Dawn, unsplash.com
OPENING PRAYER
O Rising Dawn,
Radiance of the Light eternal and Sun of Justice:
come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
O Antiphon
Love transforms us
And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. (Luke 1:46-50)
It is usually either the experience of love or of suffering that transforms us. Richard Rohr
The Annunciation, Henry Ossawa Tanner
REFLECTION
A novelist has described prayer as loving attentiveness, such a beautiful and care-ful phrase. Mothers and fathers, friends and lovers may express these qualities. I take this mindfulness to be mutual. A trio of words from this reading stands out for me: rejoice – mindful – humble. They suggest the possibility of being happy simply because God is mindful of us, that She is attentive and leans towards me. There are some people who seem to be so interested in what you say that you feel bright and big – maybe someone comes to mind even as you read this. Might God be like that, in fact even more so, and genuinely so?
Closing question
I am in God’s loving gaze, God creating me one moment at a time. How does it feel to imagine God as ever attentive, ever present like the sun but also onrushing like a series of waves? Take a few minutes to reflect on this. Try to spend the day with such pictures or walk through your day attentive to this One who is so intently interested in you.
Andrew Hook