Thursday, September 20, 2007

Act of Hope

For Your mercies' sake, O Lord my God,
tell me what You are to me.
Say to my soul: "I am your salvation."
So speak that I may hear, O Lord;
my heart is listening;
open it that it may hear You,
and say to my soul: "I am your salvation."
After hearing this word,
may I come in haste to take hold of you.
Hide not Your face from me.
Let me see Your face even if I die,
lest I die with longing to see it.
The house of my soul is too small to receive You;
let it be enlarged by You.
It is all in ruins;
do You repair it.
There are thing in it,
I confess and I know,
that must offend Your sight.
But who shall cleanse it?
Or to what others besides You shall I cry out?
From my secret sins cleanse me, O Lord,
and from those of others spare your servant.

Amen.

—Saint Augustine of Hippo

4 comments:

mid-life rookie said...

I've been absent for a long time and now I come before you begging for your prayers. That for which I have been waiting isn't going to happen in the expected time. I am looking at loosing this year in my residency (probationary period toward ordination) and being unemployed won't work. I've got to find a job.

Honestly I'm having a crisis of call and wondering exactly why I spent the last 4 years in seminary and turned my family's life upside down. I'm about ready to walk away from all of it. There is a special education teacher opening in the neighboring suburb. I could make more money and go back to having weekends and summers off.

Please pray that I will remain faithful and obedient whatever that means. And I could also use prayers for encouragement!

Thanks.

Jennifer Garrison Brownell said...

prayers your way MLR.

Mary Beth said...

Oh, how painful. Praying for you!

mid-life rookie said...

Thanks. I did receive much encouragement for friends and family. One seminary friend called to say "Don't you dare quit!" I still have no idea what the future holds. Will meet with DS on Wednesday.