07.31.08
Enlighten the Darkness of my Heart
O Most High and Glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of
my heart and give me
a right faith
a certain hope
and perfect love, understanding and knowledge
O Lord,
that I may carry out Your holy and true command.
Francis of Assisi
07.30.08
A Psalm of Single-Mindedness
Lord of Reality
make me real
not plastic
synthetic
pretend, phony
an actor playing out his part
hypocrite.
I don’t want to keep a prayer list
but to pray
nor agonize to to find Your will
but to obey
what I already know
to argue
theories of inspiration
but submit to Your word.
I don’t want
to explain the difference
between eros and pilos
and agape
but to love.
I don’t want
to sing as if I mean it
I want to mean it.
I don’t want
to tell it like it is,
but to be it
like You want it.
I don’t want
to think another needs me
but I need him
else I’m not complete.
I don’t want
to tell others how to do it
but to do it
to have to be always right
but to admit it when I’m wrong.
I don’t want to be a census taker
but an obstetrician
nor an involved person, a professional
but a friend.
I don’t want to be insensitive
but to hurt where other people hurt
nor to say I know how you feel
but to say God knows
and I’ll try
if you’ll be patient with me
and meanwhile I’ll be quiet.
I don’t want to scorn the cliches of others
but to mean everything I say
including this.
- Joseph Bayly
07.29.08
Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O Gracious One, according to your steadfast love;
According to your abundant kindness forgive me where my thoughts and deeds have hurt others.
Lead me in the paths of justice, guide my steps on paths of peace!
Teach me, that I may know my weaknesses, the shortcomings that bind me,
The unloving ways that separate me, that keep me from recognising your life in me;
For, I keep company with fear, and dwell in the house of ignorance.
Yet, I was brought forth in love, and love is my birthright.
You have placed your truth in the inner being; therefore, teach me the wisdom of the heart.
Forgive all that binds me in fear, that I might radiate love;
Cleanse me that your light might shine in me.
Fill me with gladness; help me to transform weakness into strength.
Look not on my past mistakes but on the aspirations of my heart.
Create in me a clean heart, O Gracious One, and put a new and right spirit within me.
Enfold me in the arms of love, and fill me with your Holy Spirit.
Restore in me the joy of your saving grace, and encourage me with a new spirit.
Then I will teach others your ways, and prisoners of fear will return to You.
Deliver me from the addictions of society, most Gracious One,
O keep me from temptation that I may tell of your justice and mercy.
O Gracious One, open my lips and my mouth shall sing forth your praise.
For You do not want sacrifice; You delight in our friendship with You.
A sacrifice most appropriate is a humble spirit; a repentant and contrite heart, O Merciful One, is the gift You most desire.
Let the nations turn from war, and encourage one another as good neighbours.
O Most Gracious and Compassionate Friend, melt our hearts of stone,
Break through the fears that lead us into darkness, and Guide our steps into the way of peace.
Nan C Merrill
07.28.08
true fasting
based on Isaiah 58
Father, the fasting you desire for us is:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke
to share our food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when we see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from our own flesh and blood.
May we fast this way – with our hearts given in love to those you love.
Amen
07.25.08
A Spirit to Know You
Gracious and Holy Father,
Please grant me
Intellect to understand you,
Reason to discern you,
Diligence to seek you,
Wisdom to find you,
A spirit to know you,
A heart to meditate upon you,
Ears to hear you,
Eyes to see you,
A tongue to proclaim you,
A way of life pleasing to you,
Patience to wait for you,
And perseverance to look for you.
Grant me a perfect end,
Your holy presence,
A blessed resurrection,
And life everlasting.
Amen
St. Benedict of Nursia ca. 480-547
07.24.08
A Prayer In Darkness
God, where are you?
I beg, I plead… and you do not answer.
I shout, I YELL… and get nothing!
Break your silence, O God.
Speak to me!
Teach me!
Rebuke me!
Strike me down!
But do not remain silent.
The God who is mute. Is that who you are!?
~
You have revealed yourself as the speaking God – our communicating Cosmos.
You pointed Abraham to a city whose builder and maker was God.
You revealed your divine name to Moses.
You spoke with clarity
to David,
to Ruth,
to Esther,
to Isaiah,
to Ezekiel,
to Daniel,
to Mary,
to Paul,
and a host of others.
Why are the heavens made iron for me?
~
Job, I know, experienced you as the hidden God.
And Elijah held a lonely vigil over earthquake, wind, and fire.
Me, too.
~
O God of wonder and mystery, teach me by means of your wondrous, terrible, loving, all embracing silence.
Amen.
07.23.08
Prayer of Sir Francis Drake
Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land, We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future In strength, courage, hope, and love.
Sir Francis Drake c. 1540-1595
07.22.08
Prayer of journeying
May your soul calm, console and renew you.
May the light of your soul guide you.
May the light of your soul bless the work you do
with the secret love and warmth of your heart.
May you see in what you do the beauty of your own soul.
May the sacredness of your work bring healing, light and renewal to those who work with you and to those who see and receive your work.
May your work never weary you.
May it release within you wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration
and excitement.
May you be present in what you do.
May you never become lost in the bland absences.
May the day never burden.
May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your new day
with dreams, possibilities and promises.
May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.
May you go into the night blessed, sheltered and protected.
Prayed over one of the visitors to Worth Abbey on the BBC series The Monastery. From the book, “Anam Cara: Spiritual Wisdom from the Celtic World” by John O’Donohue.
07.21.08
Listen from your home in heaven
Listen from your home in heaven
and when you hear, forgive.
Listen from your home in heaven
to our prayers desperate and devout
Listen from your home in heaven
and do what is best for your people.
Listen from your home in heaven
and when you hear, forgive.
based on Solomon’s prayer, when dedicating the temple (1 Kings 8)
07.18.08
Prayer For Holiness
Breathe in me,
O Holy Spirit,
that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me,
O Holy Spirit,
that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart,
O Holy Spirit,
that I love only what is holy.
Strengthen me,
O Holy Spirit,
to defend all that is holy.
Guard me so,
O Holy Spirit,
that I may always be holy.
Amen.
