Monday Morning Offering: 3/9

Coffee in the Morning: George Mendoza

 

Good morning, good God!

 

A Lenten review has shown me, Lord,

I have so much more than I need.

I have too much stuff and too many things:

    I own things and stuff I'd forgotten are mine!

 

I have things I can't find 

    'cause they're buried too deep -
        under all the things I have! 

 

I have too many old things, 

    too many new things:

        collections of things I really don't need...

I have so many clothes:     

    too many that fit
        and too many that don't...

I have too much money.

    Wait - did I say that?

Yes, I did

    - and that helps me define

        how I have more than I need. 

 

It's not that I'm really wealthy, Lord

    - I am not flush with cash -

but looking around at the rest of the world,

    it's true - I have more than I need...

 

If I look around, with honest eyes,
    I see I have more than I need 
        - of just about all I have...

 

Ah, there's the question, Lord:
    how much of my stuff and belongings   

        do I really and truly need...?

 

And the answer comes 'round once again:

    I may not have all of the things that I want

        but I do have more than I need... 

 

I won't offer you all of my stuff, Lord,
    I know you don't need or want it,

but I'll ask for the grace to help me give up

    my desire to have more and more,

    my desire for more than I need,

    my desire to have  - for the sake of having,

    my desire to have more than others have,

    my desire to hoard and collect more things,

    my desire to buy, to have and to own

        the biggest, the smallest, the sleekest, the fastest, 

        the more expensive - the most expensive - 

        the new and improved whatever-it-is

            that I want but I don't need...  

   

I offer you, Lord, my desire to have:

    a full set, a full tank, a full stomach; 
    full shelves, full closets, full wallets and purses;
and boxes full of whatever I want
    or think I want, 

    or might one day want

    or believe I want

        because I've been told - I should want it...  

 

I offer you, Lord, my tendency 
    to clutter and jam my mind and my heart

         with filler, toys, junk and crap,
    with so much less than my heart deserves,
        so much less than my mind  deserves,     

    with so much less than you deserve     

        who make your home 

            - in my mind and heart...

 

I offer you, Lord, my complicity
    in filling my heart with anything but 

        the grace, the peace, the beauty and truth 
            for which my soul was made...

 

So help me this Lent to simplify:

    to give up, give away,

        clean out, cast off, 

            strip away, go without          

    and empty myself of anything more

        that what my heart of hearts desires:

            your mercy, your presence and peace...

And make me generous, Lord,
    in sharing and giving to others 

the bounty of all that I have,     

    for which they have so much need...

Such is my offering this morning, Lord,
    and through these holy days of Lent...

Amen.

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