A Concord Pastor Comments: NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 6/2

I believe there's a power for evil, Lord,
a power roaming the world,
seeking the ruin of humanity's soul,
working to dismantle all we've built up,
to pull apart all we've united,
and to sour all we've sweetened
   through our sacrifice and love...

And when evil fails to claim the day
it satisfies itself with lesser, minor victories:
   - seeding faith with doubt and fear
   - weakening hope through disappointment
   - abusing trust by threat of force
   - distorting the truth through false narrative
   - privilege prevailing over rights and law
   - stifling spirits, just a soul at a time...

And when even these fail, Lord,
evil takes delight in all the ways we:
   - mistake the part for the whole,
   - confuse our bias with reality,
   - care for ourselves before tending to others,
   - take for granted all that we have,
   - lose ourselves in arguments and disputes

We satisfy ourselves in heated discussions that
   - are minor and pointless,
   - signal our virtue
   - distract from the truth
   - avoid the real questions
   - and lead us to think our debates might contribute
      to resolving the issues and problems at hand
- but they don't and they can't...

What this all means, Lord,
is that even on a losing day,
evil can usually find something to smile about...

And on different days, in different ways,
I'm a part of all of this, Lord,
as I'm sure I was on this day, now coming to a close...

Forgive me, Lord, forgive me for the times today
when I let evil get too close,
nip at my heels, influence my thoughts
and even whisper in my heart...

Forgive me, Lord,
for the time and energy,
the breath and words I wasted
when I might have given my time and my heart
to you in prayer,
and myself to others much in need
of my attention, support and care...

So, forgive me, Lord,
and give me a good night's rest
that tomorrow I might wake refreshed
and in the power of your Spirit rise above
what temptations may come my way...

Protect me from all evil, Lord:
protect me as I lie awake and watch over me as I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Take, Lord, Receive by John Foley, SJ, sung by Chris Brunelle

1) Take, Lord, receive
all my liberty,
my memory, understanding, my entire will.

Give me only your love and your grace,
that's enough for me,
your love and your grace are enough for me.

2) Take, Lord, receive
all I have and possess:
you have given all to me, now I return it.

3) Take, Lord, receive,
all is yours now:
dispose of it wholly according to your will.