Daily Devotional: November 21st
Daily Prayer XI
Temperance, virtue of balanced grace,
In life's symphony, find thy rightful place.
Harmony in moderation, a guiding light,
Navigating the currents, both day and night.
Like a gentle river, in serene flow,
Temperance, in every aspect, does bestow.
In the banquet of existence, a measured feast,
Savoring the moments, from west to east.
O, Virtue, guide us with a steady hand,
In the dance of choices, where values stand.
Temperance, keeper of the middle way,
Lead us with wisdom, each and every day.
Daily Meditation
"O ye gods, bestow on me whatever is due.”
—Apollonius of Tyana
On Sacrifices
We should not ask the gods for anything that is not due to us. What is due is in accordance with justice and our own goodness. When we commit evil, we are only due evil. When we commit good, we are due good. We submit to the gods' will that what we receive is what we deserve, even if we don’t understand why.
Monthly Ascesis: Simple Rituals
“There is a simple formula to follow to begin making offerings to the gods. Since there are many gods, I recommend beginners direct all prayers to Mercury, who is the messenger of the gods. With this simple prayer, you can begin making offerings to all of divinity and know Mercury will deliver your prayers to the proper place.
Begin with this invocation:
Lord Mercury, messenger of heaven, swift-footed guide of mortals, hear my prayer and deliver it to the proper divinity:
[speak your prayer]
After your prayer, present your offering of food or incense and say:
Lord Mercury, be honored by this offering of [incense, food]
When you are finished, end with
Lord Mercury, be blessed. Fiat.
Fiat is pronounced Fee-aht and means 'Let it be done' in Latin.
If you are unable to make a material offering, that is okay. It is a gesture of honor and respect to the gods but is not necessary. Merely offering your thoughts and prayers is enough. The gods do not need our offerings to hear prayers. We offer these things out of gratitude and respect for them, not as a bribe or exchange of goods between us and the gods.”
-Excerpts from, Ascesis: the Handbook of Platonic Practice
Making simple offerings like this regularly sets our minds on the divine and places us in a giving posture toward the gods. The purpose of our rituals is not to ask for material goods but to give thanks to the gods and allow gratitude to fill our hearts. If we ask for anything from them in our prayers, we should ask for things that are like them such as virtues.
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