NIGHT PRAYER: Wednesday 7/2

As you know, Lord,

    there's a big vote coming up

and the results touch American life

    in critically telling ways...

 

The tally of 432 votes 

    will impact our entire nation

        - and the whole world... 

 

So tonight I want to pray, Lord, 

    for the men and women  

        in the House of Representatives...

 

    Send your Spirit, Lord,

    to make them thoughtful and discerning,

    cautious and conscientious 

    in all their deliberations...

 

    Let your Spirit's wisdom inspire, counsel 

    and help them see clearly

    the far-reaching implications

    of the weighty task before them...

 

    Send your Spirit to free them

    from self-interest, partisan bias,

    selfish pride, inflated egos

    and mindless allegiance...

 

    May their debate be informed and open,

    respectful and productive:

    may they listen just as intently 

    as they argue and dispute...

 

Most of all, Lord, I pray these men and women 

    will be faithful and honest: 

        • faithful to the service

            they've pledged to their constituents

          and to the Constitution

            to which they've sworn an oath; 

        • faithful to the rule of law

           in its letter and spirit;

        • faithful to the ethos 

            and history of our nation;

        • faithful to our future's

            promise and demands

        • and faithful to you, O God above,

            in whom we put our trust and faith...

 

 And I pray they'll be honest, Lord:

        • honest with the facts and figures

            subject to their judgment;

        • honest with the people

            who elected them to office;        

        • honest in relationships,

            connections - and ambition;        

        • honest in an office

            so susceptible to graft;

        • honest with a nation

            that depends on their decisions;

        • honest with themselves,

            in their integrity and conscience;

        • and honest before you, Lord,

            whose word is their judge... 

 

I pray to you tonight, Lord, 

    for the men and women  

        in the House of Representatives

    and for all the people

        of the United States of America... 

   

Protect us, Lord while we're awake

    and watch over us while we sleep

that awake, we might keep watch with you

    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

 

God Bless America by Irving Berlin

    arranged by Mark Hayes 

       performed by Hal Leonard Choral 

 

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Oops! Forgot to post this on Sunday!

 

Although I posted a link to my Sunday homily on the sidebar here, I forgot to post it here on the main page!  Mea culpa!

 

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Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 7/2

 

 

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Some very interesting reading...

 

On the 4th of July we celebrate our nation's independence from the tyranny of a king. To prepare for the Fourth this year, I went back to the Declaration of Independence and its detailed description of the king's tyranny our forebears decried and vowed never again to suffer. 

 

I can think of no better way to prepare for and celebrate the Fourth of July than by taking a little time to read the Declaration of Independence...

 

You can read the whole text of the declaration here. Below you'll find a partial list of the colonists' grievances... 

"The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

- He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

- He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

- He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

- He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

- He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

- He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

- He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

- He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

- For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

- For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

- For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

- For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

- For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

- For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves (King and Parliament) invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever…

- He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

- He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us...

- In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people..."

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NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 7/1

This is the first of my prayer posts while spending July and August in Georgetown, Colorado... 

 

I'm grateful, Lord, 

    that over my many years,

I've found myself at home

    in 0h-so-many places...

 

Yes, at home...

 

You know, Lord...

 

    the place where they love me

        in spite of how well they know me...

 

    the place where I can be myself

        no matter who I am...

 

    the place where I have a place

        that I can call my own...  

 

    the place my soul defaults to

        when my heart is burdened, broken...

 

    the place that's filled with souvenirs

        of folks beloved, now gone...

 

    that place, though less than perfect,

        that I still claim as my home...

 

    the place or places where I've lived

        and loved and laughed and cried...

 

    the place that may no longer be

        a place where I can go

    but a place that I still visit

        in my memories, tears and dreams... 

 

I'm grateful, Lord, 

    that over my many years,

I've found myself at home

    in 0h-so-many places...

 

I'm in such a place right now, Lord,

in Georgetown, Colorado:

    a place that I can call my home,

        a place where I am welcomed in

            to hearth and heart and table;

    a place where I am loved and known

        and made to feel at home;

    a place where tears and memories

        are gently healed and held;

    a place where I will find you, Lord,

        who make your home in me... 

      

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.

 

I'm not sure of the composer's intentions in the lyrics of this song but I found it to pair well with the spirit of my words above - and I hope it will enhance your prayer as well... 

 

The Place I Call Home 

    by Our Atlantic Roots

 

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Roses in Georgetown!

I've arrived in Georgetown, Colorado and was glad to see that I'm just in time to enjoy these beautiful Harison Roses.  Pioneers moving west brought these roses from New York and they're still bloomimg all around town. The blossoms above are in my sister's front yard right in front of her front porch.

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On my way to church this morning...

 I saw these beauties on my way to church this morning.  I won't be here to see them in full bloom but I'm grateful for this preview of what's to come!

 

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I wonder...

 

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Headin' west!

On Monday, June 30, I'll be heading west to Georgetown, Colorado to spend two months with my sister and bro-in-law. That's Georgetown Lake in the photo - just one of the many beautiful spots in this little valley in the Rockies. 

 

I'll be celebrating mass each Saturday afternoon at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Georgetown and posting audio of my homilies. I'll be posting my daily prayers, too, but between now (late Saturday night) and Monday, I'll be busy wrapping things up here, packing and traveling - so don't expect a post until sometime on Tuesday. 

 

Please keep me in your prayers and as always, you'll be in mine!

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Pause for Prayer: SUNDAY 6/29

Just to know 

    I'm not alone in this, Lord

        - that's a help... 

Just to know 

    so many are praying with me

        - that's a grace... 

Just to know that others, too:

    call on your name, 

    seek you out,

    rest in your presence,

    nap in your arms,

    reach for your hand,

    lean on your shoulder,

    open their hearts,

    cry out in pain,

    plead their cause,

    tell you their stories,

    implore your assistance,

    thirst for your kindness,

    long for your comfort,

    hunger for your wisdom,

    pour out their grief,

    share their joy,

    appeal to your mercy,

    advocate for others,

    long for your healing,

    trust in your strength,

    listen for your word,

    search out your counsel,

    depend on your grace,

    hunger for your blessing,

    wait for your answer,

    hope in your promises,

    pray for your Spirit

    and trust in your love...

     

Just to know, Lord,

    that I'm not alone in prayer

        - that's a gift, Lord... 

Just to know that others are with me,

    right at this moment, 

        joining me in my prayer...

Just to know, Lord, 

that I'm not alone in

    believing that you're there,

    trusting that you hear me,     

    leaning on your mercy,

    counting on your goodness,

    waiting on your faithfulness,

    sure that you will answer me

        with grace, in peace,

    and all in your good time, Lord,

        all in your good time... 

Just to know this is already

    an answer to my prayer...

 

Amen. 

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