10/26/26

Night Prayer: MONDAY 10/26


As I reflected on the first reading for mass this morning it occurred to me that Saint Paul's words are just what our nation needs as we approach next week's election. So, for this evening's post I've rendered Paul's counsel to the Ephesians in the form of a prayer...

O God,
help us be kind to one another 
and compassionate,
forgiving one another 
you have forgive us...
 
As your beloved children,
help us imitate you 
and live in love...

Let there be among us
no immorality, impurity or greed,
no obscene, foolish or suggestive talk...
 
Rather, let our mouths be filled
with praise and thanksgiving... 
 
Remind us always
that no immoral, impure or greedy person
has any inheritance in your reign...
 
Keep us being deceived by empty arguments
that call forth your judgment
on the disobedient...

For we, too, were once darkness,
but now we are light in you, O Lord:
let us walk as children of the light...
 
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. 
 
Here's Tony Alonso's simple setting of those daunting words from Saint Paul: "Be imitators of God!"  
 
Be Imitators of God by Tony Alonso 
 
If a video doesn't appear below, click here!
 
 
Be imitators of God,
be imitators of God
and walk in love
 
As Christ has loved us
as Christ has loved us
and walk in love
 
Be imitators of God,
be imitators of God
and walk in love

  

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

Monday Morning Offering: 10/26

Morning Coffee by George Mendoza
 
I've been working on this prayer for some 16 years now - I hope you find this latest version helpful...
 
For your divine imagination, Lord,
I thank you;
for your playful wisdom shaping earth
in seasons timed with beauty,
I offer you my praise...
 
Who first knew, O Lord, 
your plan for shorter days
and a chill to sap the chlorophyll 
from summer’s shady boughs? 
 
Or your gift of longer nights unfolding 
hidden hues on every branch;
your bare hand waving blessings 
on a cool October breeze...

I see revealed in summer's loss, 
in each tree's seasoned dying,
a beauty, gold and russet
amid rustling purple patches, 
crimson capped and glory crowned...
 
I see fall's sheer light filtering
through leaves aglow 
as autumn embers burn away 
the summer's last hurrah...
 
As my hope's summered green now fades,
Lord, paint my soul in autumn hues
illumined with the season's light 
whose only source is you...
 
I offer thanks for every leaf
that sighs and dies and falls to pad
the path I walk and wander
in the forests of your grace...
 
Make safe my way through autumn's mystery,
changes, twists and turns
and walk with me, close by my side,
as year's end now draws nigh...
 
Amen.
 
S

  

10/25/26

Night Prayer: SUNDAY 10/25


On Sundays, Night Prayer takes its lead from some element from the day's liturgy. Tonight's prayer responds to the first scripture at mass, from the book of Exodus...
 You shall not molest or oppress an alien for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt. You shall not wrong any widow or orphan. If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry. My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword; then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.

If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people, you shall not act like an extortioner toward him by demanding interest from him. If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, you shall return it to him before sunset; for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body. What else has he to sleep in. If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate.

Your words today are hard, Lord! 
Demanding, harsh, challenging and taxing!
 
And I can't dismiss these verses as some exaggerated, 
  ancient, fire and brimstone commandment:
    you clearly define your terms;
    there's no mistaking your urgent resolve,
    nor any doubt of your passionate care
    for those who cry out in their need...
 
I looked and looked and looked, Lord,
 - but there's no wriggle room here!
 
I'm bound to face up to this word that confronts
    my th0ughts and my faith,
    my mind, heart and soul,
    my blessings and bounty,
    my conscience and my politics,
    my bank account, wallet and purse...
 
So my prayer tonight, Lord, is two-fold:
 
    - help me to hear and take to heart,
       with a humble and generous spirit, 
      your hard, taxing and challenging word
       and all that it asks of the life I lead
 
    - and because I know how often I fail
        in giving as you command,
      be merciful, Lord, in judging me
       and widen and open my heart
        to those who are most in need... 
 
Let me not dismiss your word, O Lord,
    nor your call, nor your love for the poor 
lest I be dismissed by my selfishness
    from your open and generous arms...
 
You hear the cry of the poor, Lord,
    help me hear what you hear
        and reach out to those you 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. 
 
Please read! Most of my readers will be familiar with this song and with the Saint Louis Jesuits recording of it.  I just found this performance by ValLimar Jensen - she truly brings out the power of this text and the potential of John Foley's melody.  And this arrangement is very faithful to the Exodus text we're praying with tonight. 
 
The Cry of the Poor by John Foley, SJ 
   sung by ValLimar Jensen 
 
If a widget doesn't appear below, click here!
 
  
I will bless the Lord at all times
With praise ever in my mouth
Let my soul glory in the Lord
Who will hear the cry of the poor,
   hear the cry of the poor? 
 
Let the lowly hear and be glad
The Lord listens to their pleas
and to hearts broken, God is near
Who will hear the cry of the poor? 
 
The Lord hears the cry of the poor,
Blessed be the Lord
The Lord hears the cry of the poor,
Blessed be the Lord 
 
Every spirit crushed God will save,
will be ransom for their lives
will be safe shelter for their fears
and will hear the cry of the poor 
 
The Lord hears the cry of the poor,
Blessed be the Lord
The Lord hears the cry of the poor,
Blessed be the Lord 
 
We proclaim your greatness, O God, 
Your praise ever in our mouth,
Every face brightened in Your light
For You hear the cry of the poor
You hear the cry of the poor 
 
The Lord hears the cry of the poor,
Blessed be the Lord
The Lord hears the cry of the poor,
Blessed be the Lord 
 

  

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

10/24/26

NIGHT PRAYER: Saturday 10/24


As many of my readers know, I have an ongoing relationship with an inmates' prayer group at Clear Creek County Jail in Georgetown, Colorado. Tonight's offering is an expanded version of a prayer I wrote some time ago and which my friends at Clear Creek prayed this past week.  Because the group includes Spanish speaking men, my assistant (ChatGPT) translates the materials I send each week. I was struck by the Spanish for "Deliver me, O Lord!" which is “¡Líbrame, Señor!”  In Spanish it's right up front: "Liberate me, Lord! Set me free! Release me!" 

Deliver me, O Lord!

   deliver me, O Lord!

 

From dwelling on my troubles

   and ignoring all my blessings:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From giving in to worries

   and leaving hope behind:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From delaying, wasting too much time

   and failing to move on:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From judging other people

   while denying my own faults:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From giving up and giving in,

   to things that only hurt me:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From telling lies and stories

   when it’s hard to face the truth:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From all that keeps me locked up

   in the prison of my heart:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From living in the shadows

   and hiding from the light:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From “friends” who are not real friends,

   who use me and forget me:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From brooding on my failings

   and not praying to succeed:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From all my broken promises

   to others and myself:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From drowning in self-pity

   and refusing others’ help:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From living in my pipe dreams

   and avoiding what is real:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From anything that holds me back

   from trusting in your mercy:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From grudges and resentments

   that weigh upon my mind:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From dwelling in the past,

   now far beyond my reach:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From nagging doubts that keep me

   from believing in your love:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From any sadness, grief or loss

   that robs me of my joy:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From false accusations

   and from unfair allegations:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From cravings and temptations,

   from compulsions and addictions:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From presuming only bad news

   and expecting nothing more:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From the melancholy blues

   that sing a song within my soul:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From whatever blocks my way

   when I’m following your path:

      deliver me, O Lord!

       

From anything that keeps me

   from abiding in your grace:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From chasing my desires

   while neglecting others’ needs:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From whatever blinds my vision

   of the plans you have for me:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

From thinking I can do it all

   - and do it on my own:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

 From whatever curbs my will

   and my courage to move on:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

 From all that works against me

   when I try to do my best:

      deliver me, O Lord!

       

From any fear that  keeps me

   from the good that lies ahead:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

And from me, myself and I

   - when it’s ME who is the problem:

      deliver me, O Lord!

 

Deliver me, O Lord!

Apart from you, I’ll lose my way,

   without your help I have no hope,

in you alone I’ll find the peace

   that pardons, heals and fills my soul…

 

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. 
 
Deliver Me by John Marsh
    performed by David Crowder Band 
 
If a widget doesn't appear below, click here! 
 

Deliver me out of the sadness

Deliver me from all the madness

Deliver me, courage to guide me

Deliver me, Your strength inside me

 

All of my life I've been in hiding

Wishing there was someone just like You

Now that You're here

Now that I've found You

I know that You're the One to pull me through

(2X)

 

O deliver me!

 

Jesus,  Jesus how I trust You

How I've proved You o'er and o'er

Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus

Deliver me

Come pull me through

Come pull me through

  

SUBSCRIBE HERE!