So Advent has now begun… I don’t know about you but I often stumble into Advent wanting to make it a meaningful few weeks but not really sure how to do that in a sustainable or life giving way.
I thought long and hard about what I could offer you over these next few weeks to help you slow down and be a little more attentive to your soul in this often hectic time of year.
As the liturgical year comes to a close, we turn our hearts to Christ as King. His reign is not like the kings of this world. On the cross, in the midst of suffering and apparent defeat, he shows the true nature of his authority.
All Souls is a day set apart to remember those who have gone before us, a quiet pause in the rhythm of the year to honour lives once lived and the faithfulness of God across generations. It is a time to enter the presence of memory, to sit with grief and gratitude, and to acknowledge the reality of loss alongside the enduring hope of resurrection.
A Rule of Life is not only relevant to the monastic tradition (as evidenced in St Benedict’s rule): the principles can be used by anyone who is concerned about how they live their lives and then provide markers and guidelines, inspired by the Spirit, to help them on their journey towards God and discipleship.
As we prepare to share with you the Ora et Labora journal for 2026, I want to offer you a small window into one of its daily features: the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. Each day within the journal, you’ll find the Scripture passages appointed for that day.
The Jesus Prayer is a simple prayer
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
The tradition of the Jesus Prayer goes back to the “prayer of the mind,” recommended by the ancient monks of the Egyptian desert.
Lectio Divina, Latin for divine reading, is an ancient practice designed to immerse us in Scripture. Lectio Divina involves reading a text from Scripture multiple times and allowing the Holy Spirit to open our hearts to God’s message.
The prayer of examen is a time of prayerful reflection where you think over the events of the day or week in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction. It gives your soul the space to catch up.
The purpose of a ‘Rule of life’ is to intentionally lay out the way you want to live your life. What is important to you? What are your values? How do you want to spend your time?
For the last year or so the Daily Prayer app and The Lectionary app from the Church of England have become the primary apps we have used for quieting ourselves as the day draws to a close.