Daily Devotional: November 26th
Daily Prayer VI
Blessed are those who tend to their immortal soul,
Seeking its excellence, making it their goal.
Unconcerned for the mortal, sparing not if need be,
Prioritizing the eternal, their spirits free.
In the face of thoughtless attacks from mortal kin,
They stand unenslaved, their soul's fortress within.
Firm in resolve, above wickedness they soar,
Holding their essence steadfast, forevermore.
Blessed are they who do not grieve when fortune turns,
Heaven-sent trials borne with resilience, as it churns.
They mark as good only what's in their immortal core,
In serenity, they face what fate has in store.
Daily Meditation
"God is that which is beautiful and happy and exists within himself in the most perfect of all conceivable states. This means that God is changeless.”
—Celsus
On the True Doctrine V
God does not change. If he did, then that would mean there is something He is not that he would be able to change into. If that were true, he would be a being in the universe. God transcends all and is not any one of the things in existence while also not being separate from his creative energy. We are in God and God is in us.
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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