Morning prayer · 16 August

A great calm

A small boat's single sail goes suddenly slack and still on a wild scribbled sea, the wind-lines around it frozen mid-stroke as if a hand just pressed pause on the storm.

Blessed Jesus, light me up with the brightness of your inner light, and throw all darkness out of the home of my heart. Hold back my many wandering thoughts, and carry away the temptations that try to hurt me. Fight hard for me, so there’s peace within your walls and plenty of praise in your palaces, that is, in a clean conscience. Command the winds and the storms. Say to the sea, “Be still,” and to the stormy wind, “Quiet,” and there will be a great calm. Send out your light and your truth, because I’m just earth, shapeless and empty, until you give me light. Pour down your grace. Water my heart with the dew of heaven, so it bears good and perfect fruit. Amen.

Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.

Mark 4:39 (BSB)

Adapted from Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ (tr. William Benham, 1874), in plain words. The verse is from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). Drawing: Mutter.