Faith in a Time of Pandemic – May My Word and Meditations be Holy

LXXIII.
May My Words and Meditations be Holy and Loving

(6/8)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my Rock and Salvation. (Psalm 19:14)

Words matter! Truth Matters! Facts matter! Faith requires a commitment to love, truth, and fact! The Psalmist is reminding us to notice the relationship between our hearts, minds, and words. Our inner realities become manifest in our language and behavior. The Psalmist calls us to self-awareness. To look at our lives, cleanse our hearts, and then let our lives speak the truths we’ve experienced and the facts we’ve observed.

Remember when people used to say “my word is my bond” and a handshake outlasted a legal contract. Faith calls us to constant self-examination. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), the parent of the Jesuits, invited people to practice a daily Examen or reflection on your spiritual life, involving the following steps:
+ Thanksgiving for God’s presence in my life
+ Prayer for illumination, so that I might see myself as God’s beloved and see myself honestly
+ Review of the past day (or period of time), noting moments of joy and sorrow, closeness to and distance from God’s Way.
+ Prayer for forgiveness and transformation.
+ Prayer for the day ahead, that I might be in synch with God’s vision for my life.

Mindfulness or self-awareness moment by moment and day by day helps us speak the truth with love, share glad tidings, and be an agent of joy and healing. Let us guard our minds and hearts, feeding them on the soul food of truth and not the fast food of fabrication. Let our words be healing even in times of conflict and challenges. Let God’s love and justice speak through us in ways that bring reconciliation and wholeness. Let our words and meditations be holy and loving in the day ahead.
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Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O God, who is my Rock and Companion. Amen.

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Bruce Epperly is a Cape Cod pastor, professor, and author of over 50 books including FAITH IN A TIME OF PANDEMIC and GOD ONLINE: A MYSTIC’S GUIDE TO THE INTERNET.