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Daily Prayer, Spirituality and Worship in the Roman Catholic Tradition
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Yesterday afternoon I spent some time on the retreat house lawn overlooking the ocean. Something about the water's relative calm, the span of the horizon and the simple wooden cross led me to remembering those close to me who have crossed that horizon and gone home to God.
Sunset at Eastern Point, Gloucester 4/24 |
Just to be here, not to worryabout where else I should be...
Just to be here, not to worryabout where else I should be...
Just to be here, not to worryabout where else I should be...
Amen.
You Do Not Walk Alone by Elaine Hagenberg
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Those words capture what I hope will be my experience while on retreat - and you don't need to be away on retreat to pray this with me!
Cover Me, Lord by Andrew Culverwell
Chapel at Eastern Point Retreat House in Gloucester |
Pick me up, Lord,
and dust me off:
polish my tarnished spots...
Give me a kick
just where I need it
to get me going again...
Open my eyes
to see what's before me
now, in the moment, today...
And stay with me, Lord,
hour by hour,
step by step by my side...
And when day is done
I pray for good rest
till you shake me awake in the morn...
Amen
O grief,
O war and terror,
You have stolen our children.
You have stolen our rest.
And now you wish to steal our hope
In tomorrow.
Children of Gaza and Israel,
We pray for you to find each other,
In laughter and friendship,
Before someone teaches you
Anger and hatred,
While you are still pure with
Curiosity and wonder.
Children of Israel and Gaza,
We pray for you to find comfort
In the cradle of your mothers’ arms,
In the bosom of quiet and peace,
Without rocket or mortar to break
The gentle stillness of the air,
The lovely silence of the night.
One G-d,
Maker of All,
Is this too much to ask?
Is this too much to dream?
That one day all children of the world
Will run with glee toward one another,
Will hold hands together in delight,
To skip and twirl and dance
To the rhythms of peace?
© 2014 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com.
Peace for the Children by Doreen Lankshear-Smith
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Morning Coffee by George Mendoza |
Shepherd me, O God,
from memories that hold me back
to a future I've yet to experience...
Shepherd me, O God,
from my failings, sins and errors
to the grace of a new beginning...
Shepherd me, O God,
from fantasies and daydreams
to a life that's authentic and certain...
Shepherd me, O God,
from selfishness and greed
to a generous, giving spirit...
Shepherd me, O God,
from arrogant pride
to humble self-knowledge...
Shepherd me, O God,
from the lies I've come to believe
to the truth that sets me free...
Shepherd me, O God,
from all that's less than pure
to what's clear and clean and chaste...
Shepherd me, O God,
from my lazy habits
to work that satisfies and serves...
Shepherd me, O God,
from mindless wandering
to the path you'd have me walk...
Shepherd me, O God,
from flirting with temptation
to doing what is right...
Shepherd me, O God,
from prejudice and bias
to understanding and acceptance...
Shepherd me, O God,
from wasting what I have
to sharing all that's mine...
Shepherd me, O God,
from hopelessness and fear
to confidence and trust in you...
Shepherd me, O God,
from feeling sorry for myself
to gratitude for all I have...
Shepherd me, O God,
from doubts that cloud my thoughts
to faith that clears my soul...
Amen.
Shepherd Me, O God by Marty Haugen
Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants,
beyond my fears, from death into life.
God is my shepherd, so nothing shall I want,
I rest in the meadows of faithfulness and love,
I walk by the quiet waters of peace.
Gently you raise me and heal my weary soul,
you lead me by pathways of righteousness and truth,
my spirit shall sing the music of your Name.
Though I should wander the valley of death,
I fear no evil, for you are at my side,
your rod and your staff, my comfort and my hope.
You have set me a banquet of love in the face of hatred,
crowning me with love beyond my pow'r to hold.
Surely your kindness and mercy follow me all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of my God forevermore.
We'll begin with some words from Entering the Silence, by the great spiritual writer, Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton.
Good Shepherd,
you have in me a wild and crazy sheep
in love with thorns and brambles.
But please don’t get tired of looking for me!
I know you won’t.
You have found me.
All I have to do is stay found.
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