Perfect Me
Sunday, July 6, 2025
Look upon us, O Lord,
and let all the darkness of our souls
vanish before the beams of thy brightness.
Fill us with holy love,
and open to us the treasures of thy wisdom.
All our desire is known unto thee,
therefore perfect what thou hast begun,
and what thy Spirit has awakened us to ask in prayer.
We seek thy face,
turn thy face unto us and show us thy glory.
Then shall our longing be satisfied,
and our peace shall be perfect.
Look upon me, O Lord, and let all the darkness of my soul vanish before the beams of your brightness. Fill me with holy love, and open to me the treasures of your wisdom. All my desire is known to you, therefore perfect what you have begun, and what your Spirit has awakened me to ask in prayer. I seek your face, turn your face to me and show me your glory. Then my longing shall be satisfied, and my peace shall be perfect.
Lectio365, personalized and modernized
Perfect what you have begun, and what your Spirit has awakened me to ask in prayer.
I don’t know who God is. I’m not sure God exists. But if God exists, they are powerful beyond imagining and certainly capable of communicating with their creation. They can hear us, and I believe they will answer. What would be the point of creating, simply to walk away? That is inconceivable to me (and I know what that word means).
If God is anything like a father or mother, then God loves us and gently guides us into growth. God loves when we want to be closer and will lead us to himself. Even at a distance, God enfolds us in her love. Maybe that’s easier for me to believe than miracles because it is abstract and not easily falsified, but (stated abstractly) it is also integral to what I believe is the character of God. Anyone who is a parent, anyone who loves children knows that we love them when they get things wrong, even because they get things wrong. We guide them as they explore. We teach them about their world and how to live in it. We teach them about ourselves simply by living with them. We teach them to love by loving them.
If God is like that, then surely God will listen to my prayers and lead me along a path that leads to herself. It is not the same path they lead others along, but it is often shared. It will not lead to perfect unity during my life on earth, but I hope that it will in a life to come.