A Prayer For Compassion

Spirit of Life, I give thanks for the opportunities to love
that present themselves in the turmoil of life.

When the light catches the tears in another’s eyes,
where hands are held and there are moments without
words, let us be present then, and alive to the possibility
of changing.

Let us seek to make another’s wellbeing
the object of our concern.

Let us seek to be
present to another’s pain, to bathe another’s wounds,
hear another’s sadness, celebrate another’s success, and
allow the other’s story to change our own.

Let us stand in the morning on damp grass, hear the
syllables of bird song, and fill up on sweet air that rolls
over oceans and continents.

Let us look up at the stars
and the planets that fill the night sky with majesty. Let
us witness the first fresh buds of spring amid the brown
sticks of winter. And for all this, let us be grateful.

Let us not defend ourselves against the discomfort of
unruly emotion, nor seek to close down our hearts for
fear a new love will come to shake our foundations. Let
us instead be open to discovering a new way of seeing an
old problem, or appreciating the perfection of a seashell,
or the possibility of friendship.

For in giving ourselves to
what we do not understand, we receive life’s blessings, and
in taking care of another, we are cared for. -- from an online church bulletin

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand,
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light.
Take my hand, precious Lord,
Lead me home.

I love every version I have ever heard of this song written by an African American blues pianist, but I found something particularly touching about this one, sung by such a light-skinned choir. Through prayer and music, and especially through prayer and music combined, we are able to transcend so much that threatens to divide us.

There is a solitude of space

There is a solitude of space

a solitude of sea

a solitude of death, but these Society shall be

Compared with that profounder site,

that polar privacy,

a soul admitted to itself,

Finite Infinity.

-- Emily Dickenson

Blessed be.

Tuesday Prayer

Beloved, bring me into
the shelter of your presence.
Amen.


At Home by Melanie Weidner

Commitment

Wise and Faithful Guide,
you lovingly abide in my depths
and graciously guide my every step.
You lead me to ever stronger growth
and draw me more fully toward inner freedom.
I thank you today for the awesome ways
in which you constantly enter my life
as I pledge my heart to you again.

This day I renew my life's purpose
of being faithful to our relationship.
I give you my openness,
trusting that you will lead me on paths
that are meant to help me grow.
I re-commit my intention
to listen to you in all of life.

I promise you my daily discipleship
so that I may be an instrument of your love.
Most of all, I give you the loyalty of my heart.
May I do all in the circle of your wisdom
and learn from your dance of compassion
in every corner of this universe.

Source of inner luminosity,
thank you for being a loving radiance.
May the lantern of your perpetual goodness
always shine in me and through me.

Joyce Rupp, Prayers to Sophia (Sorin Books/Ave Maria Press, 2004)

Sunday Prayer

This is a beautiful prayer written by Victor Hoagland, CP. These words speak eloquently about the spiritual thirst of this Lenten season.

O Jesus,
Image of the invisible God,
Word made flesh,
tired stranger,
waiting in the noonday lull
at Jacob’s well.

Are we all
the woman with her waterjar,
bent on the chore of the moment,
angry memories in our bones,
our thirst for God
hidden in the business of the day?

Do you meet us gently too,
hardly recognized,
quietly leading our thoughts
towards the deeper waters,
where our souls find rest?

Probing too,
uncovering secrets
we would rather forget.
“Lord, you have probed me,
You know when I sit and when I stand,
You know my thoughts from afar.”

Is the woman,
sure and strong,
our reflection:
sure but unsure,
strong but so weak,
seeking but afraid to find
our Savior so close by?

Amen.

A Prayer of Presence

Great Friend,
it is the end of an imperfect day,
made less so by Your presence in it.
Thank You for carrying it with me.
-- Wm. J. O'Malley, Lenten Prayers For Busy People

Thursday prayer

Dear God, I spend so much time
reliving yesterday or anticipating tomorrow
that I lose sight of the only time that is really mine - the present moment.
You give me today one moment at a time.
That's all I have - all I ever will have.

Give me the faith which knows that each moment
contains exactly what is best for me.
Give me the hope which trusts you enough
to forget past failings and future trials.
Give me the love which makes each moment
an anticipation of eternity with you.
We ask this in the name of Jesus
who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Amen.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon -- on the eve of a Lunar Eclipse

Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord!

 All praise is yours, all glory, all honor

 And all blessing.



To vou alone, Most High, do they belong.

 No mortal lips are worthy

 To pronounce your name.



All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made,

 And first my lord Brother Sun,

 Who brings the day; and light you give to us through him.



How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor!

 Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.



All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars;

 In the heavens you have made them, bright

 And precious and fair.



All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,

 And fair and stormy, all the weather's moods,

 By which you cherish all that you have made.



All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water,

 So useful, lowly, precious, and pure.



All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,

 Through whom you brighten up the night.

 How beautiful he is, how gayl Full of power and strength.



All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother,

 Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces

 Various fruits and colored flowers and herbs.



All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon

 For love of you; through those who endure

 Sickness and trial.



Happy those who endure in peace,

 By you, Most High, they will be crowned.



All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death,

 From whose embrace no mortal can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sinl

Happy those She finds doing your will!

 The second death can do no harm to them.



Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks,

 And serve him with great humility.



--St. Francis of Assisi

Tuesday Prayer

Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again.
But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.

(John 4:13-14, New Living Translation)

Tertullian on Prayer

All the angels pray. Every creature prays.

Cattle and wild beasts pray and bend the knee. As they come from their barns and caves they look up to heaven and call out, lifting up their spirit in their own fashion.

The birds too rise and lift themselves to heaven: they open out their wings, instead of hands, in the form of a cross, and give voice to what seems to be a prayer.

Prayer is the one thing that can conquer God.

Sunday Prayer

Gracious God, your promise rests on our hearts and brings comfort and strength for our Lenten walk together. We thank you for the stories of our ancestors of faith as they inform and inspire our own understanding of your Mystery and Presence.

We thank you for the courage of Nicodemus and the faithfulness of Abram and Sarai. They teach us that it is possible to believe in what we do not fully comprehend with our intellectual minds. They show us that trust in the matters of the Spirit bears tremendous fruit for the human path of faithfulness.

Guide us God, on that path, as we move through this season of Lent and make our way toward Holy Week and the celebration of Easter. Be with us and give us strength to move forward into uncertain times.

God, we ask for your blessing upon all who suffer today. This world we live in is crying out for a word of peace, justice and love. May each of us bring that word, and shine your light, wherever we go. These and all of our prayers, we lift up in the name of Jesus, who taught his friends to pray together, saying…

I am an Overcomer (by the grace of God)

I am not defeated. I am an overcomer.



I want to live to give glory to You, God. All creation resounds with your praise, and longs to be finally reconciled. I am part of Your purposes.

You cause my heart to soar like an eagle.
You teach my feet to conquer like a deer.
All I survey shall echo with Your praise, and Lord,

I know that I must know You here

You place a reservoir within my heart, Lord
that all my tears would come from a different place
that all my ways would minister Your grace
to those who long
to see Your face

Teach us Lord to cry with Your tears as well as our own.
Amen

(Taken from Celtic Daily Prayer, Northumbrian Office)

Thursday prayer

Loving God,
I hear your invitation, "Come back to me"
and I am filled with such a longing to return to you.
Show me the way to return.
Lead me this day in good works I do in your name
and send your Spirit to guide me and strengthen my faith.
I ask only to feel your love in my life today.

(I have been enjoying the short prayers including this one on Creighton University's One Prayer a Day for Lent series)

poems for before valentine

“In everything beautiful Francis saw Him Who is Beauty itself,
And he followed his Beloved everywhere by
His likeness imprinted on creation;
Of all creation he made a ladder by which he might mount up
And embrace Him who is all desirable.”

(St. Bonaventure, Major Life of St. Francis)

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
                                   i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

-- e.e.cummings

Tuesday Prayer

Be silent.
Be still.
Alone.
Empty
Before your God.
Say nothing.
Ask nothing.
Be silent.
Be still.
Let your God
Look upon you.
That is all.
God knows.
God understands.
God loves you
With an enormous love,
And only wants
To look upon you
With that love.
Quiet.
Still.
Be.

Let your God-
Love you.


Let Your God Love You from Psalms of a Laywoman by Edwina Gately

St. John Chrysostom on Prayer

Prayer and converse with God is a supreme good: it is a partnership and union with God....I do not mean the prayer of outward observance but prayer from the heart, not confined to fixed times or periods but continuous throughout the day and night....

The spirit, raised up to heaven by prayer, clings to God with the utmost tenderness; like a child crying tearfully for its mother, it craves the milk that God provides. It seeks the satisfaction of its own desires, and receives gifts outweighing the whole world of nature.

Prayer stands before God as an honored ambassador. It gives joy to the spirit, peace to the heart....

Practice prayer from the beginning. Paint your house with the colors of modesty and humility. Make it radiant with the light of justice. Decorate it with the finest gold leaf of good deeds. Adorn it with the walls and stones of faith and generosity. Crown it with the pinnacle of prayer. In this way you will make it a perfect dwelling place for [God].

(Supp. Hom. 6 De precatione: PG 64, 462-466)

Sunday Prayer

Gracious God, we give you thanks this day for your presence with us in every wilderness we encounter. We thank you that in Jesus you know just how challenging life can be at times. He knew our thirst for your love, our hunger for your peace and our deep sadness at the pain of the world around us.

As we enter this season of Lent, dear God, stay with us we pray. Help us to lean on the faith we have nurtured – whether the faith of a lifetime or a new and emerging faith – may it bring us the assurance of your promise that in life, in death and in life beyond death – we are not alone. You are with us.

In these days and weeks ahead, our faith will be challenged. We will pushed out of all our spiritual comfort zones, and we will need to trust in you God. Grant us faith in abundance.

Bless all who are in need of your grace this day. Bless these and all of your children with the comfort of your presence and give us all the strength we need to navigate this wilderness way. Stay with us God, for we ask it in the name of the One who calls us forward in faith, Jesus Christ, who taught his friends to pray together saying….

in the valleys

Visit Joseph, and what do you hear?

-a groan, followed by laboured breathing from the cell's captive.

'They meant it to me for evil, but HE meant it to me for good'

Lord, when we have times of trials, help us to focus on You, trusting in Your loving kindness - no matter what the situation looks or feels like, help us to trust in You, and remember Your promises. Amen

God, my Friend,
I offer You each moment of this day:
whatever comes—the unexpected challenges,
diversions from my plans,
the need-filled glance,
the expectations and complaints,
the being taken for granted,
the slights and sleights-of-hand.
I’d be grateful if You could keep me aware of my pesky
habits, like _____________________
And, between us, perhaps we can enliven the spirits of
those I live and work with, like ______________________
Whatever else befalls,
I trust we can cope with it,
together.
Amen.

-- William J. O'Malley, Lenten Prayers For Busy People

Prayer of New Beginnings

God of new beginnings,
we are walking into mystery.

We face the future, not knowing
what the days and months will bring us
or how we will respond.

Be love in us as we journey.
May we welcome all who come our way.

Deepen our faith
to see all life through your eyes.
Fill us with hope and an abiding trust
that You dwell in us amidst all our joys and sorrows.

Thank You for the treasure of our faith life.
Thank You for the gift of being able
to rise each day with the assurance of
Your walking through the day with us.

God of our past and future,
we praise you.

Amen.

Ash Wednesday

Jesus, you place on my forehead
the sign of my sister Death:
“Remember you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”

How not hear her wise advice?
One day my life on earth will end;
the limits on my years are set,
though I know not the day or hour.
Shall I be ready to go to meet you?
Let this holy season be a time of grace
for me and all this world.

“Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.”

O Jesus, you place on my forehead
the sign of your saving Cross:
“Turn from sin and be faithful
to the gospel.”

How can I turn from sin
unless I turn to you?

You speak, you raise your hand,
you touch my mind and call my name,
“Turn to the Lord your God again.”

These days of your favor
leave a blessing as you pass
on me and all your people.
Turn to us, Lord God,
and we shall turn to you.

From The Congregation of the Passion

Tuesday Prayer

Beloved,
Today we prepare for a time of
penance and simplicity,
a time of
drawing back and saying no,
a time of prayer.
Today we make ready to journey
with you into desert time.
On this day, give us the wisdom
to concentrate with joyful abandon
on the abundance we have been
so freely given,
as one more time,
one last time,
we sing,
Alleluia!

Make All of Me Cling to You

With love I hold you, most loving Jesus, nor shall I let you go; because your blessing is by no means sufficient for me unless I may hold you yourself and have my best share, all my hope and expectation.

And O, Love, life-giving life in the living Word of God, which you yourself are, give me life, healing in me through you whatever of God's love has been torn apart and extingushed....

O God, love, who with the blood of your Christ have ransomed me for yourself, sanctify me in your truth.

O God, love, who have adopted me as a daughter, nourish, nourish me after your own heart.

O love, who have chosen me for yourself and for no one else, make me, all of me, cling to you.

St. Gertrud the Great of Helfta, Spiritual Exercises V:499-504, 508-512.

This prayer comes with a confession: I just didn't have it in me tonight to write a prayer, so this is a reprint from one year ago. I hope it's helpful anyway.

Wondrous God, Source of Life, Holy Mystery, hear our prayers. In praise and thanksgiving we gather now in mind, heart and spirit to offer up the blessings and concerns of this day.

God, we thank you for ways in which we encounter you day to day. We thank you when we see your love shining in the smile of a friend, or the sweetness of a baby’s laugh. We praise you when an embrace from a loved one reflects your love for us.

In prayer, in quiet moments captured in the midst of busy days, and in the most unexpected ways – you meet us as we are. We thank you God for these glimpses of holiness and for the sustaining power they bring to the nurture of our faith.

Strengthen us as we seek to live the faith we proclaim, and help us to bring the light of your love into the lives of everyone we meet.

Bless those for whom we have prayed aloud this morning, and those whose cares and trials are close to our hearts.

Be with all who are ill in body, mind and spirit….with the grieving and the dying. Bring strength and peace to those who are struggling with life’s troubles. Grant them the peace and courage that only you can bring, for we ask it in Jesus’ name, who taught us to pray together, singing…

Guide us O Lord (Saturday prayer)

"But may they who love you be like the sun
when it rises in its strength."
(Judges 5:31)

Lord make us a covenant people.

You said that we are able to love You because You first loved us. Reveal Yourself to us again, in new ways, that we might grow in love for You.


Amen.




Heavenly Father,

As my family hosts a group of Kenyans living in Finland this weekend I pray that You would open the Word to us, send down Your Spirit to lead us in prayer and worship, and help us pray Your will for their homeland. With thanks for your guidance and abiding love.

Amen.

A Vacation Prayer For Those Who Serve

Gracious God, I don't know their names, but you do;
the anonymous servers...
the Jamaican maids whose lilting accents I hear on the stairwell;
the young concession worker who sold me a bottle of iced tea;
the waitress who asked me where I was from
and gave me more napkins without my asking;
the hugging, mugging, long-suffering theme-park actors;
the countless uniformed workers
I see at busstops
all day long.
I pray that their work
may lead to opportunity, not heartache;
that they might enjoy
some of the same things we've enjoyed while we're here -- beauty, magic, laughter, the best that comes from a mingling of cultures;
and that those they serve,
and those who employ them,
treat them with dignity and courtesy.

I pray this in the name of the One who came to serve,

Amen.