Author: Rev. Dr. Daniel C. Wilburn

For Lent I decided to Engage – rather than abstain or fast.  Here’s my Lenten Rhythm: Divine Office – I downloaded an iPhone app of the Catholic Divine Office called Universalis.com.  The Office includes Morning Prayer (Lauds), Mid-Morning Prayer (Terce), Midday Prayer (Sext), Afternoon Prayer (None), Evening Prayer (Vespers) and Night Prayer (Compline).  I only engage in Morning, Midday and Evening Prayers.  Each of these offices include the Introduction “O God, come to my aid…” first Psalm, Canticle, second Psalm, Short Reading, Short Responsory, Canticle (Benedictus in the Morning and Magnificat in the Evening), Prayers and Intercessions (includes the Lord’s Prayer) and then a final Blessing.  Whew.  My dream of reading all the Psalms each cycle however will not occur without reading all the Office hours including one called Vigils, which for some monks happens at 3:15 a.m.  Maybe I will add the other three offices that I am missing. Spiritual Order – Lakeland is underway with a Lenten Challenge prescribed under the auspices of a select group of Lakelanders who are attempting to be vocational pray-ers.  I won’t list the details of the Order but it is rigorous – highly demanding disciplines and accountability.  I will present this stuff sometime during Lent here. Soul Patch – Whadda? Yep it is back.  A few years ago I tried to grow a soul patch during Lent – took my three...

Traditionally, the church has sung and chanted the Psalms since at least the 4th century BCE and of course David and the Jews sung the Psalms. “Psalms” means Songs.   But the Psalms and the singing of the Psalms disappeared with the Reformation, because Luther did away with the monasteries. He didn’t want to endorse the Roman Catholic priestly class.  He introduced the doctrine of “the priesthood of all believers” instead.  Unfortunately the priesthood of all became the “least-hood of us all” – whatever the least of us did with our spiritual life became the order of the day. [BTW, I know some Protestants sing the Psalms.  I am really picking on Evangelicals here.] The Benedictine monks have continued to sing all 150 Psalms every month – or less.  The Psalms express the full breadth of the human condition… we rejoice at the coming of the sun, we celebrate the harvest of plenty, we love, we hate, we wish our enemies dead! We sing and rejoice at the goodness of g-d.  We cry out and yell towards g-d, “Where are you?”  Our friends and family are sick or gone and we turn to g-d.  We are alone.  All this is just a smattering of the human condition expressed in the Psalms. But here’s the most missed point by most Protestant Evangelicals:  the Psalms are not meant to be private...

Come little flower and walk with me Through winter’s garden of frosted tree. Heaven’s breath as settled snow; love’s tune, “Come King Christ, earth’s redeeming Bridegroom!” Tread lightly, love, over our bride’s gown. Green pine, brown branch adorned in white stole Lays gently ‘gainst cheeks of earth’s deep fold. Jewels of juncos and jays inlaid Flash sun, turn gaze toward heaven’s maid. How shall He reply to such beauty? With trumpet’s blast and angel’s voices! Bring forth heaven’s love, “You, His choice is!” Now little flower, now! Sing sweet bliss; Closed eyes ready for the Lover’s kiss. Ah, but little flower’s fast asleep Assumption Abbey Ava, Missouri Brother Dancha January 5,...