The Smallest of Seeds Becomes A Tree: Ordinary Time Daybook for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
Welcome to the weekly(ish) Ordinary Time Daybook devotional post for the 22 weeks between Pentecost and Advent. Ordinary Time is the longest season of the church calendar - a season of working and resting with Christ as he brings God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
You can read here for a brief description of the liturgical season of Ordinary Time.
Look: World's Smallest Seed, James B. Janknegt (Source)
Listen*: Field, Keaton Henson (feat. Ren Ford) - Spotify | YouTube
Monday (7/27) Psalm 56, 57; Psalm 64, 65 ; Joshua 24:16-33; Romans 16:1-16; Matthew 27:24-31
Tuesday (7/28) Psalm 61, 62; Psalm 68; Judges 2:1-5,11-23; Romans 16:17-27; Matthew 27:32-44
Wednesday (7/29) Psalm 72; Psalm 119:73-96; Judges 3:12-30; Acts 1:1-14; Matthew 27:45-54
Thursday (7/30) Psalm 71; Psalm 74; Judges 4:4-23; Acts 1:15-26; Matthew 27:55-66
Friday (7/31) Psalm 69; Psalm 73; Judges 5:1-18; Acts 2:1-21; Matthew 28:1-10
Saturday (8/1) Psalm 75, 76; Psalm 23, 27; Judges 5:19-31; Acts 2:22-36; Matthew 28:11-20
Pray: Book of Common Prayer, Collect for Eighth Sunday After The Pentecost
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Do: Read this month’s issue of Silencio, a spiritual formation resource from the organization I belong to as a Spiritual Director. This month’s thematic focus is Rest and is written by (the wonderful!) Adele Ahlberg Calhoun.
Here are a few highlights:
~ Take a body inventory. What do your shoulders feel like? Your neck? Where do you hold tension in your body? What exhausts you? What is your body saying to you about your need for rest?
~ Listen deeply to what your body feels: headaches, passions, stiff neck, sweaty palms, likes and dislikes. Notice the butterflies in the stomach, the soft addictions and the memories that play back in tapes we can’t turn off. Bodies store memories that shape us. What memories keep you in slavery to earning an identity? Were you rewarded for not being who you are? Did you feel unwanted? Unworthy? Like you didn’t belong?
~ We may feel we can’t take time for rest. Look for a few hours in the next week to honor your need to rest. Design a perfect day, or several hours, of rest and recreation for yourself. What did you include? What did you exclude? Who can help you schedule it
~ Choose something to rest your body, something to rest your mind and something to rest your soul this week.
*Listen to my entire playlist on Spotify: Ordinary Time 2020 . Add it to your account by clicking ‘Follow.’
** Sunday Scripture readings are taken from Year A of the Book of Common Prayer 2019 (Anglican Church of North America). Daily Scripture readings are taken from the Book of Common Prayer and include both Morning and Evening Psalms (Year 2)