A Sheltered Life

I am fairly sure people who exclusively come across the championship of this inspirational slice volition misunderstand what I computer program to do.  Typically, nosotros think near shelters inward a two-fold way.  In the outset house shelters are those designated places people tin larn to inward times of danger.  Hurricanes together with tornadoes volition mail people to shelters.  Often the shelters are schools, perchance the local YMCA or armed services building.  Shelters are designed to lay us inward safer places than our houses together with operate places.  The minute important of shelters suggests places of incarceration.  It is where nosotros mail troubled teens inward social club to protect the community together with the teen himself or herself.  In this slice I don’t convey either house of shelter inward mind.
   
Instead, I holler back the opening business of the Psalm used inward the concluding worship of the 24-hour interval monks convey inward their Liturgy of the Hours.  The monks telephone vociferation upwards this concluding worship Compline---which agency to consummate the day.  For centuries monks followed the proposition institute inward i of the Psalms that they worship together with pray vii times a day.  And to follow this, they constructed a daily schedule built around vii times the community would assemble inward prayer. 
   
For example, i of the monasteries I similar to visit, Gethsemani Abbey, where the famous Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk, the monks seem inward the monastic church building at 3:15am to start out their 24-hour interval alongside what is called, Vigils---a watching for the novel 24-hour interval to come.  Six gatherings for worship later, the monks seem for Compline and, then, caput to bed past times 8:00pm. 
   
Each of these monastic communal gatherings contains some readings from i of the one-hundred l Psalms.  In fact, the community plant its manner through the entire Psalms every 2 weeks!  I convey a monk friend who has been inward the Gethsemani community over l years.  Can you lot imagine how many times he has heard together with recited every i of the 150 Psalms!   He knows them past times heart.  And it is rubber to say, they convey formed his heart.  I evidence to let out myself to this form of formation, simply it sure enough is non every bit serious every bit my monk friends.
   
But I create evidence to follow some of what is called the Liturgy of the Hours.  I follow the monks game plan.  For each i of the vii gatherings, at that topographic point is a fix grouping of readings.  Every fourth dimension at that topographic point are some readings from the Psalms.  And hence I settle inward for a niggling menstruum of fourth dimension at Compline.  Today’s Compline reading begins alongside a business from Psalm 91.  The Psalm addresses the reader together with believer.  “You who alive inward the shelter of the Most High…”  Of course, it is from this business nosotros come across the championship of this inspirational reflection.  I am never absolutely sure I am i of those living inward the shelter.  I wishing to.  I hope to alive inward the shelter. 
   
It is typical of the author of Psalms to repeat i business alongside a similar line.  This is truthful when nosotros await at the residuum of Psalm 91:1. “…who abide inward the shadow of the Almighty…”  We lay these 2 phrases together past times seeing living inward the shelter is the same every bit abiding inward the shadow.  And nosotros recognize the Psalmist has identified God alongside 2 unlike terms: Most High together with Almighty.  Of course, nosotros recognize it is non possible to define inward precise price who or what God is.  So the Psalmist chooses 2 important ways to endeavor to articulate the impossible description of God.  Nevertheless, God is the Most High together with the Almighty.
   
If nosotros come upwards to sense together with know this God, hence nosotros are able to come upwards into the shelter of that Holy One.  Like the before shelters described here, to come upwards into the shelter of God is to last brought into divine protection together with offered ultimate safety.  In this shelter nosotros cannot last unduly hurt.  It does non guarantee at that topographic point volition last no hurting or suffering, simply at that topographic point is assurance nosotros volition last ok. 
   
I similar the hope offered a niggling after inward that same Psalm.  We are assured, “For he volition ascendancy his angels concerning you lot to guard you lot inward all your ways.” (91:11)  It is slow to come across this is the beginning for the persuasion of having a “guardian angel.”  Those of us who are smart, educated together with sophisticated tin scoff at this idea.  I tin enjoin you lot if I convey a guardian angel, I never saw it!  It is slow to brand fun of this form of idea.  It sounds to a greater extent than similar what my five-year quondam granddaughter mightiness think about.  After all, she has imaginary friends!
   
I would similar to think I convey a guardian angel.  In fact, the manner I await at it, I mightiness convey to a greater extent than than one.  I wonder if this persuasion does non apply to our spiritual friends?  I suspect it mightiness also apply to the spiritual community to which hence many belong.  No sane somebody thinks the spiritual journeying is for loners.  No i should locomote the spiritual path without friends together with community.  That would last stupid together with childish and, of course, without whatever form of angel.
   
I come upwards to alive inward the shelter of God past times my organized religious belief together with alongside my organized religious belief expressed inward action.  I evidence to abide inward the shadow of God’s Presence.  I trust that God’s Presence goes alongside me throughout my days together with that Presence tin rightly last called my angel.  The angel desires me to last loving, to lay others before myself together with all those things the Gospel encourages.  The give-and-take angel agency “messenger.” 
   
If I tin larn alongside my angel, hence I tin last proficient word inward the world, too.  I tin alive a sheltered life together with help others uncovering protection together with safety.
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