5/12/25

Monday Morning Offering: 5/12

Morning Coffee by George Mendoza
  
Etvery year, he scriptures for the Fourth Sunday of Easter (especially the second reading and the gospel) offer images of Christ as the Good Shepherd.  Nine years ago I wrote this Good Shepherd Monday Morning Offering.  Of all the prayers I've written over 18 years of blogging, this is one of my favorites. Here's the latest rendition...
 
With yesterday's scriptures
still in my mind and heart, Lord,
I offer you this prayer:
    shepherd me
    through the ups and downs,
    joys and sorrows,
    temptations and graces
    that come my way every day... 
 
Shepherd me, O God, 
    from here to there,
    from where I am 
        to where I'm meant to be,
    from one moment to the next,
    from today into tomorrow,
    from my past into my future...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from yesterday's problems
        through today's dilemmas
            to the peace your Spirit offers..

Shepherd me, O God,
    from memories that hold me back
        to a future I've yet to experience...


Shepherd me, O God,
    from my failings, sins and errors
        to the grace of a new beginning...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from fantasies and daydreams
        to a life that's authentic and certain...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from selfish impatience 
        to endurance and docility...
 
Shepherd me, O God,
    far from all my foolish ways
        to the path where Wisdom beckons...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from selfishness and greed
        to a generous, giving spirit...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from arrogance and pride
        to humble self-surrender...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from the lies I've come to believe
        to the truth that sets me free...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from all that's less than pure
        to what's clear and clean and chaste...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from my anger and resentments,
        to understanding and forgiveness...  

Shepherd me, O God,
    from my lazy habits
        to work that satisfies and serves...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from mindless wandering
        to the path you'd have me walk...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from flirting with temptation
        to doing what is right...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from prejudice and bias
        to understanding and acceptance...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from wasting what I have
        to sharing all that's mine...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from hopelessness and fear
        to confidence and trust in you...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from feeling sorry for myself
        to gratitude for all I have...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from doubts that cloud my thoughts
        to faith that clears my soul...

Shepherd me, O God,
    from here to there,
    from one moment to the next,
    from today into tomorrow,
    from my past into my future...
 
Shepherd me, O God,
    beyond my wants,
        beyond my fears,
        from death into life...

Amen.

Shepherd Me, O God by Marty Haugen

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5/11/25

NIGHT PRAYER: Sunday 5/11


On Mothers Day, it seem appropriate to hear a mother's voice at prayer.  I once posted these prayers by Theresa Ceniccola  on the feast of Saint Monica, the mother of Saint Augustine - and the fact that our new pope is an Augustinian priest makes this post even more timely.  It strikes me that these five prayers might find a place in the hearts of mothers of young children  - and -  in the hearts of mothers who are now grandmothers...

A Prayer for Mothers Who Need Rest

Being a mom can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Just when you think you can’t take another minute, something else comes along that requires your energy and effort. But the good news—the truth—is that you can find rest in the Lord.

Lord, I come to you today, humble and exhausted, and ask that you carry my burdens. I pray that you lift my weary spirit and fill me with your love and peace so that I may be restored and renewed in body and mind. Lord, pour your heavenly nourishment into my soul and give me the energy to sustain myself in my role as a mother.

A Prayer for the Anxious Mom

With the birth of my first child, I developed an overwhelming capacity to worry. Through the years, this tendency toward anxiety intensified with each new season of motherhood. The more I worried, the more time I needed to spend in prayer. If you are an anxious mother, like me, turn to this prayer in times of need.

Lord, I trust in you and lean on you. I thank you for your mercy and provision for me and my family. I come to you again and ask that your will be done in this situation we are currently facing. Guard my heart and my mind and keep me focused on your will. Lord, please send your Holy Spirit to breathe your peace into my soul and walk with me on this journey.

A Prayer for Patience

Our work as moms can seem long and tedious. If you’ve ever had to repeat yourself 10 times a day, you know how frustrating our jobs can be. Children don’t mature overnight and we don’t often see God’s plan for them all at once. This is why I pray for patience with the following words:

Dear Lord, I know you have a plan for my child and I thank you and praise you for allowing me the gift of being his/her mother. I am frustrated because I want to see the fruits of my labor, Lord. Please give me the patience to continue being obedient to your word in raising my child. Teach me to wait in hope and confidence for you to make your will known in your time.

A Prayer for Wisdom

As a new mom, I wanted to learn as much as I could. Unfortunately, all of the conflicting parenting advice can be confusing and overwhelming. Only God can provide the wisdom we truly need as mothers. If you’re feeling confused about what to do next, ask for wisdom with this prayer:

Lord, please give me the wisdom to make decisions according to your will. Send me your vision in this situation—and make it plain so that I will see it. And please show me how to teach my child to make wise decisions so that he/she may also choose the path that is pleasing to you.

A Prayer for Grace

I don’t know about you, but I often feel completely inadequate as a mom. Too much of my focus is on my own weaknesses and mistakes. I get overwhelmed with the massive tasks and enormous responsibility of motherhood.  So this is how I pray for God’s grace in those times:

Lord, please fill me with your grace so that I may be restored and renewed in my role as a mother. Help me to remember that I do not have to do this alone—that you are with me to strengthen and guide me.

§      §     §     §     §     §     §     §     §     §     

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.
 
Tonight's song by the Getty's is from PBS Atlanta's 2015 concert: Joy - an Irish Christmas - which accounts for the verse in Gaelic (translation provided below).
 
A Mother's Prayer by Kristyn and Keith Getty
 
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Before you close your eyes to sleep 
I have a promise still to keep 
As I hold you in my arms. 
 
I pray your little frame grows strong 
And that faith takes hold while you are young; 
This is my prayer for you. 
 
Hold my hand; 
I’ll teach you the Way to go. 
Through the joys, through the tears, 
The journey of these years, 
May you trust Him ‘til the end. 
May you trust Him in the end. 
 
This world is not as it should be, 
But the Savior opens eyes to see 
All that’s beautiful and true. 
 
Oh may His light fill all you are 
And the jewel of wisdom crown your heart; 
This is my prayer for you. 
 
Hold my hand; 
I’ll teach you the Way to go. 
Through the joys, through the tears, 
The journey of these years, 
He is with us ‘til the end. 
He is faithful ‘til the end. 
 
Dún do shúil 
Close Your eyes
Dún do shúil, a rún mo chroí
Close your eyes, oh love of my heart
A chuid den tsaol, ‘s a ghrá liom
My worldly joy, my treasure
Dún do shúil, a rún mo chroí
Close your eyes, oh love of my heart
Agus gheobhair feirín amárach…
And you will get a gift tomorrow
 
You’ll travel where my arms won’t reach 
As the road will rise to lead your feet 
On a journey of your own. 
 
May my mistakes not hinder you 
But His grace remain and guide you through; 
This is my prayer for you. 
 
Take His hand 
And go where He calls you to. 
And whatever comes, seek Him 
With all your heart; 
This will be my prayer for you.
 
Father, hear my ceaseless prayer; 
Oh keep them in your care. 

  

  

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Homily for May 11

It's one thing to try to imagine Jesus as a shepherd.  It's another thing altogether - and much harder - to imagine myself as a sheep!  Wanna give it a try?

 

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Pause for Prayer: May 11, Easter 4 GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY

Good Shepherd by Duncan Grant
 
Today, the Fourth Sunday of Easter,
   is Good Shepherd Sunday...

Good Shepherd of us all,
I thank you today for all the good shepherds in my life
and for all the ways you've shepherded me
through their love, their watchful presence,
their devotion and protection...

I thank you for my parents, my first shepherds;
I thank you for their protection, for the shelter of their love,
and for all they sacrificed
to help me grow...

I thank you for other shepherds in my family
and for all my friends
who comfort and challenge me,
who dry my tears and make me laugh,
who walk faithfully close by my side...

I thank you for all the shepherds
who taught me in school,
who counseled and directed me,
who shaped me and helped me to become
the person I am today...

I thank you for shepherds
whose names I don't know, who stand in harm's way
'round my town and 'round the world,
standing guard all day long to keep me safe,
keeping vigil while I sleep without a worry...

I thank you Lord, for the shepherds who care
for the sick and dying sheep among us,
who bind up wounds,
who bring comfort to those in pain,
who speed the path to health
or ease the path to end of days...

I thank you for the shepherds you've called home,
especially those gone much too soon,
whose gentle shepherd's crook I miss,
whose presence still abides within my heart...

I thank you for the shepherds, Lord,
who remember me in prayer,
lifting up my name and needs to you;
who keep me in the sheepfold of your grace, 
you, my gentle Shepherd,
Good Shepherd of us all...

Amen.

The Lord Is My Shepherd 

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5/10/25

NIGHT PRAYER: Saturday 5/10


Every time I go online these days, I'm flooded with messages about Mother's Day and every single one reminds me, Lord that my mother's no longer with me because she's with you now in heaven...
 
It was 34 years ago that Ruth, your daughter, my mother, passed from this life to life with you forever and yet I still have the impulse to write a card, to buy a gift, to send flowers - to be with her -on this second weekend in May...

The Mothers Day ads are bittersweet, Lord: reminding me of the wonderful woman
who birthed me, loved me and raised me; they remind me that she's gone, that now the world's a different place...

So, tonight I pray for all of us whose mothers you've called home, especially for sons and daughters whose loss and grief are fresh and  more keenly, deeply felt...

Recall, renew, refresh in us our best maternal memories and with your gentle grace, Lord, heal the loss that's hard to bear...

We place our trust in you, Lord, taking comfort in our hope that joy will come when once again we'll know our mothers' love, when you gather us together in your kingdom, in your love, in your mercy, in your peace - like a mother, in your arms...
 
Protect us, Lord, while we're awake and watch over us when we fall asleep, that awake, we might keep watch with you and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.
 
Faithful Mother 
 
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Pause for Prayer: Saturday 5/10


May is a month of special devotion to Mary, mother of God, mother of Jesus, mother of us all.  On this second weekend in May we honor our own mothers and Mary, our mother in faith...
 
 Mothers will be celebrated by their families this weekend in special ways. There will be flowers and sweets; phone calls from children who live too far away for a visit; cards and gifts; breakfast in bed or brunch or dinner at a nice restaurant.  Keep a place in your prayer this day for all the mothers who will rejoice with their families this Mothers Day weekend...


Some women will spend this Mothers' Day in anticipation of the birth of a child they're carrying - perhaps their first child - a child whose ultrasound image has already won the hearts of mom and dad. Other expectant mothers are making their way through the long process of adoption - or perhaps the arrival of their adopted love is just around the corner! Still others welcome children into their lives as their stepmother.  Keep a place in your prayer this Mothers' Day for those who are expecting the arrival of a child - and pray that both mother and child will be healthy...


I lost my mother in August of 1991. I love her and miss her but I can't say that Mothers' Day is as difficult day for me as I know it is for many others. Tougher for me than the second Sunday in May are all the times through the year when wonderful things are happening in my life, in my ministry, and I think, "I wish mom could be here for this!" Open a place in your heart to pray for those who miss the wonderful mother God gave them...


Some mothers have and raise children with no spouse to help and support them.  Some mothers have chosen this path but others have not. Let's keep a place in our prayer for those who know the burdens of single-parent mothering and, when able, open ourselves and our homes to offer what company and help we might give...


My heart goes out to women who want very much to be mothers but who, for any number of reasons, are unable to bear a child... I know this day can be difficult for them, even as they celebrate their own mothers with love and devotion. Let's keep a place in our prayer for women who long for a child with all their heart and soul...


I think of mothers around the world who live in abject poverty, who have no food for their children, no clothing, no health care, no decent shelter... I don't pretend to know or understand what must be the depths of their pain as they hold a malnourished child in their arms with no food to keep them from dying... Pray with me for change in our world to ensure that no mother, no child need face such desperation... And pray for those who even now work to bring food, clean water, clothing and shelter to those who have none...



Part of my ministry is to serve the bereaved... Just recently I celebrated the funeral of a wonderful woman, a fine mother, a woman with faith as great as it was simple, as beautiful as it was profound. Her family grieved and prayed for her and I know this Mothers' Day will be especially difficult for them. Let's keep a place in our prayer this weekend for those whose grief over losing their mother is fresh in their minds and hearts...


We live in world where children are born to families able and ready to care for them and we live in a world where millions of children will be hungry this Mother's Day.  We live in a world where some nations limit the number of children a couple may legally have.  And we live in a world where many champion the "right" to end the life of a child already conceived. For the mothers of all these children, and for their children, let us keep a place in our prayer this weekend...


Some children have mothers who failed to care for them. Their sons and daughters understand deeply the lyrics of that old song, "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child." And some mothers will be burdened today with memories of how they missed the signs of harm being done to their own by others.  Let's keep a place of prayer in our hearts for those whose hearts are heavy today...


Some mothers today will be forgotten by their children: no visit, no card, no call, no candy or flowers. Some mothers this day don't know where a son or daughter has gone or what has become of them. A mother's heart aches on this day for the child of her womb who has forgotten her or who has disappeared. Pray with me on this Mother's Day for women who wait for a call that will not come...


Many mothers will remember today a child they've lost to sickness, addiction, an accident, war or other violence, miscarriage or abortion.  A parent's grief for a child can be unfathomable - and a mother's grief is deeper than any. We Christians pray and believe that one day we shall see those who have gone before us and enjoy their love again. Keep a place in your heart for mothers who need the consolation of such faith and pray they'll trust that the Lord will indeed keep his word...

There are many places in the world where mothers are shielding their children from the threat of drone strikes or armed militia in the streets.  There are places where homeless mothers are caring for their children after war has destroyed their homes.  Offer a prayer for peace and an end to the violence that war visits upon poor and innocent families...


Some mothers today will not know or recognize their children when they come to visit. Time has robbed them of their memory of even those they love the most. Keep a place in your prayer today for mothers who may know their children in their heart of hearts but are unable to remember or speak their names. And pray for those sons and daughters who tell their mothers of their love, hoping that a mother's heart will hear what her mind no longer holds...


This Mothers' Day, we turn our hearts to Mary, the Mother of God, the Mother of Jesus and Mother of us all: Christ's sisters and brothers. With a mother's care she raised her Son and lived the joys and the grief that only a mother's heart can know. Whatever our spirits on this Mothers' Day weekend, the Mother of Jesus embraces us all, so let us pray...

Hail Mary: Gentle Woman 
        sung  by the Daughters of Saint Paul 
 
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Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women
And blest is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners now
And at the hour of death.
Amen.

Gentle woman, quiet light,
Morning star, so strong, so bright.
Gentle mother, peaceful dove,
Teach us wisdom, teach us love.

You were chosen by the Father,
You were chosen for the Son,
You were chosen from all women
and for woman, shining one...

Blessed are you among women,
blest in turn all women, too,
blessed they with peaceful spirits
blessed they with gentle hearts...


  

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5/9/25

NIGHT PRAYER: Friday 5/9

Praying tonight for Pope Leo, Lord...
 
I pray you'll give him 
    a shepherd's heart,
    a lion's courage, 
    a prophet's voice,
    a mystic's vision,
    an elder's wisdom,
    and a poet's soul...
     
Give him, Lord,
    a discerning mind,
    a prudent perspective,
    a determined energy,
    a gentle demeanor,
    a genuine warmth
    and a merciful spirit...
 
Give him a heart
    for the work of justice, the making of peace;
    for preserving the earth, our common home;
    for victims of prejudice, war and abuse;
    for the hungry, abandoned poor of the world;
    for those who are seeking asylum and refuge'
    for the healing of wounds in body and souls...
 
Give him a love for you, O Lord, 
    for you and your truth,
    for all people of faith,
    for your gospel's good news,
    for the mercy you offer
    and your Spirit's holy, mysterious ways...
 
Protect the pope, Lord, while he's awake
    and watch over him as he sleeps
that awake he keep the watch with you
    and asleep find rest in your peace...

Amen.
 
Heart of a Shepherd 

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If you love me, feed my lambs:
    be my heart, my voice, my hands;
if you love me feed my sheep
    and for my part I give you the heart 
        of a shepherd.

Lord, you are my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where you give me repose.
Near restful waters you lead me,
to revive my drooping spirit. 

You guide me along the right path;
You are true to your name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
with these you give me comfort. 

You have prepared a banquet for me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil,
my cup is overflowing. 

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord's own house shall I dwell
forever and ever. 

  

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What do I think of the new pope?


People have been asking me what  I think of the new pope...  Well, last week was the first time I ever heard the name Robert Prevost and everything I know about him I learned in the last 8 hours!  My only "experience" of him was his being introduced to Rome and to the world from the balcony in Saint Peter's Square.  I've been praying over the first words of our new shepherd's greeting - and I encourage you to do the same as this morning's Pause for Prayer.  In the text of his greeting below, I've highlighted some of the phrases that I believe are signal signs (clues, if you will) of the nature, style and direction his ministry will take and in which he invites all of us to share...
 
Peace be with all of you!
  
Dearest brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for God's flock.  I, too, would like this greeting of peace to enter your hearts, to reach your families, and all people, wherever they are, all of the people, all over the earth.  Peace be with you!  This is the peace of the Risen Christ, an unarmed peace and a disarming peace, humble and persevering. It comes from God, God who loves us all unconditionally. 
 
We still have in our ears that weak, but always courageous voice of Pope Francis as he blessed Rome!  The Pope who blessed Rome, gave his blessing to the world, to the entire world, that Easter morning. Allow me to follow up on that same blessing: God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail!  We are all in the hands of God.  Therefore, without fear, united hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we move forward. 
 
We are disciples of Christ.  Christ precedes us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as the bridge that allows us to reach God and his love.  Help us, too, and help each other to build bridges, with dialogue and encounter, uniting us all to be one people, always in peace. Thank you, Pope Francis! 
 
I also want to thank all my brother cardinals who have chosen me to be Peter's Successor, and to walk together with you, as a united Church always seeking peace and justice, always seeking to work as men and women who are faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries.  I am a son of Saint Augustine, an Augustinian, who said: "with you I am a Christian and for you I am a bishop". In this sense, we can all walk together towards that homeland that God has prepared for us.
 
To the Church of Rome, a special greeting! We must seek together how to be a missionary Church, a Church that builds bridges, always open to receive, like St. Peter's Square, with open arms, all, all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue and love.
 
And if you allow me a word, a greeting to all and especially to my beloved diocese of Chiclayo, in Peru, where a faithful people accompanied their bishop, shared their faith and gave so, so much to continue being a Church that is faithful to Jesus Christ.
 
To all of you, brothers and sisters of Rome, of Italy, of the whole world, we want to be a Church of the Synod, a Church that walks, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close, especially to those who suffer.
 
Today is the day of the Supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii. Our Mother Mary always wants to walk with us, to be close, to help us with her intercession and her love. So, I would like to pray together with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole Church, for peace in the world and let us also ask Mary, our Mother, for this special grace.  Hail Mary...

  

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