Mtr Taylor Devine

Dear Friend,

This month our Way of Love theme is Learn. Our Presiding Bishop's team has most helpfully published some videos, podcasts, and suggestions to help us engage in and pray with this calling to learn as we grow in faith in Jesus.

In this season we focus on learning as a spiritual discipline that can draw us closer to God, but all year-round we have the opportunity to learn, and as with any of these practices, when we learn about Jesus we find our heart expanded, our minds turned, and our abilities changed.

However, one thing we know in community is that learning is rarely a-forever-progressing thing that just continually moves onward and upward in a predictable way. Sometimes we have to relearn old lessons - this seems especially true as we grow spiritually. The same sins and difficulties tend to affect us over the years. Learning might mean having something new to say, but it also might be learning to enjoy the quiet, or to listen with new ears.

I love that our faith teaches that scripture, tradition, and reason can help us grow in all the ways that God may use us to be Love in the world, and that despite our best efforts the Holy Spirit is the best teacher. There is something about learning through relationship, learning through repentance and forgiveness, through a community that will not let you go, that I hope allows us to grow more deeply into our faith and into our life as the mystical body of Christ.

This tenet of the Rule of Life that is the Way of Love brings to mind a few prayers, please pray with me!

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom: Enlighten by your Holy Spirit those who teach and those who learn, that, rejoicing in the knowledge of your truth, they may worship you and serve you from generation to generation; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

In Christ,
Mtr Taylor