The morning I was greeted by this inspiring prayer written by Christine Sine on her Godspace blog. I decided I wanted to use it as my morning prayer this week. Because the prayer included the word “wonder” (my yearly word for 2020), I decided to write it out in my word/art/prayer journal. (The word journal is a practice I am doing this year with Valerie Sjoden in a Facebook group.)
As I was writing it out and coloring it in, the word “eternal” stuck out to me. In doing some reading these past few days about Saint Brigid of Kildare and considering what I might want to share here on my website, the symbolism of Brigid’s eternal flame came to me. It is said that Saint Brigid and 19 of her nuns tended an eternal flame, which represented the light of Christianity.
There are remains of the place where that fire was said to have been kept is outside in the churchyard of St. Brigid’s Cathedral in the town of Kildare, Ireland. (I wish I had taken a better photo when we were there.) Only a few years ago the town of Kildare and a Convent in the area renewed the practice and keep a flame burning. (They tried to keep it burning in the center of town but had trouble keeping the monument lit.)
After I drew the flame image with my words in my journal, I considered how the Hold Spirit is often associated with a flame(s). Could that eternal in me is the Holy Spirit in me?
Next on my list for the day was to try to incorporate some yoga into my daily routine. As I mentioned in my last post, I am really feeling the need for some grounding. I took off my slippers, put my hands at heart center, and moved my foot up the side of my leg and my monkey mind chattered away…a little wobbly…no judgment…focus…my hands look kind of like a flame. When I raise my hands above my hear, my arms kinda make a bigger flame…wobble, wobble…focus…okay…hey, that word “welcome” is meaningful in that prayer too. Lord, help me to welcome all.
Amen. Thank you, Lord. I believe.
