A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Prayer

Image: George Mendoza

Good morning, good God!

Two friends I've not seen for years
were here for Mass yesterday
and then a wonderful brunch afterwards...

Oh, Lord, what a great day!

Old memories, new stories, laughs and tears,
a conversation begun nearly 30 years ago,
picked up as though several decades out of touch
hadn't interrupted in the least...

It's like that with good friends, Lord...

No matter how long it's been
you pick up right where you left off,
drawing on love put in trust for another day,
when we'd be back together again,
like yesterday...

It's like that with good friends, Lord
and so it's like that with you...

You're my oldest friend, Lord:
you loved me before I knew you,
before I was,
and you love me even when I act
as if we never met..

You hold sure every memory of our friendship,
especially when it might seem
I've just about forgotten you...

You cherish all our good times and forgive the times
when I've been less than faithful to you...

When I come back to you,
you're ready to pick up right where we left off,
ready to heal the breach my distance
put between us,
though never for a moment did you ever leave my side...

You rejoice in my return, Lord,
no matter how long I've been away
and you never tire of being with me,
of being there for me...

What a joy for me yesterday, Lord,
to see my friends across your table, to pray
and share with them your Word,
your grace, your presence...

Just as it's my joy, Lord, every week,
to meet you at your table, to speak to you in prayer,
to be nourished by your Word, graced by your mercy
and welcomed into the peace of your presence...

I offer you my praise and thanks, Lord,
for the friendship I have with you
and for your faithfulness to me
in good times and in bad...

I offer you my heart made joyful by all the friends
whose lives I've shared, whose hearts I know
because once, years ago, our faith brought us to you
and thus to one another...

Let me never forget your faithfulness, Lord,
let sin and shame never keep me
from your embrace
ever beckoning and drawing me
to return to you and to your love...

Make me a faithful friend to others, Lord,
to those whose paths crossed mine so many years ago
and to new friends whose paths will cross mine
today and all this week...

Amen.

(Click here for an archive of Monday Morning Offerings)