Good Advice from St. Anselm

From today’s Office of Readings

Insignificant man, escape from your everyday business or a short while, hide for a moment from your restless thoughts. Break off from your cares and troubles and be less concerned about your tasks and labors. Make a  little time or God and rest a while in him. 

Enter your mind’s inner chamber. Shut out everything but God and whatever helps you to seek him; ad when you have shut the door, look for him. Speak now to God and say with your whole heart: I seek your face; your face Lord, I desire. 

This Reading this makes me want to rush off to adoration. Think I will do that after this post is done.

This is the reading for the weekday of Advent. But if you turn to the reading for the feast of St. Ambrose, you get this saint’ letter to a new bishop. There are several second readings in the OOR that are advice to bishops from Augustine or another Father. Some of them must make the bishops who read them uncomfortable, full of warnings about what will happen to a bishop who neglects his duties out of fear or laziness. But this one is more of the comforting and inspiring variety. I don’t think I’d mind reading it if I were a bishop. Basically it urges us to fill ourselves with Jesus so that, like a supersaturated cloud, we will find it easy and natural to overflow with the Good News, effectively evangelizing others.

Most days, when there is a choice of second readings, I skim the titles, first lines, and  pick one. Today I had time to read both of them, and am glad that I did. You can find either one on the universalis link  on the Catholic Exchange homepage.

Don’t forget, tonight use Evening Prayer I for the feast of the Immaculate Conception for vespers.