A Concord Pastor Comments: Monday Morning Offering: 9/17

Good morning, good God!

I've been waiting for Monday morning
to offer you my thanks and praise
for some gifts from your hand,
moments of grace,
that have truly redeemed the past week...

It's been quite a week as you know, Lord...

You'll remember my praying,
Well, this really stinks!

And the day I asked you to
lift up my drooping spirit,
and quicken my get-up-and-go...

And that day when I needed
to hear just a word from you.
any word you thought I needed to hear...

And just a week ago today I prayed
for you to take a few things off my plate
already overflowing with cares and burdens,
others' and my own...

And you came through, Lord!
And thus this Monday morning offering
of my gratitude and praise...

There was the grace and joy of our annual
"Welcome back Mass and Cookout"
with over 300 hundred people in my backyard
and 23 of our young peer ministers
lending a hand and helping others
to pray and praise your name...

For alfresco worship,
for hot dogs, hamburgers and Hoodsies
I offer you my thanks, Lord!

Then there was that middle-of-the-night downpour
with me sitting on my porch, my soul absorbing
your desire and power to soak and cleanse me
in your mercy...

For your powerful beauty in the elements,
I offer you my thanks, Lord!

and there was the posse you sent
when I asked for your help, Lord!

For the support, good words and honesty
of men and women who love your Church,

I offer you my thanks, Lord!

And then Wednesday night
when over 140 area catechists gathered here
for an evening of learning
to develop their understanding and skills
to better serve and teach the youth
in our faith formation programs.
(Lord, that was 140+ !)

For women and men so in love with you,
your gospel and your Church,
I offer you my thanks, Lord!

And an evening with priests in our area
with our regional bishop:
time to speak and listen, to share freely,
to pray together
and to grow in mutual support...

For the understanding and support
of brother priests and our bishop who gathered us
I offer you my thanks, Lord!

But most of all, Lord, I'm grateful
for that moment at the altar at the Saturday 5:00 Mass
when, in the middle of the Eucharistic Prayer,
I experienced, I felt, an infusion of your grace,
a healing balm of strength and peace,
deep in my soul,
assuring me that you're with us,
that you won't abandon us,
that when we're challenged by the truth
we're not without the consolation of your mercy...

For your grace, so very much need, so freely given,
so powerful in its coming,
I offer you my thanks, Lord!

Of course, Lord, as great as are these gifts,
shared from your heart to mine,
I know that none of them, nor all of them,
will take away the pain of victims
nor easily heal the deep, self-inflicted wounds
your Church bears and suffers...

We have a long way to go, Lord,
and only you know how long is the path we must walk
before we see signs of a Church reformed,
reshaped, renewed and rebuilt...

So make us both patient and zealous, Lord,
in doing all we can to grow the Church
and, with the power of your Spirit,
give us wisdom to know what must be done
and strength to do it...

For these gifts that I trust you'll give us, Lord,
I offer you even now my Monday morning gratitude
with a prayer, a plea, with my hope
that you'll make us as patient as we need to be
but as zealous as possible
in seeking the truth,
serving the victims
and rebuilding your Church
according to your Word and will...

Receive my MMO, Lord,
and lead me through this week in your grace
and with the power and peace
that are only yours to give...

Amen.