Mtr Taylor Devine

Dear Friends,

This week is the first week since February 2020 that I have been able to participate in Morning Prayer, Midday Eucharist, and Evening Prayer in community. It was so fun! And lovely, and holy. At Saint Philip’s Monday-Thursday there is Morning Prayer at 8:30 am and Eucharist at 12:15, both in the side Chapel of Saint Benedict. On Tuesdays the Eucharist is a Healing Eucharist, and on Wednesday we also offer Evening Prayer at 5:15 as a part of Mosaic. The pattern of the Daily Office is an expectation of Clergy, and is a great spiritual practice for many - the current Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, says he always prays Compline (at this point by heart), and almost always prays Morning Prayer (I imagine also by heart except for the readings at this point). My Seminary mentor could say all of the Psalms from memory because of his decades of dedication to Morning Prayer. It’s a goal that can take years of habit building, and along the way we pick up new little nuggets of wisdom, and some humility, and lots of time with scripture.

This week’s Gospel readings for Morning Prayer have been building up to the familiar moment in today’s reading, when Lazarus has died, and Jesus is mourning with Lazarus’ sisters, and everyone waits to see what happens next. We have been waiting to hear what’s next, surely everyone present was surprised to hear that he walked out of the tomb! Getting to know our shared story more closely and praying closely with scripture daily feels like a right next step for me in my spiritual journey - a renewed commitment to practice this act of love, of prayer. How are you being invited into spiritual practices that surprise or delight you? How are you being invited to honor, know, and love God in your day to day in this season?

In Christ,

Mtr Taylor