Today's Daily Office

So part of the Episcopal Service Corps is that we say morning prayer together during the week. Which is nice and comforting to me. Growing up in my family, my Dad would wake up early to have coffee and say his prayers and read the Bible. I always saw him and knew that he was in a sacred space. I guess this practice gives me a taste of home. Especially considering the Book of Common Prayer he commonly would use was the one my Godparents gave me at my baptism (at three months old). That same BCP is what I use now, and the pages are yellow with the oil from my Dad's fingertips touching the pages... the cover is duct taped a little bit. The book is rough around the edges, nothing new about it... but it has a great legacy that I respect and love about it.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I don't really know the bible all too well. I mean, I get the story... but specific passages, nope. However, I remember there being a passage in Romans, but not knowing where, that talks about how the angels lift up sighs as prayers to God. Now, I don't remember when I particularly noticed this passage, but it hit me. Hard.

Anyway, today in the Daily Office, that reading (Romans 8:22-27) came up. Funny.

²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; ²³and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴For in^* hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes^* for what is seen? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes^*27 with sighs too deep for words. And God,^* who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit^* intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.


I've always liked the whole, "don't know how to pray" thing... cause to be honest, most times when I'm not praying from the Book of Common Prayer, silly things come out of my mouth. FOR example:

Happening 71:

"Cause we all know California's a crazy place... uh, yeah."- Blount Montgomery

Interesting thing is that quote came before I knew that I had an offer from the Episcopal Service Corps in San Francisco and definitely before I moved out here.

Funny.