NIGHT PRAYER: Friday 9/26

Sometimes at night, Lord, I look back and wonder:
   how did I spend my time today 

        - wisely or foolishly?
   did I do enough?  

        did I do too much?
   did I do what was mine to do today
      and did I do it generously and graciously?
   did I waste any precious time today?
   did I lose today's time 

        for being stuck in yesterday?
   did I forfeit today's time, 

        worrying about tomorrow?
   did I spend at least some of my time today 

        reaching out to and caring for others?
   did I spend at least a part of my day

        in prayer with you, O Lord?
   did I take the time to thank you 

    for all the time you spent with me today?

Scripture tells me there's a time for everything, Lord,
   and a time for every purpose under heaven...

If I wasted my day,
   forgive me, Lord;
if I was selfish with my time,
   forgive me, Lord;
if I was foolish with my time,
   forgive me, Lord;
if I gave in to purposes not worth my time today,
   forgive me, Lord;
if I took today's time for granted,
   forgive me, Lord;
and if I failed to praise and thank you 

    for the gift of this day's time,
       forgive me, Lord...

Day is done, it's time to pray
   you'll bless the night ahead
with good rest, deep sleep 

    and the grace of peaceful dreams... 

May the time I spend asleep tonight
   restore, refresh and ready me
for the time I'll have tomorrow 
   to grow in love and serve you
       in loving and serving others...

Protect me, Lord, as I lie awake
   and watch over me when I'm fast asleep
that awake, I might keep watch with you
   and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Turn, Turn, Turn by Pete Seeger,

    sung by Judy Collins

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To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under heaven

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep

A time to build up, a time to break down

A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, 
A time to gather stones together

A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace,
A time to refrain from embracing

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late

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Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 9/25

 

In the morning, Lord,

    I open the curtains and raise the shades

        to let in the light of day...

Remind me then
   to pull back the curtains veiling my heart
      to welcome the light of your presence...

Whether the day be cloudy or clear,

    when I lift what shades and shields my heart,

        your healing light illumines my soul...

So, shine on me, Lord, from dawn to dusk,

    'til I draw the curtains hung by my windows

        and open my heart to moonlit peace...

Amen. 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Thursday 9/24

I posted this a few years back but I've recently been with some folks who have shared their tears with me - or who worked hard to keep their tears from flowing...  Tonight's prayer has several parts: 

    (1) I listen to the Lord speak in the scriptures  

    (2) I respond to the word I've heard

    (3) The Lord answers my prayer!

    (4) I speak to the Lord once again..

 

Lord, you keep track of all my sorrows,

   you collect my tears in a jar, 

      you record each one in your book...  

 (Psalm 56:8)

 

If you're collecting all my tears, Lord,

then by now you must have gallon jugs 

filled with the dew of the sadness and joy 

I've wept over all these years...

 

For a long time, it seemed, 

my tears only flowed 

in sadness and in sorrow,

washing my bruised and wounded heart,

a drop at a time or a steady stream...

But the older I get the quicker tears come

at the least little joy:

    some beautiful sight,

    a memory recalled,

    a word I've read,

    a song I've heard

letting stream from within 

the waters that flow 

from my story of who I am...

 

You record my tears in a book, Lord?

I imagine, then, sacral, lachrymal pages,

tear-stained, watermarked, carefully kept

by you who number

my days, my sorrows, my joys...

And the Lord responds...

I know your joys and your sorrows:

    both your tears of laughter 

    and your tears of grief...

 

And because they're all so precious to me

I store all your tears in a jar:

    droplets of grace, salty memories 

    of every time you turned to me, 

    leaned on me and cried to me

        in sorrow and in joy... 

And I pray...

In good times and bad you're with me, Lord,

as you tenderly, gently, dry the tears

that moisten my face and roll down my cheeks

in streams of love from the springs of my heart...

Receive my tears as prayers, O Lord:

    some, a cry from my broken heart;

    some, a plea for your healing touch;

    and others, a psalm of grateful praise

        for your comfort, peace and compassion...

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.

 

You Have Collected All My Tears 

   by Dan opdeVeigh

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You catch and collect every drop on my cheek

You know all my sorrow, you feel all my grief

You stand with me through the fire and fear

You redeem every tear

You redeem every tear

You clean every stain, you forgive all my sins

You raise me to life now my heart beats again

My hope will rise as your glory appears

You redeem every tear

You redeem every tear

So all things shall be well

All things shall be well

Take heart, child of God,

All things shall be well

You count every hair and you number my days

You search me, you know me, you call me by name

You weep with me as you always draw near

You redeem every tear

You redeem every tear

You promise to stay ever close by my side

And work for my good through the pain of the night

Heaven will come to the earth you hold dear

All your beauty made clear

When you wipe away all my tears

Image source

 

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• ANNIHILATE • A Catholic critique of POTUS' speech at the UN

Once again, Arthur Holquin offers an accessible and telling Catholic theological critique of a current event: Trump's speech at the UN General Assembly.

 

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Pause for Prayer: THURSDAY 9/24

 

Thanks, Lord, for your patience with me,

even when I'm impatient with you:

    when I want (and demand!)

        that you do what I want, 

    that you follow my plan

    that you work on my schedule

    - instead of yours...

 

Thanks, Lord, for your attentiveness to my prayer,

especially when, for long periods of time,

    I pay you little attention

    - except when I want to ask you for a favor... 

 

Thanks, Lord,

for giving me so many second chances

    after I've blown so many before

    and don't really deserve yet another opportunity

    and the grace of a new beginning...

Thanks, Lord,

for loving me, especially when I fail to love 

    my neighbor,

    my colleagues at work

    and even members of my own family;

thanks for loving me, Lord,

    when I fail to love myself

    and, most of all,

    when I fail to love and trust in you...

And thanks, Lord,

for bearing with me on that one thing

that bothers me so much:

    - be patient with me as I try to let go;

    - hear and answer my prayer in my struggle;

    - be faithful in helping me work through this;

    - and give me, again and again,

         the grace to be free of that one thing

        that troubles me so much...

And thanks, Lord, for loving me:

with the love that's yours alone to give:

    the love from which I came to be,

    the love that keeps me going, day to day,

    the love for which I am most truly grateful...

Love me, Lord,      

    with love enough to spare,

    with love enough to share 

    with everyone 

    I know and meet today...

Amen.

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NIGHT PRAYER: Wednesday 9/23

In  a world where so many have so little - or nothing -

I have much more than I need, Lord,

and still, so often, I want for more...

 

The things I have and the things I want

distract me from wanting, desiring, pursuing

the only possessions I truly need:

    your mercy, 

    your pardon, 

    your grace, 

    your love...

Help me take an honest inventory, Lord,

    of everything I have - and everything I want...

 

May I keep whatever I truly need,

    share with others what I have in abundance

and discard whatever keeps me from you

    and your mercy, 

    your pardon, 

    your grace, 

    and your love... 

 

Free me from my desire 

    to have and have more,
    to buy and buy more, 

    to own and own more,
    to collect and store up 

        more than I need or ever can use...

Free me from my dependence on my possessions
    and their rule over my choices and decisions...

Give me a generous heart, Lord,
    to reach out to those in need...

Draw me away from all of my stuff, Lord,

    to a simple, peaceful, quiet place

and there in the stillness, help me, I pray,
    to begin to let go of things I cling to
and as I let go, to be generous 

    to those who are truly in need...

In the quiet, Lord,
    help me love the stillness
in which I have only and all that I need:

    your mercy, 

    your pardon, 

    your grace, 

    and your love...

 

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. 

 

These Alone Are Enough by Dan Schutte 

 

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Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 9/23

 

 

 

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NIGHT PRAYER: Tuesday 9/22

I received an email today that included two words that spoke volumes of grace...  

 

Some days, Lord, 

just a few words 

are more than enough 

to give me pause, 

settle my soul, 

lift my spirits

and bring me peace...

 

It's not every day 

I hear or read 

such golden words

- but I did today:

    I read them with my eyes

    and heard them in my heart:

    "spiritual balm..." 

 

What these two words meant to me

and the home they found,

deep in my soul,

that's all well known to you, O Lord:

    you inspired and delivered them

    without their sender's knowing

    what grace and gift

    two simple words can be...

 

Open my ears and my heart, O Lord,

to the many simple blessings

that simple words can bring;

    help me see and hear them

    when they come addressed to me...

 

Inspire me, Lord, to say and write 

simple, healing, soothing words

for you to hand deliver

to other waiting, open hearts:

    balm for a wounded spirit,

    a blessing for the soul...

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. 

 

Speak To Me, Lord by Quincy Jones

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Pause for Prayer: TUESDAY 9/22

 

FROM THE ARCHIVES!  11 years ago I was driving from Honolulu to Kailua when I stopped at this overlook in the mountain pass.  The wind was alive on the pali (the cliffs) and felt refreshing on a warm, humid day... (If a video doesn't appear below, click here!)


 
Great Spirit of God,
moving on the pali's grasses and branches:
    move in me with all your power,
    your strength, your breath of life...

Bend me to your will:
    to what you'd have me do,
    what you'd have me say,
    and where you'd have me go...

As you enliven nature's greenery,
exhilarate my mind and soul:
    bend me, move me, sway me, 
    pulse in me
        with life I don't yet know is mine,
    with breath to keep me going,
    with trust that comes in gusts
    to fill my heart with newfound hope...

Great Spirit of God,
moving on the pali's lush green heights:
    move within my heart and soul
    and breathe in me 
    the life that's only yours to give...

Amen.

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NIGHT PRAYER: Monday 9/21

In today's gospel, Lord,

you told us that you came 

    for the sick, not the healthy.

 May I extrapolate from that?

 

May I say you came

    for the confused, not the clearheaded, 

    for the doubtful, not the certain,

    for the sinner, not the saint,

    for backsliders, not the ever-faithful,

    for the hesitant, not the confident,

    for the weak, not the strong,

    for the lustful, not the pure,

    for the grieving, not the joyful, 

    for the frightened, not the brave,

    for pretenders, not for the genuine,

    for the the worried, not the content,

    for the anxious, not the calm,

    for the proud, not the humble,

    for the lost, not the found,

    for the hungry, not the well-fed,

    for the helpless, not the powerful,

    for the hopeless, not the heartened,

    for the empty, not the full...

 

Though you came for the sick, Lord,

    your love for the healthy is just as great,

        just as deep, just as strong and true

and I see so clearly 

    - you came for us all -

for all of us need you

    in good times and bad,

    in sin and in grace,

    in want and in plenty, 

    in sorrow and in joy... 

 

Heal me in my frailty, Lord 

    but strengthen, too, 

        all that's healthy in me

that in every time and every season

    I will be healed

        by your presence and peace... 

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. 

 

Heal Me, O Lord by Don Moen 

 

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