Coffee in the Morning by George Mendoza
Keeping A Holy Lent - 5
Good morning, good God!
This morning begins the sixth day of Lent
and I'm grateful, Lord,
for what you've been doing in my life
and for the grace to notice, to see
your hand at work...
On "Ash Thursday"
I finally did something I've been meaning to do
for several years:
I set aside a place to begin and end my days
in peace and in prayer...
It's just a corner of a small room
with a chair and a little table,
but it's a place for me to go and sit,
apart from everything and everyone else,
a place to be with you,
a place to talk with you,
a place to listen for you...
You've shown me this corner so many times
but I was always too busy to take the time,
too busy to make the time,
to make this a corner for prayer...
How much time did it take, you ask?
Well, to move a few chairs and a footstool,
to put a cross on the wall
and a candle on a table -
about 20 minutes...
It took me a couple of years, Lord,
to find 20 minutes
to set apart a place
which has already brought me much peace...
And this I've discovered, Lord:
now that I've found a place for prayer,
it's easier to find the time for prayer...
I needed a corner of my house
to make a corner of my heart
a place for us to meet...
I offer you this corner, Lord,
with thanks for helping me find it
and thanks for helping me find you there...
I offer you this quiet place, Lord,
where I can find a quiet place in my heart,
a place to find you...
I offer you these corner windows, Lord,
with thanks for the light you shine upon me,
day and night:
your light shining in my darkness...
I offer you the first five days of Lent, Lord,
and pray that this, the sixth,
will find me faithful to my corner for prayer
and so, more faithful to you...
I pray, Lord, for all who cross my path
between my morning and evening time with you:
I pray that I welcome them
as you have welcomed me
in the corner of a room,
in the corner of your heart,
especially those who struggle
to recognize your presence in their lives...
Keep my eyes and ears, my heart and mind open, Lord,
and help me make room, even a small corner,
for all the ways your hand might touch me this Lent...
Amen.
Photo: CP
Lent2010
Thank you for this suggestion of creating a special space for prayer. The picture reminds us that the space should be inviting yet comfortable. Time to move some furniture!
ReplyDeletefinding a place and time for prayer is not easy, and for me is different most every day-
ReplyDeleteI find that in the places and times when I feel most uncomfortable and distracted and even distressed is when I tend to look for God, sometimes desperately, but when I can find Him in these times it helps me get through.
I have also been trying to find God in times and places where I feel calmer and more relaxed- that's what I am working on recently-
...but, I don't have one set place to meet with God.
I really like what you said about not having to have an appointment with God and not getting voicemail, etc...
and I like the image you offered-
both in the picture and also what I have in my mind from your words.
I just re-read this post after I sent my last comment...
ReplyDeletewhen I said I liked what you said about not having to have an appointment with God or not getting voicemail...
I'm not sure where I read that-
I'm pretty sure you said it-- but, it wasn't in this post, I guess.
A serenity room perfect for prayer and reflection.
ReplyDeleteA serenity room perfect for prayer and reflection.
ReplyDelete...regarding my comment from a couple of weeks ago...
ReplyDeleteI found where I read about 'not having to make an appointment with God... '
it is in the Little Black Book that my parish gave out this Lent...
I had been going back through the book, re-reading, and also catching up, this past week, and I found that and just wanted to mention it here.
(I still feel that I heard it from you as well... ?)
thank you.