Pause or Prayer: WEDNESDAY 3/11

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 3/10

There are words we say every time we celebrate Mass and those oft repeated prayers can easily become rote. But there's one prayer we offer at every Mass (right after the Lord's Prayer) that never fails to stop me in my tracks: its words are so real - and always urgent... t's a prayer I just can't get enough of!

 

                Deliver us, Lord, from every evil 
                    and grant us peace in our own day;
                in your mercy, keep us free from sin
                    and safe from all distress...

 

Every time we gather at your table, Lord,

    we pray for and we ask for a lot:

        • deliverance from every evil

        • peace - right now

        • freedom from sin

         • and a place safe from all distress...

As this day ends, Lord, I'm thinking

    we might, we should pray these words 

        every night...

 

 Those four petitions sum up so well

     so much of what we need from you,

     so much of what we long for:

         the deliverance and peace

            the freedom and safety

         that only you can offer, 

            that only you can give...

Tonight, Lord, I pray you keep us free from evil:

    the evil of war, poverty and racism; 

    the evil of consumerism, greed and selfishness;

    the evil that masquerades as virtue; 

    the evil of everyday assaults 

        on the dignity of human life...

 
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil...

 

And tonight I pray 

  for peace in our own day, Lor,

    the peace that only you can give:

        peace in our world and in our nation,

             in our communities and in our streets;

        peace in our families and in our homes;

        peace in our minds and hearts and souls;

        peace with you, Lord

            - and peace with ourselves...

 

Graciously grant us peace, Lord,

    in our own days - even now...  

And tonight I pray 

  that you keep us free from sin, Lord: 

    free from temptation and its wily ways;     

    free from sin that becomes a habit; 

    free from sins of omission and silence; 

    free from the sins we deny and hide;

    free from the sin of all that keeps us

        from loving you and our neighbor...

Keep us free from sin, Lord...

 

And tonight, Lord, I pray 

  that you keep us safe from all distress: 

    the distress of worry, doubt and fear;

    the distress of disease, illness and pain;

    the distress of tyranny, terrorism and war;

    the distress of anxiety, depression and grief;

    the distress of hunger, homelessness and want; 

    the distress of discouragement, loneliness and despair...

 
Keep us safe from all distress, Lord...

 

I know, Lord - I'm praying for, I'm asking a lot!

But this is what we need 

    and you are all we have;

you're the source of every blessing,

    you're our best and only hope!

With humble hearts we pray, Lord,

  for the grace that's yours to give:

        the grace to help us turn from evil;

            whenever, wherever, however we meet it;

        the grace to work for  justice,

            the justices whose harvest is peace;

        the grace to turn from away sin 

            and follow the path

                of your wisdom, your word and your truth...

 

Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
    and grant us peace in our own day;
in your mercy, keep us free from sin
    and safe from all distress...

Protect us, Lord, while we're awake
    and watch over us as we sleep
that awake, we might keep watch with you
    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Good Lord, Deliver Us by Paul Zach

    performed by  

        Canadian Memorial United Church 

 

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Good Lord, good Lord
Good Lord, deliver us
Good Lord, good Lord
Good Lord, deliver us

From the merchants in the temple
And the worship of our greed
From the whisper of the tempter
"We shall take more than we need"

From the chains of wealth and plunder
From our avarice and pride
From the ever-growing hunger
From our vanity and strife

Good Lord, good Lord
Good Lord, deliver us
Good Lord, good Lord
Good Lord, deliver us

From our constant quest for power
Over all that we survey
From the lies that we devour
From the fears we cannot face

Come and save us from our demons
Come and strip away our hate
Come on, Lord, restore our reason
Come on, Christ, the time is late

Good Lord, good Lord
Good Lord, deliver us
Good Lord, good Lord
Good Lord, deliver us

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Puase for Prayer: TUESDAY 3/10

 

This Lent, Lord, I've found myself 

    sometimes feeling far away from you
and at other times 

    as close (or closer) than ever I've been...

Though sometimes you seem distant
I know there's not a moment,
day and night,
when you're not by my side:
    before me, behind me,
    above me, below me,
    around, within and beside me...

It's your grace,

it's always your move, Lord, that

    beckons me,
    calls me out of hiding,
    sets me on the right path
    and draws me ever homeward
    to the gentle, warm embrace
    of your strong and loving arms...

You never leave me, Lord 

    - you never have, you never will -
but I have found so many ways
    to turn from you and and hide 
    from your word and from your truth, 

    from your wisdom and your counsel, 

    from your presence by my side...

 

For the times I've run away

    - and all the times I've tried to - 
          I ask your pardon, Lord,
and for the times you've brought me back

    in your mercy and your kindness, 
        I give you thanks and praise...

 

Draw me closer, ever closer,
    when I start to lose my way
and let me never, ever, Lord,
    let go your guiding hand...

Amen.

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What the pope and bishops are saying about the war in Iran - and why they're saying it.

 

The graphic above quotes Pope Paul VI in his historic address to the United Nations on October 4, 1965  and his impassioned plea, "No more war; war never again!"

In line with a long tradition in Catholicism, the pope and many bishops have been      speaking out about the war in Iran. Catholic teaching subscribes to the just war      theory which has ancient roots that span many centuries, philosophies, cultures and faiths.  Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of Washington, DC has offered (3/9/2026) an explanation of the just war theory and its application to the war in Iran. I hope this lengthy section McElroy's post will be helpful to my readers.

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The Church has a long and substantial teaching on the issues of war and peace. At the center of that teaching is an abiding resistance to war. Pope John Paul II vigorously opposed the 2003 Iraq War and stated categorically that war ‘is always a defeat for humanity.’ Pope Francis called for the total abolition of war, stating that ‘every war leaves the world worse than it was before.’ Pope Leo has noted with alarm that there is a raging zeal for war across nations at this current moment, which is utterly incompatible with Catholic faith. At their heart, each of these papal teachings testifies to the fact that we are followers of Jesus Christ, who placed peace-making at the heart of his call to discipleship and fidelity. Non-violence must be the first stance of Catholics in the world.

 

At the same time, in some emergency situations, the Church has historically allowed resort to war if six conditions are clearly and simultaneously met: 

1. Just Cause: The war must be undertaken in defense against an attack that is grave and certain on a nation, its allies or a defenseless human community.
2. The legitimate authority in the country contemplating war must declare war.
3. The country goes to war with right intention, namely to redress the specific just cause and restore peace.
4. War is the last resort to repel the aggression.
5. The expected destruction from the war must not outweigh the expected good.
6. There is a reasonable hope of success.

At this present moment, the U.S. decision to go to war against Iran fails to meet the just war threshold for a morally legitimate war in at least three requirements:

• The criterion of just cause is not met because our country was not responding to an existing or imminent and objectively verifiable attack by Iran. As Pope Benedict declared categorically, Catholic teaching does not support preventative war, i.e. a war justified by speculation about events in the future. If preventative war were to be accepted morally, then all limits to the cause for going to war would be put in extreme jeopardy.

 

• The criterion of right intention is not met in our country’s decision to attack Iran. One of the most worrying elements of these first days of the war in Iran is that our goals and intentions are absolutely unclear, ranging from the destruction of Iran’s conventional and nuclear weapons potential to the overthrow of its regime to the establishment of a democratic government to unconditional surrender. You cannot satisfy the just war tradition’s criterion of right intention if you do not have a clear intention. 

 

• Finally, our current war effort does not meet Catholic just war teaching because it is far from clear that the benefits of this war will outweigh the harm which will be done. The Middle East is the most unstable region in the world, and the most unpredictable. Already the war has had unintended consequences. Iran’s morally despicable decision to target its neighbors in the region has spread the expanse of destruction. Lebanon may fall into civil war. The world’s oil supply is under great strain. The potential disintegration of Iran could well produce new and dangerous realities. And the possibility of immense casualties on all sides is immense.

For all of these reasons, Catholic teaching leads to the conclusion that our entry into this war was not morally legitimate.

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NGHT PRAYER: Monday 3/9

I wrote this prayer on retreat 25 years ago and have posted it a number of time.   It came to mind when when I saw the image below and I thought it might be helpful for any of us finding ourselves wrestling with God during Lent...

 

Father's Embrace by Ruth Councell

You enfold me, entwine and embrace me.

You handle me, hold me and hide me.

You wrestle me, welcome and want me.

Your chin by my ear, your hand in my hair,

your arm 'round my back, my arms rounding you,

my face on your chest: 

   I'm held in your warmth.

Your eyes keep close watch, 

   mine close in deep peace.

Your fingers stroke softly 

   my head's numbered strands.

Your grip is a gift, 

   your grasp saving grace.

You whisper, 
    "You're mine, I call you by name:

        you're found and forgiven, 

            brought home and beloved."

I breathe, 
    "Yes, I am, shaped and healed by your hand.

         You call me by name: 

            I am yours, you are mine."

 

Amen.

 

Hold On To Me by Lauren Daigle 

    arranged by Audrey Snyder

 

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When the best of me is barely breathin' 

When I'm not somebody I believe in 

Hold on to me 

 

When I miss the light the night has stolen 

When I'm slammin' all the 

Doors You've opened 

Hold on to me 

Hold on to me 

 

Hold on to me when it's too dark to see You 

When I am sure I have reached the end 

Hold on to me when I forget I need You 

When I let go, hold me again 

 

When I don't feel like I'm worth defendin' 

When I'm tired of my pretendin' 

Hold on to me 

 

When I start to break in desperation 

Underneath the weight of expectation 

Hold on to me 

Hold on to me 

 

Hold on to me when it's too dark to see You 

When I am sure I have reached the end 

Hold on to me when I forget I need You 

When I let go, hold me again 

 

I could rest here in Your arms forever 

'Cause I know nobody loves me better 

Hold on to me 

Hold on to me

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Monday Morning Offering: 3/9

Coffee in the Morning: George Mendoza

 

Good morning, good God!

 

A Lenten review has shown me, Lord,

I have so much more than I need.

I have too much stuff and too many things:

    I own things and stuff I'd forgotten are mine!

 

I have things I can't find 

    'cause they're buried too deep -
        under all the things I have! 

 

I have too many old things, 

    too many new things:

        collections of things I really don't need...

I have so many clothes:     

    too many that fit
        and too many that don't...

I have too much money.

    Wait - did I say that?

Yes, I did

    - and that helps me define

        how I have more than I need. 

 

It's not that I'm really wealthy, Lord

    - I am not flush with cash -

but looking around at the rest of the world,

    it's true - I have more than I need...

 

If I look around, with honest eyes,
    I see I have more than I need 
        - of just about all I have...

 

Ah, there's the question, Lord:
    how much of my stuff and belongings   

        do I really and truly need...?

 

And the answer comes 'round once again:

    I may not have all of the things that I want

        but I do have more than I need... 

 

I won't offer you all of my stuff, Lord,
    I know you don't need or want it,

but I'll ask for the grace to help me give up

    my desire to have more and more,

    my desire for more than I need,

    my desire to have  - for the sake of having,

    my desire to have more than others have,

    my desire to hoard and collect more things,

    my desire to buy, to have and to own

        the biggest, the smallest, the sleekest, the fastest, 

        the more expensive - the most expensive - 

        the new and improved whatever-it-is

            that I want but I don't need...  

   

I offer you, Lord, my desire to have:

    a full set, a full tank, a full stomach; 
    full shelves, full closets, full wallets and purses;
and boxes full of whatever I want
    or think I want, 

    or might one day want

    or believe I want

        because I've been told - I should want it...  

 

I offer you, Lord, my tendency 
    to clutter and jam my mind and my heart

         with filler, toys, junk and crap,
    with so much less than my heart deserves,
        so much less than my mind  deserves,     

    with so much less than you deserve     

        who make your home 

            - in my mind and heart...

 

I offer you, Lord, my complicity
    in filling my heart with anything but 

        the grace, the peace, the beauty and truth 
            for which my soul was made...

 

So help me this Lent to simplify:

    to give up, give away,

        clean out, cast off, 

            strip away, go without          

    and empty myself of anything more

        that what my heart of hearts desires:

            your mercy, your presence and peace...

And make me generous, Lord,
    in sharing and giving to others 

the bounty of all that I have,     

    for which they have so much need...

Such is my offering this morning, Lord,
    and through these holy days of Lent...

Amen.

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