Daily Devotional: August 4th

Hymn of the Nones Eve 

O Bacchus, Liberator, hear our plea,  

In sacred song, we lift our hymn to thee,  

On this holy Eve of Nones, we sing,  

To thee, O Bacchus, ever-freeing King. 

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With ivy crown and thyrsus in your hand,  

You guide our souls to freedom, as you planned,  

In mysteries profound, your truth we find,  

Unchain our spirits, free our mortal mind. 

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On this sacred night, we seek your light,  

With offerings pure, we honor your might,  

Unveil the paths to realms of divine,  

O Bacchus, guide us to the truth's design. 

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O Liberator, break the bonds we bear,  

In your embrace, we find the freedom rare,  

With reverence deep, we honor you this night,  

O Bacchus, lead us to the endless light. 

Daily Meditation

"Whatever does not harm a soul does not harm a human being.”

—Sextus

Our soul is who we really are. Our bodies are only temporary possessions, like a set of clothes we get to wear for a while. Our soul remains the essence of our being throughout our life and after. Therefore, we should always care for the soul first. Sextus, the Pythagorean, tells us that no harm comes to our true self through bodily pain, discomfort, and the many problems of daily life. Only when we allow these events to turn us toward vice and bad actions can we harm our soul. The body may be hurt, maimed, or suffer greatly for self-control against our passions, but it is only when we give our soul to evil that we suffer any real harm.

Monthly Ascesis

Developing a practice of chanting prayers is a powerful and effective way to create stillness in our souls, allowing us to behold God's presence in our lives.

This month, begin chanting the short prayer below. Start with just a few repetitions, for example, 10-15. Then, gradually increase the number over the month. When you reach a higher number of chants, say 100-200 per day, your mind will begin to quiet down, and a sense of stillness in your mind and soul will increase. Following your chants, take a moment to rest in the newfound stillness and keep your mind clear of thoughts for as long as you can.

DOMINE MERCURI, MACTE ESTO

(Do-min-ay Mehr-coor-ree, Mahk-tay Es-tow)

Lord Mercury, Be Blessed

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