A Call to Prayer and the Watching of Our Tongues in this time of Grace

As a point of note, we are entering into a period where the Devil will certainly be trying to sow discord rather than see greater unity and progress accomplished. One can sense it even here in the comments of the past day. Anything that is of great good can be attacked, and the angles of attack are from all sides -- meaning we too can be unwitting contributors to such. Brother may even attack brother. We need to resist this steadfastly more than ever.

The liturgical issue is front and centre. There has been much battle done, and emotions can run high. Indeed, recall Fr. Zuhlsdorf's now famed "rules of engagement" as well. Be joyful. Celebrate! Let that shine through so that the excitement might become contagious. But while we do that, guard also against pettiness, mischaracterizations, accusations, polemics and needless absolutizations when disagreements are raised.

Let's keep our wits about us and wear fraternal charity on our sleeve.

I might recommend that we increase our life of prayer right now and ground ourselves that way in the spirit of the Lord. Then as we approach these discussions and debates, we can try to do so fruitfully, in a Christian spirit, and in a way that will make us good witnesses and apostles and which will hopefully move the true, the good and the beautiful ever forward.

Perhaps that is by the Divine Office. Perhaps reading the rule of St. Benedict. Or perhaps, in the spirit of that great model of Christian life that our Holy Father pointed us to recently, St. Francis of Assisi, by praying this prayer each day:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.