Pause for Prayer: Tuesday 2/23

I'm grateful, indeed, Lord, for the vaccine!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

 

But I wish we had a vaccine for "spiritual Covid,"

for the social and spiritual malaise 

afflicting almost everyone I know,

in greater and lesser degrees of severity

and with many different symptoms including:

    acute loneliness

    low prayer pressure

    spiritual fatigue

    dislocated relationships

    spiritual depression

    infectious isolation

    internal confusion

    bacterial boredom

    stress fractures in faith

    paralyzed prayer life

    debilitating  doubt 

    contagious discouragement

    anemic belief

    communicable moodiness

    and holy heartache...

All Covid's side-effects, Lord -

and there's no medicine to give them chase

except - a prescription of your grace:

    a shot in our souls, not our arms,

    to mend and heal the damage done

    to our hearts, our prayer, our faith

    in these long pandemic months...

So, I pray, Lord, 

for the spiritual health and well-being

of all who suffer in Covid's shadow...

 

I pray for all who find it hard these days

to find you in their hearts,

in their thoughts and in their prayers...

 

I pray for all who find it hard to pray,

to meet you in their heart of hearts where,

I know, Lord, you wait with patient love 

to comfort them...

I pray for those who feel abandoned

to the loneliness of quarantine and isolation,

and all that masks our friendly smiles,

and keeps us far from hugs and warm embraces... 

I pray you'll take the first step, Lord,

to break through anything and everything

that keeps us from you, from prayer,

from finding you present at our side...

And help us, Lord, to help each other,

as much as we can, whenever we can:

    to rise and breathe again;

    to find, anew, our footing 

        in this world and in each other's lives;

    to refresh our faith and trust in you;

    to come home to you and your embrace,

        to your compassion and your love... 

I'm very grateful for the vaccine, Lord,

but now I wait for your divine medicine:

    your anointing of our hearts and souls

    to help us help each other mend and heal

    and find ourselves together, once again, 

        one in you, united in your grace...

Amen.

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