New York brings out my youthful side
Would you believe there is a place in Syracuse called the Spiritual Renewal Center? Well, you better believe it because it’s true. And I wouldn’t lie to you. Seriously. Anyway, the previous intern left me great info on this place – they offer everything from mentor and spiritual guide training to one-night classes on prayer, or the book of Mark, or the Troublesome Teachings of Jesus.
I met Sister Marise a few weeks ago and signed up to be part of “The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius.” Every week, on Tuesday nights, I’ll head to the center to meet with a small group for an hour and then with a prayer guide for an hour. The week leading up to Tuesday night is guided by a sort of prayer routine to follow.
This makes it sound bland, but it is anything but boring because prayer is dangerous and bold and changes things.
If you know me well, you know that morning is not my best time. I am a slow starter with coffee in hand and my low voice even lower. One roommate even noticed my tired, morning “Aase shuffle.” One of my goals in participating in this daily practice is to begin each day with this practice of prayer and the “format” of the program. So far, so good. But I’m only a week in.
So when you roll out of bed, say a little prayer for me that I’m up and at ‘em, having started the morning on the right side of the bed.
