On Sundays, Night Prayer will focus on an element from the day's celebration of Mass. This weekend I preached on "keys," and the "keys of grace" entrusted to Eliakim and Peter in today's readings. I began my homily by asking, "Do you know where your keys are?" At one time or another (or much more often!) we've all misplaced our keys and we know the panic that ensues...
Among my possessions, Lord,
among the things I might misplace,
which might trigger the most anxiety
and desire to find what I've lost?
My keys? My cell phone?
My wallet? My glasses? My lap top?
It's because I really believe
I really need these things,
that I can't get along without them
that when I lose them
I feel like I've lost my security,
my safety - myself...
Would that I'd panic as quickly, Lord,
would that I'd worry as greatly
and search as diligently:
- when I lose my connection with you
when I'm "way too busy" to pray...
- when I lose my sense of well-being
when I fail to care for myself....
- when I lose my sense of direction
when I follow a foolish path...
- when I lose myself to sorrow
when I cling to grief I won't let go...
- when I lose my sense of purpose
when I surrender to disappointment...
- when I lose my faith in you
when I narrow my trust in your care...
- when I lose my hope for tomorrow when I surrender myself to the past...
- when I lose my joy in living
and I lock the door of my heart...
Of all the things I think I need,
of all that I truly treasure,
let these things, Lord, be most important
and my finding them my greatest joy:
- my relationship with you
- the abiding gift of your mercy
- awareness of my personal dignity
- trust in where you're leading me
- living mindfully, in the moment
- accepting the whole of my life as gift
- trust in the breadth and depth of your love
- faith that you're always with me
- courage to open my soul to all love
Phones and wallets, keys and glasses,
all these will pass, Lord, can be replaced
so focus my heart on what really matters,
help me treasure the greatest gifts,
and help me rejoice and share the good news
when I've found what I thought I had lost...
And just one more thing, Lord:
when I am lost and all alone,
be like the shepherd who lost his sheep, like the woman who lost her coin, and search, search, search and search
'til you've found me,
'til I know, deep in my heart,
that indeed, I have been found by you...
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.
Tonight's music comes not from the pages of scripture or a hymnal - but from hit Broadway musical. I suspect the composers were writing about human friendship but as a believer, I can't help but think of God as the one who is always searching me out and finding me over and over again...
Have you ever felt
like nobody was there?
Have you ever felt forgotten in the middle of nowhere?
Have you ever felt like you could disappear?
Like you could fall, and no one would hear?
Well, let that lonely
feeling wash away
Maybe there's a reason to believe you'll be okay
'Cause when you don't feel strong enough to stand
You can reach, reach out your hand
And oh, someone will
come running
And I know, they'll take you home
Even when the dark
comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
And when you're broken on the ground
You will be found
So let the sun come
streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
Lift your head and look around
You will be found
There's a place where
we don't have to feel unknown
And every time that
you call out
You're a little less alone
If you only say the
word
From across the silence
Your voice is heard
And oh, someone will
come running
Oh, they'll take you home
Even when the dark
comes crashin' through
When you need a friend to carry you
When you're broken on the ground
You will be found!
So when the sun comes streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
If you only look around
You will be found
You will be found
You will be found
Out of the shadows
The morning is breaking
And all is new, all is new
It's filling up the empty
And suddenly I see that
All is new, all is new
You are not alone
Even when the dark
comes crashin' through
When you need someone to carry you
When you're broken on the ground
You will be found!
So when the sun comes
streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
If you only look around
You will be found
SUBSCRIBE HERE!
