Prayer Post Florence

Loving Maker of the world who, by separating the soil of the earth and banishing the troublesome waters, set the land firm, so that it may produce seeds of different kinds, be beautiful and bright with flowers, abundant in fruit and yielding desirable food, cleanse with the freshness of Your grace the wounds of our sin-parched soul, that it may wash away in sorrow its evil deeds and wear down the power sin has to attract us.

Let our soul obey Your commands and keep far away from anything evil; let it be thankful that it is filled with good and may it never be struck down by death.

Grant this, most loving Father and You, the only Son, equal to the Father and, with the Spirit, the Paraclete, reigning through the ages. Amen. -- Vesper "hymn" from The Hours of the Divine Office, ed. by Leonard J. Doyle, Liturgical Press, 1965.

Psalm 17

"There are two buildings and two cities constructed since the beginning of the world. Christ builds the one, the devil the other....Those who are built on the structure of Christ are lifted up from the depths to the heights; those on the structure of the devil are hurled from the heights into the depths....If a man sees pride dominant in himself, he should not doubt that he is being unhappily built, or rather thrown down, in the city of the devil....Practice obedience with humility. Have you not read: 'For the sake of the words of Your lips I have kept hard ways'? [Psalm 17:4]. The commands of a superior seem difficult; how much harder will be the advice of the deceiver? How much harder are the things which avarice commands its advocates!"--St. Caesarius of Arles, Sermon 233, "To the Holy Monks at the Monastery in Blanzac"