Image: George Mendoza
Good morning, good God!
There are times, Lord,
when we think we don't now how to pray,
when we can't find the words to say,
when we wonder if we pray "the right way..."
How did we become so misinformed
about something so important, Lord?
When did we begin to think of prayer
as a rare gift? a specialized skill?
an art we haven't mastered?
How did we come to forget that every
thought, sigh, hope, cry, word of ours
sounds in your ear and touches your heart
as soon and as surely as any saint's
pure and perfect prayer?
And help us to trust
that simply sitting in your presence,
... in silence ...
is a prayer whose eloquence delights you...
Our very desire to pray, Lord,
is a sign you're already with us:
nudging our hearts to trust you're near;
inviting us to voice and vent
joys and sorrows, hopes and hurts
known to you long before
we even thought to pray...
Before they have a word to say
even infants speak a prayer:
cooing, mumbling, sputtering forth
their stories of wonder, hunger, fear, joy
and their desire to be held
by mothers and fathers who hear in every sound
the beauty of a prayer that has no words...
Be mother and father to us, Lord,
and hear our prayer...
We offer you this morning
the prayers we sputter from our souls:
prayers that have no words
and prayers that have too many words;
prayers we sob upon your breast
and prayers we sing from happy hearts;
prayers that rise from our confusion,
still prayers you understand so well...
We offer you every thought, sigh,
hope, cry and word of ours
that pleads and pulses from within:
let the beating prayer of our hearts
be heard and held in your heart of hearts
for surely, Lord, that is the right way to pray...
Receive our morning offering, Lord,
and keep us mindful in prayer
of the joys and sorrows, hopes and hurts
of those whose paths cross ours this day...
Good God of Monday mornings,
hear our prayer this day
and every day this week...
Lord, hear us!
Lord graciously hear us!
Amen.
-ConcordPastor
Good morning and Happy Monday Padre!
ReplyDelete...I'm speechless...
ReplyDelete(but now I know that this is okay-
God knows what I am feeling, right now and always, and I think you do too)
Indeed, you have understood!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful expression of the many ways we can find the sacred & prayerful in the ordinary!
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful Monday, thank you!...4 years ago I began this practice of "sitting in the gaze of God" it was my try at contemplation and the desire to be nearer.
ReplyDeleteAt first I felt I was failing miserably because I could not quiet my mind. Then it came to me that the very sitting was the prayer. It has taken time to grow in faith but it has become my favorite way to start a day, accepting the gift of being a beloved under God's gaze! There has been no better prayer than to simply, lovingly BE!
Anne
The thing that really helped me to pray more was attending daily Mass. It's a jump start into prayer life. I know that at Holy Family, a dedicated volunteer has arranged for visiting priests to celebrate daily Mass for several years now. I believe this has helped keep the spiritual life of the parish strong. (They also say the Rosary!)
ReplyDeleteIrish Gal
I was always in a hurry to pray. To get it done. To do my duty. To check it off the spiritual "to do" list. This left me empty and uninspired. Now...I savor the time spent in prayer. Not only saying the words...speaking the heart...but listening...in silence...or to others...through scripture...or even a blog! Thanks Father...
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written, powerfully true - the mumbles are enough, the tears are poignant, the willingness is all.
ReplyDeleteI was walking and heard a baby crying from a distance- I could see the baby, but not details-
ReplyDeleteI thought of your words "...even infants speak a prayer..."
I knew that God heard this baby's cry...
it gave me new perspective...