As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. Luke 18:35-43
“When the mind, for want of being sufficiently reduced by recollection, at our first engaging in devotion, has contracted certain bad habits of wandering and dissipation, they are difficult to overcome, and commonly draw us, even against our wills, to the things of the earth.
I believe one remedy for this is, to confess our faults, and to humble ourselves before God. I do not advise you to use multiplicity of words in prayer; many words and long discourses being often the occasions of wandering: hold yourself in prayer before God, like a dumb or paralytic beggar at a rich man’s gate: let it be your business to keep your mind in the presence of the Lord.
If it sometimes wander, and withdraw itself from Him, do not much disquiet yourself for that; trouble and disquiet serve rather to distract the mind, than to re-collect it; the will must bring it back in tranquillity; if you persevere in this manner, God will have pity on you.
One way to re-collect the mind easily in the time of prayer, and preserve it more in tranquillity, is not to let it wander too far at other times: you should keep it strictly in the presence of God; and being accustomed to think of Him often, you will find it easy to keep your mind calm in the time of prayer, or at least to recall it from its wanderings.
I have told you already at large, in my former letters, of the advantages we may draw from this practice of the presence of God: let us set about it seriously and pray for one another.”
Brother Lawrence (c. 1614-1691) in The Practice of the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life (Grand Rapids: CCEL) 25.
Today is Jenni’s (my wife’s) birthday. Happy Birthday, Jenni!
I want to honor her for her generosity in giving her life to serve as the Soulcare Anchoress, a spiritual director, and the perfect complement to the Generosity Monk.
I mention her today because she often encourages people (me included) to have a centering prayer. Today’s Scripture is a famous one, know widely as the Jesus prayer for it’s simplicity.
What does this have to do with generosity, you may ask? Everything.
Read the Scripture again and notice how our Lord Jesus responds to people who pray humble, simple prayers. He is generous. And the generosity results in worship from the one who prays and onlookers join the celebration.
For all who are looking for help or hope in these times, there is one remedy. Let us humble ourselves, confessing our faults, and asking God for mercy, as we are sinners. Afresh He may show up with gracious generosity and restore what is broken.
“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on us!”