Angels watching over me

Each Monday, a small group of ladies participate in the meme Sleeping with Bread, started by Mary-Lue and based off the book and on the Friday before that, I post something I call Flashback Friday (today on Sunday) as part of that. The meme is based on the Examen as practiced by St. Ignatius of Loyola.

It is not that I have already taken hold of it or have already attained perfect maturity, but I continue my pursuit in hope that I may possess it, since I have been indeed taken possession of by Christ. Brothers I for my part do no consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind, but straining forward to what lies ahead. I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Phillippians 4:6-9

For what am I most grateful this week?

The Book of Philippians: Primarily for the passages above. It seems like these two passages keep returning to me again and again in the Liturgy of the Hours the last few months. I know that part of that, according to the liturgical calendar, is by design. However, other passages return again and again, but don’t strike me as much. I think the first passage strikes me because no matter what faith we do or do not practice, we are never finished. For those of us with faith, we have that strength on which to rely, the Rock as it were that is higher than I. As for “straining forward to what lies ahead,” I think that is a good practice, no matter your faith or lack of it. You can’t stay mired in the past and must press on.

The second passage strikes me because lately, I’ve been trying to pay attention to what I read, what I watch and what I listen. Does this mean I censor myself? To some degree. It doesn’t always mean that I censor what others might find vulgar, but I do censor those things that for me, I find vulgar and just not uplifting. I still read mysteries and crime thrillers, but balance it with “spiritual” writings or something uplifting. I’m not saying I read Helen Steiner Rice poetry (blech!) or watch all G-rated movies, but I do think to a small degree, the “garbage in, garbage out” philosophy I was taught in my childhood still holds true.

Angels: Yesterday was the Memorial of the Guardian Angels in the liturgical calendar. Am I saying I believe in angels? Yes, I am. Do I believe in the fluffy version some blogs and sites, to which I won’t link, espouse? No, I don’t. However, I recognize there is something greater than I am in this world (imagine that , and I don’t know about you, but I need all the help I can get.

For what am I least grateful this week?

Not keeping to my promise to myself to stay off the computer on Wednesdays: I’ve committed myself to taking a “computer-free” day on Wednesdays: to read, to write, to just rest. If nothing else, it is to give my eyes, my fingers a rest, but also hopefully moreso to give my mind, my soul a rest. Some days I believe you just have to unplug. I know not all of you have that option during the week, with work, but working part-time as I do, I do have that option and try to exercise it unless work, of course, beckons. This week, though, work didn’t and I allowed myself to be sucked in by telling myself, “I’ll just check my e-mail.” Hours later, I found myself on Facebook.

Allowing sinus headaches and weather to get best of me and not run for the X month in a row: The weather outside has been frightful, but thankfully, no snow yet. It’s just been rain, rain, rain, and that, coupled with continuing allergy headaches, has given me the excuse not to run or even exercise. I walk to get where I’m going most times, because my wife has the car during the day, but it’s not always very briskly, and it certainly isn’t running. I’m maintaining my weight, but it’s a good 30 pounds over where I was last year.

So for what are you most grateful/least grateful this week?

This post also can be found at my spiritual blog, Journeying with the Saints. If you only are interested in spiritual-related posts, you can subscribe only to that blog, if you so choose.