My local classical radio station offers a musical "afternoon reset"every day at 4:15: a breather to ease the transition from afternoon to early evening. We might think of our Night Prayer here together as a "prayerful reset," as we leave the day behind and slip into the dark of night, praying and trusting the Lord will keep us safe 'til morning...
Another day is done, Lord, another day is history:
help me leave behind, at least for now,
this day's cares and burdens
this day's fears and worries...
Let me take off and lay down my backpack of troubles:
they'll likely all be there tomorrow
- as will you - and together we'll pick up
right where we're leaving off tonight...
But for now, Lord, for this moment, for tonight,
reset my faith in you;
rekindle from the embers
the fire of my trust in you,
the warmth that keeps my hope aglow;
the wish, the plea, the prayer
that all shall be well
- if not tomorrow, then another day -
that all shall be well
in your good time and ways...
And as I leave this day behind, Lord,
forgive me all my trespasses,
my missteps and my stumbles,
my falls from grace, my sins
and all the ways I've failed to love...
And in your mercy, Lord, I pray:
recalibrate my focus and direction,
my intentions and good will,
my desire to be faithful
and my journey home to you...
Let me sigh a breath of sweet relief
that this day's done...
Let me fall back in your arms
or rest my head upon your shoulder:
hold me close, Lord, until I fall asleep...
Grant me a night free of fears
and sleep filled with dreams sweet enough
to lift my spirits up when tomorrow's burdens
weigh upon my mind...
Reset my heart, Lord,
and make it one with yours:
let nothing in the night ahead
keep me from you and from my hope
that come tomorrow
I will try again to do the next right thing
and stay close by your side...
Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake
and watch over me as I sleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
and asleep rest in your peace...
Amen.
Tonight's musical selection is one I also suggested last July. It's simple, instrumental and of some length: listen to as much of it as helps you pray, helps you let the Lord "reset" your soul tonight. And if the music leads you to sleep, consider it a gift from the Lord!
If the video below doesn't appear:click here!
Spiegel im Spiegel (Mirror in the Mirror) by Arvo Part
(Leonhard Roczek, cello;
Herbert Schuch, piano)
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