Daily Devotional: November 8th
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
"Nothing prevents God from penetrating everything; for nothing resists infinite purity and power.”
—Marcilio Ficino
Platonic Theology II.VI.2
The one thing God cannot do is separate Himself from us. God penetrates all things and fills them with being, their inherent quality of existence. His power and purity stretches forth to all things. Some may turn away from God and try to obscure Him from themselves and others. But all in vain, for they create nothing but deficiency and lack.
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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