First Light

Lord, open my lips. And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

I wait for your voice, O Lord, More than watchmen for the morning. Feed me with what endures When lesser lights are fading. Holy Wisdom, teach the fear That is the beginning of joy. In this first light, hold my attention Until your Word has had its say.

Original – Prayer on Fire

Sirach 51:1–12

Catholic Public Domain Version (public domain)

The prayer of Jesus, the son of Sirach: I will confess to you, O Lord and King, and I will give praise to you, O God my Savior. I will acknowledge your name. For you have been my Helper and Protector. And you have freed my body from perdition, from the snare of the iniquitous tongue, and from the lips of those who forge lies. And you have been my Helper in the sight of those who stood nearby. And you have freed me according to the multitude of the mercy of your name: from those who roared and prepared to devour, from the hands of those who sought my life, and from the gates of tribulation that surrounded me, from the oppression of the flames that surrounded me, and so I was not burned in the midst of the fire, from the depths of the bowels of hell, and from the defiled tongue, and from lying words, from an iniquitous king, and from an unjust tongue. My soul shall praise the Lord, even unto death. For my life was drawing near to hell below. And they surrounded me on every side. And there was no one who would help me. I looked around for the assistance of men, and there was none. Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord, and your works, which are from the very beginning. For you rescue those who persevere for you, O Lord, and you free them from the hands of the Gentiles.

Let the light of your face shine upon us. And we shall be saved. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

From a letter of St. Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrnaeans

public domain

I glorify God, even Jesus Christ, who has given you such wisdom. For I have observed that you are perfected in an immovable faith, as if you were nailed to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, both in the flesh and in the spirit, and are established in love through the blood of Christ, being fully persuaded with respect to our Lord, that He was truly of the seed of David according to the flesh, and the Son of God according to the will and power of God; that He was truly born of a virgin, was baptized by John, in order that all righteousness might be fulfilled by Him; and was truly, under Pontius Pilate and Herod the tetrarch, nailed to the cross for us in His flesh. Of this fruit we are by His divinely-blessed passion, that He might set up a standard for all ages, through His resurrection, to all His holy and faithful followers, whether among Jews or Gentiles, in the one body of His Church. Let no man deceive himself. Both the things which are in heaven, and the glorious angels, and rulers, both visible and invisible, if they believe not in the blood of Christ, shall, in consequence, incur condemnation. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. Let no man’s place puff him up; for faith and love are everything, and nothing is preferred before them.

Holy Spirit, keep a quiet flame in us when the noise starts. Teach us to work without abandoning prayer. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.