St. Adamnan Responds

On days when I am not doing my "homework" for the Stepping Up study, I am working on my morning prayer ritual. I have become determined to work on my personal discipline of morning prayer and have been studying methods of prayer from various resources. Often a morning liturgy is referred to as "The Daily Office" and I am working with two guides to help me create my own style and ritual.

This morning, I turned to the book "Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings from the Northumbria Community", and turned to the daily readings section for September 23. I learned that today is actually the day of St. Adamnan. Adamnan MacRonan was a peace-loving man who worked for Irish law to be changed, exempting women, children and clergy from military service. He lived in the late 600 to 704 AD and is best known for writing his master work "The Life of St. Columba".

Well, Lo and Behold! As I was reading I was amazed that this special reading for today is a gracious answer to my concerns of yesterday...how affirming is that! When I question how God feels about me, here is the gentle answer the very next day. I will share this word with you, and hope it gives you the same contentment that I was granted this morning.

Often I strain and climb

and struggle to lay hold

of everything I'm certain

You have planned for me.

And nothing happens:

there comes no answer.

Only You reach down to me

just where I am.

When You give me no answer

to my questions,

still I have only to raise up my arms

to You, my Father

and then You lift me up.

Then because You are my Father

You speak these words of truth

to my heart:

'You are not an accident.

Even at the moment of your conception,

out of many possibilities,

only certain cells combined,

survived, grew to be you.

You are unique.

You were created for a purpose.

God loves you.