Pause for Prayer: SATURDAY 7/12

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Lord,
even in my most foolish moments
(especially in my most foolish moments)
I truly want, in my heart of hearts,
to choose the wise path

and make the wise decision 

- even when things turn out different... 

 

I truly want to do the wise thing, Lord,

I want to speak the wise word,

I want follow the path of wisdom 

especially on those occasions 
when the consequences of my choices
are important, long-lasting
and significant in others' lives... 

 

When those times come, Lord, 

I pray for wisdom
- or more precisely - 

for your wisdom
to enlighten my mind and heart,
to inform my choices and decisions,

and to shape my words and deeds... 

Help me see through my prejudice,
through the bias that clouds my vision...

Help me see, Lord, to the heart of things,
down deep below the surface...

Help me see what others see,
lest my vision be too narrow...

Help me find what's true, what's good, 

what will best serve others' needs...

Let folly play no part
in my thoughts and my discernment:
make me sober in my study
of all I must consider...

And when, in trust,
I've come to a decision,
let it be the wise one, Lord,
the one you'd have me make...

Grant me then: 

the courage and strength I need

to speak wisely and to follow through 

on the choices I make,
on what I pray and hope and trust
comes at the prompting of your Spirit... 

Amen.

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Great music!

 

I just happened upon this great concert version of some of the greatest songs from Les Miserables.  The performance is by Zero8, a acappella group, new to me, whose repetoir includes barbershop, rock, pop, classic Swedish, renaissance and classical.  

 

With simple costuming and staging Zero8 offers truly fine arrangements of some very fine music.  Enjoy!

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Friday 7/11

Today's the feast of Saint Benedict, who revolutionized monastic life with this Rule for community life, in which he wrote:

And when they rise from table after the sixth hour let them rest upon their beds in complete silence; or if by chance anyone should wish to read, let him so read as that he may not disturb anyone else.

In Benedict's time the "sixth hour" was around noon - lunch time!  So it's sometimes said that Benedict is the patron saint of afternoon naps and nappers.  In that spirit, let's pray tonight...

 

Lord,

help me find pockets of time each day

    to relax, to rest, to refresh myself,

    to retreat, for a time, from worry and work,

    to lean on your shoulder and close my eyes,

    to nap in the peace of your presence...

 

Help me understand, Lord, 

that even if I nap:

    the world will keep on spinning,

    the tide come in, go out,

    the sky will stay in place above 

    and life go on quite nicely

    while I nod and drift and doze...

 

Let a simple nap remind me, Lord,

my whole life's in your hands:

awake, asleep or in between

you hold me in your love...

 

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

 

As you might have guessed, there are not a lot of nap hymns in the sacred music genre!  So, I'm offering you two options. The first is a total fun song - although it makes the point!  The second is a song I've used before, it's really meant for "a good night's sleep" - but it will serve for naps as well!

 

I Took A Nap by Andrew Gunadie

 

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I had a lot of things to do today
But you know what I did instead

I took a nap - It was a very good nap

 

That email - I took a nap
Zoom call - I took a nap
What about your lunch plan - I took a nap
House chores - I took a nap

Home workout? - I took a nap
Bath time? - I took a nap
What about the Eggies* - I made time for that
The end of this chorus - I took a nap

 

I woke up from the nap to get things done
But you know what I did instead

I took another nap - It was a very good nap

 

That email - I took a nap
Zoom call - I took a nap
What about your lunch plan - I took a nap
House chores - I took a nap

Home workout? - I took a nap
Bath time? - I took a nap

What about your TikTok - I made time for that
The end of this song - I took a nap 

I took a nap - I took a nap - I took a nap...

 

*I did the research Eggies simply refers to eggs! 

 

Sleep Chant by Karen Drucker

 

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Sleep in peace.   Wake in joy.    

Always know that I am loved.
I sleep in peace.  I wake in joy.  

I always know that I am loved.

Today I live in gratitude.  

Today I give my love.
And tonight when I lay my head to rest, 

I give thanks, I give thanks.

 
Sleep in peace.  Wake in joy.  

Always know that I am safe.

Sleep in peace.  Wake in joy.  

Always know that I am safe.

Each day I wake is a miracle.  

Each day is a precious gift.
I count my blessings and feel such grace.  

I give thanks. I give thanks.

I sleep in peace.  I wake in joy.  

I always know that all is well.
I sleep in peace.  I wake in joy.  

I always know that all is well.

I sleep in peace.  Wake in joy.  

Always know that I am loved.
Sleep in peace.    Wake in joy.  

Always know that I am loved.

Sleep in peace.  Wake in joy.  

Always know that I am safe.
Sleep in peace.  Wake in joy.  

I always know that I am safe.

I sleep in peace.  I wake in joy.  

I always know that all is well.
I sleep in peace.  I wake in joy.  

I always know that all is well.

 

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Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 7/11

 

Lord,

please give me 

    the strength,

    the drive,

    the patience,

    the talent,

    the will,

    the trust,

    the diligence,

    the courage,

    the balance,

    the humility,

    the insight, 

    the ingenuity, 

    the wisdom,

    the spirit,

    the integrity, 

    the daring,

    the health, 

    the skill,

    the humor, 

    for foresight, 

    the backup,

    the gentleness,

    the tenacity,

    the wit, 

    the friends, 

    the intelligence, 

    the compassion,

    the honesty, 

    the counsel, 

    the resources,

    the joy,

    the grit,

    the guts,

    the confidence,

    the imagination,

    the support,

    the faith,

    the curiosity,

    the fortitude,

    the purity, 

    the blessings, 

    the knowledge, 

    the creativity,

    the willingness,

    the determination,

    the prudence,

    the hope,

    the perseverance,

    the self-control,

    the heart,

    the love,

    the steadiness,

    the grace, 

    the endurance,

    the staying power

and whatever else I need 

    to meet whatever challenges

        may come my way today...

 

With your help, Lord, 

    I can do all things...

 

Be my help, Lord, 

    in everything I face today:

see me through it,

    I know you're gonna do it,

        see me through the day ahead...    

Amen.

See Me Through It by Brandon Heath

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NIGHT PRAYER: Thursday 7/10

In September of 2016, Scott Staniar, a parishioner at Holy Family in Concord, spoke to me about the possibility of forming a men's prayer group.  Within a couple of months, with the assistance of Mike Robichaud and Jeff Hackman, the proposed prayer group was a reality with as many as 30 or more men participating on a monthly basis.  The meetings were faith-filled, Spirit-driven, genuinely Christian and vulnerably prayerful - which are also the terms I might use to speak of Scott who, just recently, at 61, ended his battle with cancer and claimed the victory promised him by Jesus.

 

I'm away for two months and won't be there for Scott's wake and funeral but I'll certainly be there in spirit and in prayer... 

 

If you knew Scott, you knew, without a doubt, that Scott had personally met Jesus, that they were the best of friends, and that the Spirit of Jesus was very much at home and alive in the depths of Scott's soul.  All of that and yet Scott's faith and its expression was never at all off-putting or overwhelming - to the contrary it was inviting, warm and respectful.  Scott's life humbly heralded the gospel of Jesus wherever he went, in word and deed.

 

Scott leaves behind his wife, Rita, their children Garth, Leslie, Kimberly, and Elizabeth, and his parents and his sister - and countless others whose lives were touched by his faith in so many ways and venues.  I'm one of those countless others and I thank God for that grace - as I pray for Scott, for all who love him, and for all whose lives were touched by his faith.

 

Let us pray...

 

We thank you on this night, O Lord,

for the men and women in our lives:

    in whose faces 

        we've seen your face,

    in whose words 

        we've heard your voice,

    through whose hands

        we've known your help, 

    in whose hearts

        we've found your love,

    in whose eyes

        we've seen your light, 

    in whose arms 

        we've felt your warmth,

    in whose presence

        we've found your peace...

    

We thank you on this night, O Lord,

for these holy women and men who were:

    your gifts to us,

    your grace for us,

    your blessing in our lives;

    your gentle touch of mercy,

    your spirit hovering near us,

    your love within our reach...

 

We thank you on this night, O Lord,

for all those you've called home:

    bathe them in your mercy, 

    welcome them to paradise,

    reward them for their labors

    and hold them in your arms' embrace 

    'til comes the day

    when we'll all meet again...

 

Protect us, Lord while we're awake

    and watch over us while we sleep

that awake, we might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

 

Deep Peace by Sir John Rutter

   sung by Aled Jones 

 

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Pause for Prayer: THURSDAY 7/10

A friend on Facebook posted a verse from Psalm 34 as a reminder to pray for those who have suffered the floods in Texas.  Her scripture quote prompted my writing the prayer below for those who have died, those who are grieving and those who are working on recovery efforts  in Kerr County.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
He saves those crushed in spirit...

Psalm 34:18

 

Lord, we lift up to you the young and the old 

who suffered the death-dealing flood:

    take to your arms those who died

    and fill with peace the ones who survived...

 

Lord, we lift up to you those who grieve

the loss of family and friends:

    hold them all in the palm of your hand,

    gently, with care and compassion...

 

Lord, we lift up those who lost their homes,

who have no where to go, to live:

    raise up in your people a generous spirit

    to welcome them in with love...

 

Lord, we lift up the first responders

and those still seeking the missing:

    give them strength to do what must be done

    and rest from their sad, sad labor...

 

Lord, we lift up those who survived the floods,

whose families and homes are in tact:

    fill their souls with praise and thanksgiving

    and open their hearts to their neighbors' needs...

 

Stay close to the brokenhearted, Lord,

    and lift up those whose spirits have been crushed... 

 

Amen. 

 

The Brokenhearted by Scripture Melodies 

 

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In the depth of sorrow,
When tears fall like rain,
I find my solace,
In Your healing name.

The Lord is near,
To the brokenhearted,
Saves those crushed in spirit,
From their pain departed.

When my heart is shattered,
And hope seems dim,
I find my refuge,
In the arms of Him. Bridge:

Oh, healer of hearts,
Mend my soul,
With Your love,
Make me whole.

The Lord is near,
To the brokenhearted,
In His loving arms,
I am safely guarded.

 

 

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An anniversary!

Today is the 157th anniversary of the ratification of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. From its very beginning, it was intended to protect the rights of the oppressed, the persecuted, the poor.

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Wednesday 7/9

I was watching a foreign film, Lord, 

when the thought crossed my mind:

   you never have need of subtitles...

 

You're fluent in every language there is:

no dialect is beyond your ken,

no jargon or idiom trips you up,

no regional accent confuses your ear,

all of it's in your vernacular,

every human tongue is native to you...

And the same holds true in the animal world

with its sounds and calls and songs:

    every hoot, howl, growl and grunt,

    every bark, bleat, warble and gobble

    every moo, meow, bellow and bray, 

yes, every last sound, a prayer to your ear, 

   understood, discerned and welcomed...

    

And then, Lord, there's me:

you discern every sound I utter,

    every word, phrase, sigh or cry,

    every moan, groan, laugh and giggle,

    all my open weeping and silent tears 

    my long harangues and my silence, too...

You understand the prayer in my heart

even when I'm not sure

what I want or need to pray for...

You hear my voice when it's silent,

when I've no words to speak,

no songs to sing, no sounds to make...  

You have no need for subtitles, Lord,

you understand

    all the words I speak,

    my heart's expression,

    my emotions' inflection,

    my clumsy rhetoric,

    my soul's stumbling diction

    - and my silence when that's all there is...

 

You have no need for subtitles, Lord,

you hear and know, intuit and understand,

you really get every word I speak

and all I want and mean to say

even when words fail to come 

to mind, to my heart, to my lips...

 

For always listening, always hearing

and always understanding me,

I praise and thank you, Lord...

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

    and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

    and asleep rest in your peace...

 

Amen. 

 

God Who Understands by Henry Roe

 

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Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 7/9

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 7/8

So...  I noticed that the first reading at mass today is the Genesis story of Jacob wrestling with an angel.  I recalled writing about that many years ago so I went deep into the archives (2007) and found what I was looking for.  Tonight's prayer then is preceded by that background on the Jacob story, followed by a Night Prayer...

Image by Wayne Forte

The first scripture at Mass today was the story of Jacob at Peniel.

Jacob was no angel, but he wrestled one.

In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took his two wives, children and servants and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. After he had taken them across the stream and had brought over all his possessions, Jacob was left there alone. Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn. When the man saw that he could not prevail over him, he struck Jacob's hip at its socket, so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled.

The man then said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go until you bless me.""What is your name?" the man asked. He answered, "Jacob."

Then the man said, "You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel, because you have contended with divine and human beings and have prevailed." Jacob named the place Peniel, "Because I have seen God face to face," he said, "yet my life has been spared."

At sunrise, as he left Peniel, Jacob limped along because of his hip. That is why, to this day, the children of Israel do not eat the sciatic muscle that is on the hip socket, inasmuch as Jacob's hip socket was struck at the sciatic muscle.

Some say Jacob wrestled with an angel, some say he wrestled with God. The scripture tells us he "contended with divine and human beings" and prevailed. It's also suggested that the wrestling match here is Flesh Vs. Spirit in Jacob's heart.

Whoever are the opponents here, we know several things for sure. Jacob was no angel. His name in Hebrew means "trickster" and indeed he had cheated his brother Esau out of his birthright. Even here in Genesis 32, Jacob is hustling off in the dark of night to escape his brother's advance on him and it's then that the wrestling event ensues.

The story may suggest a few questions for reflection and prayer:

What kind of spiritual wrestling do I engage in?

Angels are God's messengers: how do I wrestle with God's messages to me in the scriptures? in Church teaching?  in my prayer?  in my conscience?

Do  I try to wrestle with God himself? Does something within (hurt, anger, disappointment) prod me to square off with God, hoping to pin and submit him to my own will and way?

Or is it the struggle between the flesh and spirit that provides the mat on which I wrestle with choices I make in life and their consequences?

The good news in the Jacob story is that God respects my efforts and allows me to survive my match with the Divine. I survive not because  I am the superior contestant but rather because God calls the match before I suffer defeat. But I don't escape unscathed when I go up against God. His strong hold leaves its mark on me or, as in the case of Jacob's hip, deep within me. But it's a healing mark: I'm branded, tattooed, by my encounter with the Divine.

We all wrestle with issues human and divine, flesh and spirit. Some of us may be in the first period of the match and some of us may be limping away from the mat! Our divine opponent respects our efforts and, though greater and stronger than us, will never take advantage of our weaknesses.

 

For Night Prayer, keep this scripture in mind and heart:

"My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness,"
says the Lord.
I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,
in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.
Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and constraints,
for the sake of Christ;
for when I am weak, then I am strong... "

 

I know that it's in my weakness, Lord,
and in my facing, accepting my powerlessness,
that I’ll come to know your strength
and welcome your grace to dwell in me
and to surrender myself
to your loving, strong embrace...

When I boast of my own strength,
I fail, Lord...

When I count on my own power,
I'm soon defeated...

When I believe that I can change my ways
- without confessing my sins
and my need for you -
I get lost in confusing circles,
on paths that lead me back once again
to the weakness of my own efforts…

I'm so often lost in doubt and fear
though I know you're there by my side, Lord,
waiting for me to surrender,
to free fall from my foolish pride
into your arms, into your hands,
outstretched to catch and save me...

Help me name my weaknesses, Lord,

help me face them, even boast of them:
that I might let go what holds me back
and gladly welcome into my soul,
your strength, your power,
your presence, your peace…

Send your Spirit to free me
from all my constraints:
to unlock the shackles of habit,
to loosen the bonds of fear,
to untie the ropes of self-doubt,
to free me from all that holds me back
from becoming the person you made me to be..,

In some small ways that I can see, Lord,
help me find in my weakness
your promise of strength,
your victory, your peace and your grace…

In my wrestling with you,
defeat me, Lord!
Let your mercy conquer
my sins and my failings!
Let the strength of your grace
overcome my pride!
With all that you have,
overwhelm me, Lord:
your victory, the prize I seek...

In the quiet of my prayer, right now, Lord,
help me trust that you’re by my side…

In the quiet of my prayer, right now, Lord,
open my heart to your love and your grace…

In the quiet of my prayer, right now, Lord,
let me boast of my weakness
as the path, the portal
to my finding my strength in you...

In the stillness of my prayer, let me free fall
into the peace you hold out for me -
and catch me and save me now, Lord,
in your strong and outstretched arms...

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake
and watch over me while I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...


Amen.

 

Reading the story of Jacob near the top of this post

    will help you appreciate this song... 

 

Jacob's Song by Gabrielle Ariana 

 

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