Serendipty I

I regularly read the blog of The Anchoress. In fact, she is one of my leading inspirations for writing this blog! (The other two are Michelle Malkin and LaShawn Barber, who I will link to as soon as I figure out how this works...) Anyway, The Anchoress recently received some bad news about her hearing. Read her excellent post here: http://theanchoressonline.com/2005/07/08/listen/

I am a lector in my parish. The Monday before we are to read, we meet in a small group to study and to pray over the readings for the coming Sunday. In one of those not-really-so-rare moments of serendipity, this is the second reading for Sunday, July 17:

Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the One who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because He intercedes for the holy ones according to God's Will.
--Romans 8: 26-27

Our lector workbook points out that this is one of the briefest readings in the whole Lectionary (and, for Paul, one of the easiest to read, IMHO). But it packs a punch. And combined with St. Benedict's instruction to "Listen", it forms a powerful message.

May the Anchoress, and the rest of us, find succor in the Spirit.