Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 8/14

For some this post will seem to come too early but students go back to school at various times and I don't want to miss any of them!

Below you'll find three prayers I wrote for those who are returning to the classroom: one for students, one for parents, one for teachers and one for empty nesters.

Following my prayers, you'll find another prayer for empty nesters from Diana Macalintal's fine book, The Work of Your Hands: Prayers for Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments of Grace.

Share these prayers! In addition to you and your immediate family, are there others in your extended family, among your neighbors and friends or in your parish who might benefit from these prayers?  Please pass them on! 

 

 + + +

A Student's Prayer

You might pray this at home with your children, on the first day of school.  Or you could slip a copy into backpacks and lunch kits - or post it on the family bulletin board or the refrigerator door!

 

Dear God,
Help me remember that you’re always by my side,
    at school and all day long.
Help me be the best student I can be,
    using all the gifts and talents you’ve given me.
Help me study well and often
    – especially when I don’t feel like studying at all!
Help me finish all my homework – on time.
Help me listen to my teachers and coaches.
Help me play fair and play safely.
Help me be honest when I’m tempted to cheat.
Help me always tell the truth.
Help me be kind to everyone at school
    and to treat others as I’d want them to treat me.
Help me make good friends
    and help me be a good friend to others.
Help me see how I can help others
    and to ask for help when I need it myself.
Help me love and respect, trust and appreciate my parents
- and be honest with them.
Help me remember that you’re with me always, Lord,
    and that you’ll never leave my side.
Amen.

+ + + 

A Parent's Prayer for Students 

Here's a prayer for those who stay at home or take off for work as the kids leave for school... 

 

Dear Lord,
As my children leave for school,
I pray you keep them in your care.
Send your Spirit to open their minds
    to all that's true and beautiful and good.
Help them see the gifts and talents
    you have given them 
        and teach them to use them well.
Help them to grow in knowledge and wisdom.
Help them to be kind to others
    and lead others to be kind to them.
Give their teachers patience and understanding
    and help them teach what's just and true.
Send your angels to guide and guard my children
    and to keep them from all harm.
Open their young hearts to your presence
    and enfold them in your peace and protection.
Hold them in the palm of your hand, Lord,
    and at day's end, bring them safely home.
Amen.

+ + +

A Teacher's Prayer

And let's not forget teachers and school staff and administrators! 

 

Dear God,
A new school year is about to begin
    and my classroom door will soon open
        to the students you've assigned to my care...
Open my mind and heart to each of them
    and especially to the ones
        who will challenge me the most...
Help me challenge my students, all of them,
    to study, to learn, to grow in knowledge
        and even a little wisdom...
Help me remember, Lord,
    how young my students are:
        give me patience to help them grow up
            and insight to know the help they need...
Help me understand that sometimes
    my students may not understand me:
        help me be clear in all I say and do...
My students don't know the burdens and worries
    my heart brings to the classroom, Lord,
so help me remember how anxious and how heavy 

    my students' hearts may be...
Keep me from favoring any particular students, Lord,
    except for those who need my help the most...
Let my choices and decisions in the classroom
    be fair and just, honest and true...
Send your Spirit to fill me with gifts
    of knowledge and understanding, counsel and wisdom…
Lord, open my mind and heart to my students' parents,
    especially those who'll challenge me the most...
Help me challenge parents to challenge their children
    to study, to learn and to grow...

Teach me to teach as you would, Lord:

    with understanding when I need to be firm,

    with gentleness in all things 

    and with patience ‘til the last bell rings…  

Amen.

+ + + 

Reflections for Empty Nesters

For parents sending their high school graduates off to college, the military or the work force (in two versions: for a daughter, for a son).

When a son is leaving home: 
Yes, it's hard...
but it was, in large measure, just for this
    that you brought him into the world:
        for him to grow and mature,
    to begin to be on his own,
        loving you not any less at all
    and perhaps even loving you more     

        for all you've given him up 'til now
    and how you'll love him yet
        as he becomes more and more his own man,

            this child you love so much...
 

Through your tears ask God to help you now

    to find the joy that’s rightly yours

in the life of the fine young man you've raised:

    your child, your son, born of you,

        of your love, your heart and your soul.

Amen.

 

When a daughter is leaving home: 

Yes, it's hard...
but it was, in large measure, just for this  
    that you brought her into the world:
        for her to grow and mature,
    to begin to be on her own, 

        loving you not any less at all
    and perhaps even loving you more
        for all you've given her up 'til now
    and how you'll lover her yet
    as she becomes more and more her own woman,

        this child you love so much...
 

Through your tears ask God to help you now

    to find the joy that’s rightly yours

in the life of the fine young woman you've raised:

    your child, your daughter, born of you,

        of your love, your heart and your soul.

Amen.

+ + +
 

And here's Diana Macalintal's  Parent’s Prayer When Children are Leaving Home, in two versions: for a daughter, for a son.

 

A Parent’s Prayer When A Daughter Leaves Home 

Gracious God, you blessed me with the gift of my child
    and entrusted me with her care.
Surround her with good people and watch over her each day.
And let her know that I will always be near
    whenever she may need me.
Heal any hurts we may harbor with each other
    and forgive our failings
        as we learn to be in a new kind of relationship with each other.
And when the sight of her empty room
    pierces my heart with sadness,
may I find comfort in knowing that my child is your child too,
    filled with your grace and sheltered by your love.
Amen.

Copyright 2014 by Order of Saint Benedict.   
Published by Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota.  
Used with permission.  

 

A Parent’s Prayer When A Son Leaves Home 

Gracious God, you blessed me with the gift of my child

    and entrusted me with his care.
Now he leaves this home and begins a new life apart from me.
Surround him with good people and watch over him each day.
And let him know that I will always be near
    whenever he may need me.
Heal any hurts we may harbor with each other
    and forgive our failings
        as we learn to be in a new kind of relationship with each other.
And when the sight of his empty room
    pierces my heart with sadness,
may I find comfort in knowing that my child is your child too,
    filled with your grace and sheltered by your love.
Amen.

Copyright 2014 by Order of Saint Benedict.   
Published by Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota.  
Used with permission. 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Thursday 8/13

I've reworked a prayer I posted some time back and added a new song - a great one... 

 

When the news boggles the mind, Lord,

    when it strains credulity, 

    troubles the heart,

    and sickens the soul

then

    sharpen our convictions,
    deepen our compassion,    

    and quicken our resolve

to plan, scheme and work 

    for justice;

to pray, plead and beg

    for mercy;

to endorse, lobby and promote 

    the cause 

of those denied 

    their human rights, 

    their fair, just share,

    their day in court

and the dignity that's theirs

    as your own, Lord, your beloved...

   

Anoint us with your wisdom, Lord:

    make us as cunning as serpents

        and innocent as doves...

 

Send your Spirit to guide us, Lord,

    with gifts of kindness and patience,

        charity, faith and counsel,  

     and the joy comes that from doing your will...

And let nothing, Lord:
    no ideology, theory or philosophy,
    no bias, intolerance or prejudice,
    no strategy, policy or system, 
    no authority, administration or allegiance -
let nothing, Lord, stand in the way
    of our loving and serving you
    in the lives and through the needs
    of all our brothers and sisters...

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.

 

Wise As A Serpent by Mike Reese

 

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Some people tell me they just don’t know
they don’t know what’s wrong or right 

don’t know which way to go 
they’re too busy living life to get involved today 
Jesus said turn the other the cheek 
he didn’t say look the other way

 

No, ya gotta be wise as a serpent

harmless as a dove

you gotta fight for what is right

ya gotta do it in God’s love

ya gotta be wise as a serpent

meek as a lamb

well, it’s ok to be slow to speak

- don’t have your head down in the sand

 

Confronting hatred, intimidation

disguised as the wise protecting the rights

of a free and sovereign nation

they’ll tolerate you, oh, you may progress

as long as the song you sing has the proper ring

and you always tell them yes

 

Oh, ya gotta be wise as a serpent

harmless as a dove

you gotta fight for what is right

ya gotta do it in God’s love

ya gotta be wise as a serpent

meek as a lamb

well, I may be slow to speak

- when my head is in the sand

 

Ain’t always easy stand by and see

the lies people buy when they close their eyes

to the truth they don’t wanna believe

some will not listen, their own way

they way they choose is the way to loose

and they won’t know until it’s too late

 

Oh, ya gotta be wise as a serpent

harmless as a dove

oh, ya gotta be wise as a serpent

harmless as a dove

oh, ya gotta be wise, harmless,

ya gotta be wise, harmless

 

There’s lots of evil we can fight

there’s lots of truth that we can cut loose

lots of darkness needs our light

I guarantee you - you will be misunderstood

ah but what the heck can you expect

from them that call evil good

 

Ya gotta be wise as a serpent

harmless as a dove

ya gotta be wise as a serpent

harmless as a dove

 

Bad information can mess up your direction

half-truths and lies can slip on by

without some diligent detection

lambs are innocent, serpents are wise

well don’t be a lamb that’s ignorant

and get the wool pulled over your eyes

 

Ya gotta be wise as a serpent

harmless as a dove

you gotta fight for what is right

ya gotta do it in God’s love

ya gotta be wise as a serpent

meek as a lamb

well, it’s ok to be slow to speak

- don’t have your head down in the sand

 

Ya gotta be wise, harmless,

ya gott be wise harmless…

 

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Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 8/12

 

What problem am I bringing to God today?

Am I so anxious about tomorrow or next week
that I miss the help the Lord offers me today?  

Am I having a hard time "keeping it in today?"

The Lord's with me right now, 
    in this very moment, while I'm on line...

The Lord's not waiting for tomorrow  

    or next week or next month,

he's waiting right now  

    to give me just the help I need 

    to make it through today,

    one day at a time...

Help me just today, Lord:
that's what I really need.... 

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4 million is a lot of votes!

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Pause for Prayer: TUESDAY 8/11

Lead me along this day's path, Lord:

    help me leave the past behind

    and open my heart to the future...

 

Lead me along this day's path, Lord,

    though I can't know, though I may fear

    what's down the road for me...

 

Lead me along this day's path, Lord,

    keep me from dragging my butt

    and dawdling, stalling, delaying...

  

Lead me along this day's path, Lord,

    and keep me in the moment:

    don't let me turn back...

 

Lead me along this day's path, Lord:

    point me in the right direction

    and let let nothing change my course...

 

Lead me along this day's path, Lord:

    help me trust the road you map for me

    though I don't know where it ends...

 

Lead me along this day's path, Lord:

    show me the way and stay by my side

    with every step I take...

 

Lead me along this day's path, Lord, 

    as I know you always do

and give me the grace to follow 

    where your love and wisdom lead...

 

Amen. 

 

This is probably NOT the "Lead Me, Lord" you know!

 

Lead Me, Lord by Gary Valenciano 

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Monday 8/10

I'm thinking, Lord, of all the ways my life is 

touched, bruised, blessed, shaped and changed

    by family and by friends,

    by strangers passing by,

    by grudges and resentments,

    by a word of consolation, 

        affirmation and support,   

    by a gentle or a harsh remark, 

    by an open, outstretched hand,  

    by a not so subtle snub,  

    by another's smile or tears,  

    by a rumored piece of gossip

        or a teasing provocation, 

    by attention and neglect, 

    by an understanding glance,

    by the smallest deed of kindness

        done in secret and with love...

All of which causes me to wonder, 

how does my life, Lord,

touch, bruise, bless, shape and change the lives

    of my family and my friends,

    of strangers passing by,

    of those I live and work with,

        those entrusted to my care, 

    of those who serve my many needs,

    of those I disagree with, 

    of those who have forgotten me,

    of those who most annoy me,

    of those who lift me up,

    of those who need my help,

    of those whom I've offended

    and of anyone who's most in need

        of what is mine to share... 

 

We touch, bruise, bless, shape

    and change each other's lives, Lord,

and often without knowing,

    without seeing or perceiving

how much and in how many ways

    we touch, bruise, bless, shape 

        and change the precious lives 

    of family and of friends,

        of acquaintances and neighbors,

            and of strangers passing by,

    all brothers, sisters 'round the world,

        all one in you, our God...

 

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. 

 

One of the joys of writing these Night Prayer posts is searching for music and finding pieces I've never heard before.  That's the case tonight: Pastor Nancy Rabbe has set Shirley Erena Murray's poem to music and the result is, as the title indicates, gentle and light... 

 

Go Gently, Go Lightly by by Nancy Rabbe

 

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Go gently, go lightly,
go safe in the Spirit,
live simply, don’t carry
much more than you need:
go trusting God’s goodness,
go spreading God’s kindness,
stay centered on Jesus
and where he will lead.

Go singing, go bringing
the gifts of the Spirit,
go hopefully searching
for things that are true:
in living, in loving,
whatever befalls you,
God keep you, God bless you
in all that you do.

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Whose voice do you listen to the most? Whose voice has the greatest impact on your thinking, opinions, choices and decisions?

Here's the audio for my homily for August 9, based on these three scriptures. (If a widget doesn't appear above, click here!) The text of my homily follows before.

 

I've got a lot of questions today. Many more questions than answers. And you can be sure I pose all these questions to myself as well as to you.

 

First question. Whose voice? Whose voice in your life do you turn to most frequently for advice, guidance, answers to your questions?

 

Second question. Whose voice in your life do you trust the most? Depend on, rely upon the most?

 

Third question, of all the voices in your life competing for your attention, which of those voices do you usually end up listening to? turning to and following? Which voice wins the competition for your allegiance?

 

And the last question. Regardless of where you turn for advice, whose voice in your life actually has the most impact on your thinking? on your choices and your decisions?

 

Well, there may be as many answers to those questions as there are people here at mass today. But it's also likely that a number of us may have the same responses.

 

Perhaps the most significant voice in your life is that of your spouse. Or your mother, or your father, or trusted family member. Or maybe it's the voice of a close friend, a neighbor, a coworker, a mentor from your school days.

 

Could be it's the voice of a favorite author, philosopher, a poet, someone in the media.

 

And for some of us, and at times for all of us, the most influential voice we listen to might be - our own.

 

Of course, there's another voice to consider here (and I'm sure you saw this coming) - the voice of God. The voice that speaks to us in our prayer and in the scriptures. The voice that speaks to us in the teachings of Christian tradition. The voice that speaks to us in our conscience.

 

And that leads us to a few more questions…

 

What influence does God's voice have in our lives when we're lost or confused, when we're seeking advice, or guidance, insight, or wisdom, truth, clarity - or simply answers to questions we have?

 

What's the impact of God's voice, of God's word, on my thinking, my opinions, my conscience, my choices, my decisions? In the daily competition for my attention, my allegiance, my respect - how often does God's voice, or God's word, come out ahead of all the other voices?

 

And here's a tough question. Actually, the toughest one for me. How do I respond when the voice of God runs counter to all the other voices sounding in my head, in my heart?

 

And here's another way to phrase that last question…

 

How well do I listen to… how seriously do I take… how faithfully do I follow the voice of God -- when it flies in the face of what's accepted and conventional? When it calls me beyond my gut response. When the word of God doesn't make any financial sense. When the voice of God asks of me more than I am naturally inclined to give. When the voice of God, the word of God, confronts me, challenges me, and calls me beyond my comfort zone.

 

Listening to and listening for the voice of God is a challenge  -- precisely because the voice of God and the word of God are so challenging!

Here are just a couple of examples from the New Testament - hard sayings from Jesus…  

You must strive to be perfect…  (Matthew 5:48)

Sell what you have and give to the poor…  (Mark 10:17-22)

Love your enemies - and pray - for those who persecute you…  (Matthew 5:43)

If you want to be my disciple, you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me… (Matthew 16:24)

Greater love than this no one has, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend… (John 15:3)

The first will be last and the last will be first… (Matthew 20:16)

Offer no resistance to one who is evil.  When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well…  (Matthew 5:39)

Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you… (Matthew 5:42)

Love your neighbor - as yourself…  ( Matthew 22:39)

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you…  (John 6:53)

If you say, “I love God,” but you hate your neighbor – you are a liar…  (1 John 4:20)

How many times must you forgive the one who offends you?

If your neighbor sins against you, you must forgive him 7 X 77 times… (Matthew 18:22)

Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be… (Matthew 6:21)

How very challenging is the voice of God, the word of God, when it flies in the face of what's accepted and conventional. When it calls me beyond my gut response, when it doesn't make any financial sense, when it asks more of me than I'm actually inclined to give, when it confronts me, challenges me, and calls me to go beyond my comfort zone. 

 

All those scriptures - and think of today's first reading, when we found Elijah, huddled in his cave, waiting to hear God's voice: it didn't come as he expected in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but rather in “a tiny whispering sound.”

 

Perhaps the voice of God is something we need to listen for more carefully, strained to hear, in the ordinary experiences of our lives.

 

And in the second scripture, St. Paul wrote of how his heart was “filled with great sorrow and anguish.” Perhaps God's voice is speaking to us in the pain we can't ignore - or in the pain we want to ignore.

 

And in today's gospel, Peter wants to believe he's hearing the voice of Jesus, but he's afraid and he's slow to trust that voice. He says, “Lord, if it's you, tell me to walk on the water. If it's your voice I hear.”   Perhaps we hear God's voice calling us, but we hesitate to respond because we hear that voice calling us beyond what we're able to trust and to try. Beyond what we're ready to accept and believe. Beyond what we're willing to concede and yield to. Beyond what we're ready to give up, or to give away. Beyond where we're willing to move, to press on, to further the journey.

 

But could any voice in my life or yours be more significant, more important, wiser, of greater counsel, more loving, just, or knowledgeable - than the voice of God and the word of God?

 

Is any other voice in our lives more likely to speak the truth to us? The whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

 

Can anyone else's word, can anyone else's voice, offer greater wisdom, clarity, and insight, and the voice, and the word of God?

 

Well, I told you I was gonna ask a lot of questions, so I did. Now let me offer you - not exactly answers - but rather some suggestions for where we might turn and begin to find some answers.

 

Perhaps we need to better attune ourselves, attune our minds and hearts, to listen for, to more accurately hear and understand, the voice of God in our lives.

 

Perhaps we need to make some quiet time every day - at least once during the week - and apart from Saturday afternoons - to make some quiet time, to listen, as Elijah did, for that small, whispering sound of God's voice in our minds, in our hearts, in our prayer, in our conscience - to hear God's voice speak his presence and his peace, not in the extraordinary - but in the ordinary pieces of our daily lives, right where we are.

 

Perhaps we need to make some quiet time so we can hear, as St. Paul did, to hear God speak in and through our pain, our anguish, our problems: to hear God speak, a healing word. Perhaps we need to make some time - in the roar of the storms that often threaten us - to hear the voice of Jesus as Peter did, to hear the voice of Jesus calling us to trust him when we hear him. To trust that he will give us what we need to step beyond our comfort zone, to do what may seem to be impossible, to walk a path we may think is impassable. And to live by the only word we can trust to free and to save us.

 

What will we have missed if we don't make that kind of time in our lives? We will have missed nothing less than the voice of God.

 

So I'll close as I began with a few questions….

 

Whose voice in our lives do we turn to most frequently for advice, guidance, answers to our questions?

 

Regardless of where we turn for advice, whose voice impacts us most significantly, impacts our thinking, our choices, our decisions.

 

How many voices in our lives compete for our allegiance and attention, and which voice wins?

 

And how, in the week ahead, might each of us listen more carefully to hear the voice of God speaking in our prayer, in the scriptures, in our thoughts, in our conscience, in our hearts?

 

It was the voice of God that called all of us here today. It was the voice of God that calls us to his table. We have heard his voice and we've accepted the invitation - we're here. May the sacrament receive from this table open the ears of our hearts, to hear his voice in the week ahead: to go where he calls, to follow where he leads, and to do as he commands.

  

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