Today’s evening meditation is available below in audio and script formats. The audio version is also available for free download on the player.

Reading

“Let us not be justices of the peace, but angels of peace.”

—Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Commentary

Dealing with difficult situations with a calm patience requires toughness as well as love. Sometimes a little creativity helps, too. 

A story about one of Saint Francis of Assisi’s earliest disciples, Brother Juniper, illustrates this. Once, when a superior had reprimanded him with great severity, Brother Juniper was so disturbed that he could not sleep. He got up in the middle of the night and prepared some porridge with a big lump of butter on top, and took it to his superior’s room. “Father, I have prepared this porridge for you and beg you to eat it.” The superior told him to go away and let him sleep. “Well,” said Brother Juniper simply, “would you be so kind as to hold the light while I eat it?” The superior laughed in spite of himself, and was sporting enough to sit down with Brother Juniper so they could eat the porridge together. 

We may not be so innocent as Brother Juniper, but we can still learn to head off resentment in every way possible. (WLB)

Stillness

As your day draws to a close, spend a few moments in silence and stillness. As thoughts of the past surface in your mind, gently guide them back to the God who is present, full of forgiveness and peace.

Prayer

Loving God, fashion me into a being that is so like you, that when I speak, act, or move that it is your words, your actions, and your movements alive in me. Amen. (CIB)

Abbreviations

BC The Belgic Confession

CAC The Center For Action & Contemplation

CD The Canons of Dort

CIB Church In Bethesda Prayers

HC The Heidelberg Catechism

NT The New Testament

OT The Old Testament

WC The Westminster Confession

WLB Eknath Easwaran’s, “Words To Live By”

WLC The Westminster Larger Catechism

WSC The Westminster Shorter Catechism