On Sundays, Night Prayer will focus on an element from the day's celebration of Mass. Tonight's prayer picks up on God's calling us, as found in the first reading and the gospel for today's liturgy...
Today's scriptures raise so many questions, Lord,
questions for me to ponder and pray over...
Do I listen for how you call me, Lord?
Do I listen for you to call me by name?
Have I the courage to speak your name to others?
- to share with others the love you share with me?
Will I invite you to use my life
to reach and touch and heal those around me?
Will I let go some things I treasure
to follow you more faithfully and completely?
Will I witness to my faith in you
even when I know others won't understand,
and may mock me for my beliefs?
Will I move beyond my comfort zone
and reach out to those on the margins?
to those who have nothing to offer me in return?
Will I serve those who make me feel uncomfortable
because they're different or strange?
because I'm unfamiliar with their ways?
Will I make the effort to love within myself
what you love within me?
Will I surrender my fears
and trust that with you by my side
all shall be well?
Will I listen for your call, your summons,
and respond with faith and trust in you
and in whatever it may be that you call me to do?
So many questions, Lord!
Help me face the them honestly and squarely.
Help me hear you call me by my name.
Help me believe that you desire
that I work with you to bring all those around me
to the mercy and the pardon
and the peace that's yours to give...
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.
The Summons by Graham Maule and John Bell
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Will you come and follow me
If I but call your name?
Will you go where you don’t know
And never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
Will you let my name be known,
Will you let my life be grown
In you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind
If I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
And never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
Should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer
In you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see
If I but call your name?
Will you set the pris’ners free
And never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean,
And do such as this unseen,
And admit to what I mean
In you and you in me?
Will you love the ‘you’ you hide
If I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
And never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found
To reshape the world around,
Through my sight and touch and sound
In you and you in me?
Lord, your summons echoes true
When you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you
And never be the same.
In your company I’ll go
Where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I’ll move and live and grow
In you and you in me.
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