5. Graced Attention - Holy Saturday Vigil

Throughout the Lenten season at the Shelburne Primrose Pastoral Charge, we have been working our way through Macrina Wiederkehr’s wonderful book Seven Sacred Pauses, Living Mindfully Through the Hours of the Day.

The keeping of the hours is an ancient practice in the Christian faith, but all faiths have ways of breaking down the day into set time periods so as to be reminded to stop and consider larger matters, to rest briefly, to pray, to walk, to consider, to remember.

This podcast includes readings of Macrina's teaching and prayers, as well as a time to practice vigil on an Easter weekend when the world itself is in a kind of vigil like suspension. Bruce's music will offer you place for soulful reflection. The podcast is just under 30 minutes. A lot can happen in 30 minutes of devotion. 

“Prayer for the Night Watch 

You stand alert at the gate of our hearts.
Tutor us in the fine art of keeping vigil that we may lovingly watch over the family of the earth with your own eyes of compassionate awareness.
With you as our guide, perhaps our loving vigilance will enable us to become healers in a world of violence.
Be present in the lives of those whose darkness is not a holy darkness. Be with those who never get to experience the therapeutic healing of the Great Silence. We surrender our own plans and enter your great plan for peace upon the earth. Give us attentive, peaceful hearts as we watch with you through the long dark night. We Bless You,  O Sacred Darkness.”

— Macrina Wiederkehr

Seven Sacred Pauses, Living Mindfully Through the Hours of the Day (pg. 39)