Morning prayer · 2 September

A taste of your Spirit

A cluttered kitchen table full of competing dishes (a rich cake, a bitter jar, a sharp knife) is being quietly cleared by a hand, leaving just one plain empty bowl ready to be filled.

Almighty God, take from me all vanity and all craving for praise, all envy, greed, gluttony, laziness and lust, all anger and every wish for revenge, all delight in other people’s harm, all pleasure in provoking anyone to anger, and all delight in mocking anyone in their trouble. Good Lord, give me a humble, quiet, peaceful, patient, generous, kind, tender and compassionate mind. In all my work, words and thoughts, let me taste your holy, blessed Spirit. Good Lord, give me full faith, firm hope and fervent love: a love for you far above my love for myself. Let me love nothing that displeases you, but everything in its right order under you. Amen.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Colossians 3:12 (BSB)

Adapted from Thomas More, written in the Tower of London (1534–35), in plain words. The verse is from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). Drawing: Mutter.