10/24/23

NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 10/24


Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Catholic patriarch of Jerusalem (who has offered himself in exchange for Israeli children being held hostage in Gaza) has sent a strong, compelling, empassioned letter to the people of his diocese.  In part he writes (emphasis added):
To have the courage of love and peace here, today, means not allowing hatred, revenge, anger and pain to occupy all the space of our hearts, of our speech, of our thinking. It means making a personal commitment to justice, being able to affirm and denounce the painful truth of injustice and evil that surrounds us, without letting it pollute our relationships. It means being committed, being convinced that it is still worthwhile to do all we can for peace, justice, equality and reconciliation. Our speech must not be about death and closed doors. On the contrary, our words must be creative, life-giving, they must give perspective and open horizons.
Long before a cease fire might be declared in Ukraine or in Israrel and Gaza, you and I have the authority and power to call for a cease fire in our own lives and relationships - and in the speech and words we use to address our nation's and our world's tragic differences and hostilities.

Lord, give me desire 
to call a Cease Fire
in the fights and arguments,
resentments and grudges
that make of my life a battlefield
and enemies of those you call me to love...
 
Lord, give me desire
to call a Cease Fire
and let go my lust 
for proving my point
and settling the score in my favor...
 
Lord, give me desire
to call a Cease Fire,
to clear a space 
in my mind and my heart 
for what others hold sacred,
precious and true,
in good faith,
as vital and real as my own...

Lord, give me desire
    to call a Cease Fire;
give me a hunger and thirst 
    for peace;
 give me an impulse
    to freely forgive;
give me the wisdom
    to see how the truth 
    is greater than all
    I can know or imagine;
give me me a yearning
   to be at peace
   even with those 
   who have no desire
   to be at peace with me;
and give me the grace
    to let go and let you, Lord,
    be the peace I desire and seek,
    the only peace that can heal my heart,
    the very peace you call me to make
    with all of my sisters and brothers...

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.
 
When I look for music, I often simply Google:
    Whatever is tonight's theme / hymn.
Well, I wasn't expecting much when I searched for:
    Cease Fire hymn  -  but lo and behold! 
 
Cease Fire by For King and Country

If a video doesn't appear below, click here!
 
 
How do we save a life - pointing fingers? 
How can we end the fight this way?
When blame is the truth we're preaching? 
And lies are what we're believing? 
No one ever wins 
When the goal is to settle the score 
 
One by one we will call for a ceasefire 
One by one we will fight for a better end 
One by one we could rewrite the headlines 
Standing side by side 
One by one, love is building an empire 
One by one, reaching out to our enemies 
One by one we will make it to the finish line 
Standing side by side -  Ceasefire!
 
I will be the first to say I'm far from perfect 
But grace was made for those who don't deserve it 
So easy to cast the first stone 
Much harder to search your own soul 
No one ever wins 
When the goal is to settle the score 
 
One by one we will call for a ceasefire 
One by one we will fight for a better end 
One by one we could rewrite the headlines 
Standing side by side 
One by one, love is building an empire 
One by one, reaching out to our enemies 
One by one we will make it to the finish line 
Standing side by side -  Ceasefire!
 
Teach us how to live humbly, love unconditionally 
Transform our hurt into hope and grant us Your peace 
Teach us how to live humbly, love unconditionally 
Transform our hurt into hope and grant us Your peace 
 
One by one we will call for a ceasefire 
One by one we will fight for a better end 
One by one we could rewrite the headlines 
Standing side by side 
One by one, love is building an empire 
One by one, reaching out to our enemies 
One by one we will make it to the finish line 
Standing side by side -  Ceasefire!
 
 

  

SUBSCRIBE HERE!

  

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please THINK before you write
and PRAY before you think!