Saturday, September 26

Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart.
—Jeremiah 15:16a

St. Benedict urged the practice of holy reading because reading has the potential of opening us up to the grace of heaven. When we read, we go inward, where the words and concepts have an opportunity to settle into vacant pockets of our soul that are hungry for meaning.

The words and concepts become food that nourishes those hungry pockets. They lift us up, they give us ideas to chew on, they strengthen us for the journey.

There are certainly many ways to communicate with the Holy One, but reading the words of God never fails to usher us into the depths of our own being. When we are in tune with our deepest self, we become aware of the ragged edges, the stretched and strained muscles, the tight and constricted tendons of our soul that need care and attention. 

Rather than seeing the words of God as judgmental or punitive, we can find in the words a truth that is a tasty feast. A feast that will bring us joy and delight, as the ragged edges, the stretched and strained muscles, the constricted tendons are eased.

The words of God are sweet, and once we start chewing on them, we will find that our soul longs for more,  because they are so deliciously rich with flavor. Why not partake in the feast today?

Gracious God, may your words satisfy my soul with sweetness and joy.