A litany of all the saints in YOUR life...

On All Saints Day we celebrate not only those whom the Church has canonized but ALL the holy women and men who are with God forever.  Today's Pause for Prayer is intended to help us remember and celebrate all the saints we've known in our own experience...

 

I thank you, Lord for all the saints, 

    for all the holy women and men 

        I've known in my own life...

I praise and thank you for those, Lord:

    who gave me life...

    who loved me...

    who raised me...

    who rocked me in their arms...

    who told me the story of Jesus...

    who brought me to church... 

    who raised me in the ways of faith...

    who taught me to pray...

    who understood me…

    who educated me... 

    who protected me...

    who always had time for me...

    who dried my tears...

    who schooled me in fairness...

    who taught me to love my neighbor...

    who were patient with me...

    who corrected me... 

    who loved me when I did not love myself…

    who walked the extra mile with me…             

    who sheltered me from harm...

    who taught me to tell the truth...

    who forgave me again and again and again...

    who gave me good example...

    who taught me right from wrong…

    who were honest with me…

    who believed in me...

    who shared their joy with me...

    who lifted my spirits when I was sad...

    who touched my soul in so many ways...

    who healed my heart...

    whose integrity shaped my standards...

    who always remembered 

        - and did not forget me...

    who befriended me...

    who lived a faithful life...

    who inspired me...

    who sacrificed for me   

       - in more ways than I know or remember…

    who shaped and helped me make

       my best memories...

    whose wisdom was born of the Spirit...

    who kept my secrets...

    who comforted me...

    who encouraged me...

    who challenged me...

    who defended me...

    who chastised me...

    who consoled me…

    whose lives modeled fidelity...

    whose courage made me brave...

    who were there for me

       through thick and thin...

    who taught me how to hope...

    who trusted me...

    who took my side…

    who taught me to care for others…

    who nurtured my gifts and talents...

    who had my back...

    who gave me a second chance

       - and many, many more…

    who were my rock and refuge...

    who cared for me when I was sick...

    who helped me become the person I am...

    who prayed for me and prayed for me 

        - and prayed for me…

    who spent their whole lives loving me... 

 

Such as these have been my saints

   the saints in my own life, Lord,

the holy men and women

   who’ve been your gift to me

and for whom, now, I give you, Lord

   all glory, thanks and praise…

 

Help me be a saint like them

   in my own day, in my own ways, 

   in your eyes, Lord, and in the lives

      of all around me...   

 

 Amen.

 

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Pause for Prayer: ALL SAINTS DAY

Today is All Saints Day,
   a day to remember all those faithful men and women
      who don't have their own day on the church calendar
         but who are with God in heaven...

Who are these saints? 

Do I want to be counted in their number?

What would I need to do to be a saint? 

 

Saints are people who pay attention 

    and who pay attention to making sure

        that they strive every day to pay attention...

 

Saints are simply people who pay attention:
    to the presence of God in their hearts

    to the presence of God in their prayer,

    to the presence of God in creation...

 

Saints are simply people who pay attention:

    to the presence of God

        at home, at work, at school,

        in the neighborhood and the community,

        and in the world, especially in the lives

            of the poor and the vulnerable...

 

Saints are people who pay attention 

    to being honest and faithful, 

    fair and just, loyal and trustworthy, 

    pure and compassionate

        - in their daily lives...

Saints are people who pay attention 

    to their own faults and failings, 

    who make amends for their sins 

    and who forgive those who trespass against them...

Saints are people who pay attention 

    to the implications and consequences     

        of their habits, decisions and choices,

        their politics, entertainment and spending,

        their investments, lifestyle and possessions...

Saints are people who pay attention 

    to the needs of others, especially the poor
       before providing for themselves...

Saints are people who know the difference

     between paying attention
           and not paying attention...

Saints are people who pay attention

    even when no one else does...

Lord, help me pay attention
   and help me be a saint this day...

 Amen.

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NIGHT PRAYER: Halloween 10/31

 

It's Halloween, Lord!

 

Image source

Time to ponder the costumes we don 

    - the rest of the year -

when we outfit ourselves

    as someone or something we're not

    - or hide the persons we are...

Our costumes hang in our closets,

the day-to-day clothing we wear

    to make ourselves more attractive,

    to conceal or highlight the shape we're in, 

    to show that we're up with the times

    or to distance ourselves from fads and trends...

But you, Lord, you care little 

    for style and couture, color and cut, 

    old or new, hot or not,

    designer label or off the rack...

 

Instead, you look to our hearts

and are pleased when you find them naked:

    exposed to your healing touch,

    laid bare that you might swaddle us

    in your kindness, compassion and love...

St. Paul reminds us:

    Clothe ourselves in heartfelt mercy

        and  put on garments of gentleness,

            humility and patience...*

 

Strip me of all my pretense, Lord, 

    my desire to be who I'm not,

and make me content to be and become

    the person you fashioned and made me to be...

 

Clothe me in peace and outfit me 

    for the work that's mine to do;

robe my heart in a garment of love

    and garb me in strength and grace...

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.

 

*Tonight's song draws its lyrics from Colossians 3:12-17

 

Because You Are Chosen by John Michael Talbot

 

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Because you are chosen 

Called to be holy 

Because you are the Lord’s beloved

You must clothe yourself with kindness

With heartfelt mercy 

In the meekness of humility

 

So bear you now with one another

And forgive as the Lord’s forgiven you

Over all these virtues

Bind them all together

In the Love of our Lord Jesus

 

Over all these virtues

Bind them all together

In the Love of our Lord Jesus

Over all these virtues

Bind them all together

In the Love of our Lord Jesus

  

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Litany of the Saints

 

In anticipation of All Saints Day tomorrow, I'm posting John Becker's simple yet powerfully moving Litany of the Saints.  True to the spirit of All Saints Day, the refrain here pleads "All you holy men and women, pray for us!"  Today the church celebrates all the holy men and women from our families and friends and through history who are with the Lord now, forever in peace.  So, who are the holy women and men you've known in your life whom you'll remember in this prayer?  (In verse 6 this recording includes the intercessions sung at the Easter Vigil when adults are being baptized.)

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LITANY OF THE SAINTS
John D. Becker

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

1.
Mary and Joseph, pray for us.
Michael and all angels, pray for us.
Anna, Joachim, Elizabeth, pray for us.
Elijah, Moses, John the Baptist, pray for us.
Isaac, Sarah, Abraham, pray for us.
Jacob, Joseph, Samuel, pray for us.
Ruth, David and Solomon, pray for us.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.

2.
Peter, Paul, Andrew, pray for us.
James, John, and all apostles, pray for us.
Mary Magdalene, Veronica, pray for us.
Barnabas, Matthias, pray for us.
Stephen, Philip, and Cornelius, pray for us.
Prisca and Aquila, pray for us.
Timothy and Titus, pray for us.
Linus, Cletus, and Clement,pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.

3.
Lawrence and Chrysogonus, pray for us.
Innocent, and Boniface, pray for us.
Hippolytus and Origen, pray for us.
Athanasius and Basil, pray for us.
Felicity, Perpetua, pray for us.
Cosmos and Damien, pray for us.
John Chrysostom, and Justin, pray for us.
Lucy, Agatha, and Agnes, pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.

4.
Jerome and Eusebius, pray for us.
Scholastica and Benedict, pray for us.
Ambrose, Monica, Augustine, pray for us.
Martin and Gregory, pray for us.
Clare, Francis, and Dominic, pray for us.
Francis Xavier, Ignatius, pray for us.
Elizabeth and Catherine, pray for us.
Louis and Wenceslaus, pray for us.
All you holy men and women, pray for us.

5.
Lord, be merciful, save your people.
From all evil, save your people.
From every sin, save your people.
From everlasting death, save your people.
By your incarnation, save your people.
By your death and resurrection, save your people.
By your gift of the Spirit, save your people.
Have mercy on us sinners, save your people.

Christ, hear us. Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

6.
Lord, give new life, hear our prayer.
To these chosen, hear our prayer.
By the grace of baptism, hear our prayer.
O Jesus, Son of the living God, hear our prayer.
Send your Spirit, hear our prayer.
In its fullness, hear our prayer.
On your sons and daughters, hear our prayer.
Who believe and profess you, hear our prayer.

Christ, hear us. Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

Source: OCP Publications

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Pause for Prayer: HALLOWEEN 10/31

 

It's time for tricks or treats, Lord!

It's Halloween 

    - and I'm knocking at your door!

You see what's behind all the masks I wear

    so I haven't come in a costume:

        you see through my games,

        my pranks and charades, 

        my stunts and my antics,

        my capers and cons,

            foolishness, all - and sometimes worse...

So, I come with this Halloween prayer, Lord,

    a prayer for mercy and pardon 

    a plea for your healing forgiveness

for all my shenanigans, mischief and sins

    and the tricks I've tried to play on you

        - only duping myself and my neighbor...

 

I trust in your loving kindness, Lord

    so much so that I'm bold to say:

   ` "No tricks  - but a treat  I'll ask this year,

        the grace of a Halloween blessing:

    treat me with mercy, healing and peace

        on the eve of the feast of All Saints;

    and fill my arms, my heart and my soul

        with the sweetness and grace and joy...

 

Amen.

 

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NGHT PRAYER: Wednesday 10/30

A shorter than usual Night Prayer but one I wanted to post before all the leaves are gone...

Photo by Miguel Nieves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A shorter than usual Night Prayer but one I wanted to post before all the leaves are gone...

 

Gold leaf pressed beneath my feet,

my path embossed in amber beauty

dusted with your glory, Lord,

precious 24 carat proof:

    your grace glows all around me...

 

As gold is tried and tested, then,

refine my soul in purifying flames:

let your Spirit's fire heal me, Lord,

'til, good as gold, I gleam and glow

    as treasure in your hand...

Amen.

Gold by Jesus Culture, 

    sung by Samantha Rude

 

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Thank you, we thank you, Jesus

You see what’s hidden under the surface 

You see the beauty under the tarnish 

 

You refine in fire what You call gold 

You refine in fire what You can mold 

 

Find me here in Your presence 

I’m not leaving the same 

Let Your refining fire 

Purify me again 

Let the weight of Your glory 

Bring me back to my knees 

O God, come with revival 

You can start it in me 

 

You have a purpose, You see the outcome 

You have intention, You're bringing freedom 

You will find in fire what You call gold 

You will find in fire what You can mold

Find me here in Your presence 

I’m not leaving the same 

Let Your refining fire 

Purify me again 

Let the weight of Your glory 

Bring me back to my knees 

O God, come with revival 

You can start it in me 

 

Pour it out, Lord, Pour it out, Lord

 

New hope, new life, new wine 

We come together with 

One breath, one voice, one cry 

Jesus our Savior (repeat)

 

Find me here in Your presence 

I’m not leaving the same 

Let Your refining fire 

Purify me again 

Let the weight of Your glory 

Bring me back to my knees 

O God, come with revival 

You can start it in me (repeat)

 

We thank you, oh, we thank you 

 

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A prayer for these days...

 

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Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 10/30

 

Even when I'm not looking to talk to the Lord,
    even when I'm avoiding talk to him,
        he's always trying to get in touch with me...

No matter how long I isolate,

     no matter how long it takes me to answer,

 the Lord is patient, always patient,

    and waiting to hear how I'm doing... 

How about you?

Is the Lord waiting to hear from you?

 

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