts pummeling the inside of his head, turning him every which way, keeping him awake. When this happens to me, which is often, I try not to fight or keep the thoughts in line. I watch them, listen to them, feel them until something stronger than thought floats in like a cloud and fogs up my mind, calling “Sleep, sleep, sleeeeeep, David” and … after awhile I wake up. I didn’t even know I fell asleep! I wish that happened more often.
At the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed.
And maybe Jesus had a similar problem. His experience in the world was certainly stressful. I am learning how to let some of that junk go; did Jesus have to learn too? Whether or not I will ever have a vision of how Jesus got to sleep, I imagine that he is with me, listening while I say my prayers.
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.
One day in November three years ago, November 10 it was, John answered a distress call from our mom and raced to be with her during the last few hours of her life. On that morning when she passed away; John helped her with this difficult moment by giving her permission. “It’s OK, mom, it’s OK. You can go now. You can let go.”
The night before, as Mom went to sleep, she prayed the prayer she learned as an older child, Luther’s evening prayer. She prayed that prayer every night for most of her 99 ½ years of life on earth. I pray it sometimes too, but she had it memorized, and I don’t. Yet.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I thank you, my heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, your dear son, that you have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Luther tells his readers, “Then go to sleep at once and in good cheer.”
He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has filled the hungry with good things while the rich he has sent away empty. The Almighty has done great things.
(Zephaniah 3, Romans 12, Isaiah 12, Luke 1)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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