Day is Done

At 4:59 yesterday afternoon, I was outside hanging up the beach towels over lawn chairs to dry out. The 4 yr old followed me out to make sure I wasn’t doing something fun without her. At 5, Taps began to play. We live close enough to a military base to hear it broadcast over the loud speaker system (called affectionately “Big Mouth”). The 4 yr old put her hand over her heart and called me to attention.

I really didn’t want to stop what I was doing. I wanted to go back inside and make something fast for dinner before I had to take the older boys to sweat off some pounds at football practice. But I paused. And then sang along with the National Anthem when it began right after Taps. Had to set a good example.

If you are on base when Taps begins to play, you are supposed to cease what you are doing. Sometimes in my car the noise is so loud I can’t hear the loud speaker, so I have to rely on visual cues – stopped traffic, pedestrians standing at attention, gate guards pausing in their ID checks. If I happen to be running on base, I sometimes resent the 3 minute break – I only have so many minutes to jam exercise into my day. But the song is to memorialize those who have no minutes left, for whom time has stopped forever. To stand at attention, to stop rushing, to remember respectfully the service members who have sacrificed everything and the country they defended is a small enough ritual to offer up for their souls.

Original Lyrics: 

 Fading light dims the sight
And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night

Day is done, gone the sun
From the lakes, from the hills, from the skies
All is well, safely rest;
God is nigh.

Then goodnight, peaceful night;
Till the light of the dawn shineth bright.
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, goodnight.

John Wayne Lyrics:
      Fading light
      Falling night
     Trumpet call, as the sun, sinks in fright
      Sleep in peace, comrades dear,
      God is near. 

At one point in time, church bells rang out a similar call to pause. If we lived close enough to a church maybe we would remember to pray the Angelus more faithfully. When we were homeschooling, we said the Angelus at lunchtime. The boys said it as fast as humanly possible, but at least we stopped what we were doing, ever so briefly, and offered that prayer together before digging into lunch.

Of course, once they started school, we aren’t together at lunchtime to pray. We could say the Angelus at dinner or in the morning or in the car, but I simply haven’t made the commitment to do it. Apathy? Acedia? The same thing with morning prayer. When school is in session I get up early enough to read Magnificat by myself before the rush begins, but during the summer I’m embarrassed to admit that I take a vacation from some of these rituals, to my soul’s detriment, I’m sure, and also to my peace of mind. An early morning usually heralds the start of a good day.

I actually started this post a few days ago and didn’t know where I was going with it, but since my sister tagged me with the devotions meme, providentially, I’m provided with a way to close.

So my favorite devotions are:

1. Bedtime rosary with the kids. They like it as a means of deferring their bedtime.

2. Morning Magnificat readings

3. The Angelus

4. First Friday (I think Mass is supposed to be a given, but the First Friday devotion is a little different. Of course, I have to admit with chagrin that this is another practice from which I’ve taken a summer holiday.)

5. Taps/Star Spangled banner (can that count as prayers for souls?)

Other prayers I actually say sometimes:

• Prayer to St. Anthony. Most recently he came through with a lost hermit crab, but my favorite is when he rolled a missing Lego into the room.

• Guardian Angel Prayer – a favorite to deter nightmares.

• We add in a little prayer for the dead after grace before dinner and a prayer for my friend with cancer through the intercession of John Paul II. 

• We also say a short prayer to the Holy Spirit after the rosary for the graces to love others:

Holy Spirit, enlighten my heart that I may see all there is of God.
Holy Spirit, enlighten my mind that I may know all there is of God.
Holy Spirit, enlighten my soul that I may belong only to God.
Sanctify all I think, say or do that all may be for the glory of God. Amen

So now I’m supposed to tag someone to blog about their favorite prayers. Actually, after a little research, I realize it is supposed to be tag 5 people about their 3 favorite prayers.  But I’m not sure this blog has five readers. So if you happen to see this and if you haven’t already, please write about your favorite prayers. I’ll come and read about them.