When the Homily is about Immunology

Illumine our hearts...

...O Master who lovest mankind, with the pure light of Thy divine knowledge. Open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of Thy gospel teachings. Implant also in us the fear of Thy blessed commandments, that trampling down all carnal desires, we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living, both thinking and doing such things that are well-pleasing to Thee.

This, as many of you no doubt know, is our prayer offered by the priest before reading/hearing the Gospel. In relation to a proper reading and meditating upon the Scriptures, Fr. Breck suggests that it:

...involves constant struggle against the passions and weaknesses of the flesh that distract both mind and soul, and thereby hinder the person in his or her pilgrimage that leads from purification, through illumination, to deification. To the patristic mind, there can be no authentic lectio divina that is not firmly grounded in this ongoing struggle against the darker side of the self.

Most illuminating....
(sound of dust being blown off of the Bible)

Illumine my heart O Master....