Corpus Christi Sunday

Our readings for Corpus Christi Sunday:

1. Genesis 14: 19-20
2. Psalms 110: 1, 2, 3, 4
3. I Corinthians 11: 23-26
4. Luke 9: 11b-17

• Exchange of gifts
• To be in right relationship with God entails an exchange of gifts, not to bribe God, but to celebrate that everything comes from and returns to God
• What do you think that God wants from you?
• What do you think that God wants for you?
• What do you really, deep down inside, want from God?
• What do you think God's chances are for getting what He wants?
• What do you think your chances are for getting what you want?
• Do you think that will make you happy? 

• Priesthood of believers
• Ordained or not, we are all called to be priests, it's a fundamental aspect of our identity.
• Define priest.  Get creative.
• Does anyone come to mind who has filled that role especially well in your life?
• What made them a good priest?
• Why do you think that all of us are called to be priests in one fashion or another? 

• A friend like no other
• It's hard to know how much Jesus knew about His passion going in.  My bet is that the revelation of just what was coming was gradual, and that Jesus had to process that revelation a piece at a time.  I also bet that He took a very bittersweet comfort from celebrating one last Passover with His friends, knowing that it was never going to be quite like this again.
• Who are some special friends that have been a support for you?
• Would you say that God had worked through them in your life?
• What is about one of those friends that you treasure the most?
• What do you think they might treasure about you? 

• Basket case
• Jesus never did tell His disciples what was coming, He just gave them the next thing that needed to be done.  In so doing, He invited them into a miracle.  In so doing He invited them into the fellowship of the Trinity, into the ongoing creation story that is still unfolding.
•  When is a time that you felt called of God to do something where you had no idea how it would turn out?
• How did you come to be certain of that direction, not knowing how it was to end?
• How did that turn out?
• How do you know that the effects of that act of faith are played out even today?
• How does that make you feel about God, about yourself? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where is God calling you into greater happiness?
• How is your priesthood progressing lately?
• Are your friendships making a better person of you?
• Where might God be calling you to reckless obedience?

Bread Unnoticed

Indeed, that was a day of miracles.

 

It started with Jesus' welcome of the crowds.
He had gone there to get some rest,

But still He welcomed the crowds when they gathered.
As though He somehow found a second wind.

Then, wave after wave of needy villagers came.

All of them touched, healed, loved.

Every one of them transformed in the encounter

No matter where they came from.

But the rest of us, we could tell that this could get ugly.

All of those folks far from home, kith and kin,

Transformed they may be, but soon, soon

They were going to need food and shelter.

 

Besides, all of us were nearing the end of our endurance.
Striving to find the inner reserves needed to meet the seemingly endless need.

But instead of sending them away, Jesus told us to "lean in" and meet the need -

Meet the needy.

The next miracle was that we somehow found the trust we needed.

The trust we needed to put one foot in front of the other one more time.

Get the people seated to receive, we knew not what.

We prayed with Him over a few loaves and fishes, to what purpose we knew not.

Then He asked us to give from our need, our lack, our fatigue.

After all, by then, those were the only gifts we had left.

The next miracle was that we found just enough strength and just enough courage

To distribute the little that we had to those massed there that day.

I wanted to apologize for such miserable offerings.

But I saw understanding in their eyes.  They knew.

And so we moved among them, as needy as they were.

And gave away all that we had, no longer caring whether it was enough.

 

Only, only desiring that we could see this last miracle through.

Some saw only bread and fish that day.

Some saw a divine gift-giver in full riot. 

I, I saw resurrection within my own poor heart.

 

Shalom!

Trinity Sunday

Our readings for Trinity Sunday:

1. Proverbs 8: 22-31
2. Psalms 8: 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
3. Romans 5: 1-5
4. John 16: 12-15

• Playing before God
• We speak of attaining a good work/life balance.  Maybe we're going at this wrong.
• Is play mutually exclusive to work?
• Why can't work be holy, and fun at the same time?
• Have you ever experienced that?
• Did it pay the bills too?
• Does it have to? 

• The mind of God
• How do you learn what's on God's mind?
• Does nature help you in that regard?
• Does that revelation give you anything that you can put into words?
• Is it still valuable? 

• Forged in affliction
• The so-called prosperity gospel would have us believe that God shows his generosity to His elect in this life.  At the other end of the spectrum is the perspective that this life was meant to be short, brutish, and mean, and we should only expect happiness and fulfillment in the next life.  I think that God wants to offer us yet a third way.
• Do you think that God brings hard times into our lives on purpose?
• Or, do you think that God works to transform those hardships into opportunities?
•  If you feel that way, what sort of opportunities are we talking about here?
• Does that have to be in the context of affliction? 

• Triple colloquy 
• A painting The Two Trinities offers a different perspective on the place of Jesus as a member of the Holy Family a Jesus as a member of the Triune God at the same time.  This might offer a different take on how we can approach God in prayer.
• When you pray, do you ever pray to the Holy Spirit?
• How is that experience different from when you pray to God?
• Do you ever ask Jesus to intercede for you, get you an "in" with the Big Guy?
• Why or why not?
• How about Mary?
• Or Joseph for that matter? 

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling you to play more, or differently?
• How is God revealing Himself to me today?
• How might the Trinity help me improve my prayer life?
• What is your image of God like these days?  

Shalom!

Pentecost Sunday

Our readings for Pentecost Sunday of Easter:

1. Acts 2: 1-11
2. Psalms 104: 1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
3. 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-7, 12-13
4. John 20: 19-23

• Getting the word out
• Its understandable to look back at those early days of the Church and feel some long-term nostalgia.  Those first disciples didn't have Jesus in bodily form anymore.  Threats of persecution from the Jews and the Romans were present.  Doctrinal differences from within were emerging.  Yet, in spite of those challenges, the early Church managed to not only survive but thrive.
• Do you think that our Church today is doing any better or worse at addressing the challenges before us?
• What do you think was the secret of those earliest Christians?
• Can we apply any of their approach to the challenges that we face today?
• Where can we start here, now? 

• The mind of God
• Unlike us, God is able to multi-task quite well.  We are individually and corporately in His thoughts every minute of every day.  We are each part of the ongoing miracle of the abundant life that He has in store for all of His creatures.
• If you could have a face to face with God, would you?
• Would you come with an agenda, things that you wanted to be sure came up in the conversation?
• How much would such an encounter be different from normal time that you spend in prayer?
• Why is that? 

• Finding your charism(s)
• A charism is a gift of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon a community (such as the teaching charism that the Sr.s of St. Louis share with their students) or an individual.  God gives charisms to build up His Kingdom.
• What do you think your charism(s) are?
• Do you think that your closest friends would agree?
• Do you think that you are making the best use of those gifts?
• How would you know? 
  

• Go, you are sent
• There are a number of things that Jesus didn't say in this passage.  He didn't say that there was no danger to His disciples.  He didn't say that everything was always going to go their way.  What He did do was to give them a mission, and that transformed them.
• Where have you seen the Presence of the Holy Spirit at work?
• What had to happen before the Holy Spirit could work in that situation?
• How can we as a community be more open to the Holy Spirit in our community?
• How do you think that you, as an individual could be more open to the Holy Spirit in your life? 
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• What of your life in Christ would you most want to share?
• What is getting in the way of a better prayer life for you?
• Are you making full use of God's gifts to you?
• What in your life is robbing you of peace? 

 Peace Give I to Thee

Lo

I am with you always

Even unto the end of time.

 

Dangers,

Uncertainty,

And more will come your way.

 

But know that none of that -

In any way -

Changes your call, nor my promise.

 

 Lord, give me your peace and no other.

Help me to look to you above all else.

And in you, find the true meaning of all else.

 

That I might see the life that You have given -

In its proper light.

Your gift, to serve Your Kingdom.

 

I give up my claim to security, certainty, clarity.

None of them were mine to begin with.

Help me to know your great "I am" in all things.

 

And in giving up all to you, I find you in all. 

 

Shalom!

Ascension Sunday

Our readings for Ascension Sunday of Easter:

1. Acts 1: 1-11
2. Psalms 43: 2-3, 6-7, 8-9
3. Ephesians 1: 17-12
4. John 24: 46-53

• Waiting on, and for, the Lord
• One of the struggles of the early Church revolved around the time table for Jesus' return.  If He was coming right back, there's no point in buying green bananas.  On the other hand, if it is going to be years, decades, millennia before He comes again, that's a horse of a very different color.
•  If you knew that Jesus was returning tomorrow, what would change in your life?
• How about in a year?
• Or five?
• Maybe fifty (for you younger disciples)?
• Why does it make a difference?
• Should it?
  

• The Light of Christ
• Power.  Apart from the understanding of that term in physics, we are conditioned to never seek power.  Perhaps that is because power is so often abused by us and among us.  But what if that didn't have to be the case?  What if power could be used for the good?
• What sort of power do you think it is that Jesus wants to confer on us as His disciples, His community, His Church?
• What are some examples of power that you have seen in your life?
• Do you feel that any of that power came from God?
• What should we, as His people, be doing with the power that we have?
• How do we find what that power is?
  

• A joyful noise
• Not all of us are talented.  Some may find it hard to bring anything offer God in worship.
• We tell the gathered assembly that they don't have to sound ethereally beautiful in order to properly worship the Lord in congregational singing.  If the sound isn't the point, what is?
• Conversely, is it possible for a soloist, or even an entire choir to sound glorious, and not be properly worshiping the Lord?
• What is that proper worship that God is looking for?
• How can we foster such worship in our hearts and the hearts of the gathered assembly?
  

• Go, you are sent
• Sacramentally, we believe that the Holy Spirit falls on us a Confirmation.  Fair enough.  But then what?
• Is the anointing of the Spirit a one time event, a process, perhaps a sequence of anointings?
• How do you tell that you have been anointed?
• Once that Spirit has come upon you, then what?  How do we find what to do next?
• Is that "finding what to do next" an event or a process?
• How do we know when we have it right?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Are you ready for Jesus to return?  If not today, when?
• Where might God be inviting you to offer the less than perfect parts of you?
• Where might God want you to better use the power that He has given you?
• Where is God sending you? 

 A Power Like No Other

Once upon a time, in a remote village in the northern foothills,
There was a an old brother named Matthias.

He had seen many years, dozens of kings.
Famines plagues, wars come and go.

And now, in the sunset of his life,
He fashioned poetry in the clay.

Fired in a hearth of his own making.
A few pieces at a time, but enough, just enough.

Matthias' needs were simple,
All he needed was time and health enough to pray.

Occasionally, one or another of the villagers would seek Matthias out.
Looking for the meaning of their lives.

Especially after some calamity, or senseless tragedy.
Matthias would listen, softly ask questions.

Help them talk it out.  And eventually lead them to silence.
Not as much because they had run out of things to say.

But because his guests finally realized that they needed to listen.
And Matthias would help them hear more clearly, with greater boldness.

Once a mighty king came to town on foot.
Clad simply, with a single companion to keep him company.

The king had just one question:
Why am I here?

Matthias did not answer for the longest time.
While the king spilled his years of frustration and longing.

Finally Matthias said "you already know the answer.  You just don't know that you know."
The king replied "my people, in the end, I just want to help them find happiness in who they are."

Matthias said "and that, your majesty, is your power in these lands.
You see, we each have power we scarcely know.

And until we find the courage to use that power,
We are useless, weak, and weary."

"What then, is your power might I ask" queried the king.
"My power lies helping others wait for the clamor in their hearts to find inner peace.

That they may finally ask the real questions.
And learn why there are here, now, in this sacred space and time.

And how to honor that holy destiny
With their whole body soul and spirit."

Shalom!

6th Sunday of Easter

Our readings for the 5th Sunday of Easter:

1. Acts 15: 1-2, 22-29
2. Psalms 67: 2-3, 5, 6, 8
3. Revelation 21: 10-14, 22-23
4. John 14: 23-29

• Discernment
• Discernment consists of seeking and finding God's will in a situation.  In a way, it is prophetic - searching for where the Spirit is leading right here, right now.
• When tough decisions have to get made in your home, how does that happen?
• What sort of preparation do you do (long term and short term) to ensure that everyone involved is able and willing to listen to God's still small voice?
• What about at the parish level?  How do you think decisions get made there?
• How can you contribute to that process?
• How would that make the outcomes better?
  

• All the nations
• The Good News has spread throughout the world.  But along the way, challenges regarding how that Good News is expressed, preached, celebrated, and appropriated to different peoples, different lands, different cultures have come up.
• How can we be more welcoming to those who come from different cultures?
• How do we do that without compromising the core of our lived message?
• Is that inculturation even necessary?
  

• Let your light shine
• Jesus is the light of the world.
• What does it really mean that Jesus is the Light?
• When we talk about the darkness of sin, why is it dark, impenetrable?
• How are we called to be that light in our part of the world?
• How have you learned to be more of a light lately?
  

• Hanging on, or clinging?
• Once Jesus resurrected, got His disciples suitably revved up, it was time for Him to go.  I have to imagine that the disciples were in a near panic at that thought.  So much had changed in their lives in the course of following this Jesus, and now, just when they thought that they had seen everything, he's telling them that He's leaving.
• What are some good things that you had to leave behind in your life?
• How did you come to know that it was time to move on?
• How did you mourn that loss in your life?
• How do you know whether you are clinging to someone, something, some way of doing things just because that is comfortable, versus hanging onto what's truly eternal and transcendent?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Is God truly the Lord of my decision-making?
• Where might God be inviting me into greater openness to others?
• Where might God want me to publish something of His life in me to someone else?
• Where might God be calling me to shed something that was once important?
  

Shalom!

5th Sunday of Easter

Our readings for the 5th Sunday of Easter:

1. Acts 14: 21-27
2. Psalms 145: 8-9, 10-11, 12-13
3. Revelation 21: 1-5a
4. John 13: 31-33a, 34-35

• Getting it done
• I'm always fascinated by the accounts of the early Church.  I try to imagine what it must have been like back then.  One thing that I'm always struck by is how the early Church leaders emerged, were trained, and then sent on their way.
• What do you look for in a good leader?
• How do you think that we can/should develop such pastoral skills among us?
• Do you ever get to be too old to lead?
• How do we find such folks in the first place?
  

• God of all
• The psalmists have a world view that includes all of creation in the kingdom of God.  Every rock, tree, gazelle and rainstorm are all His, and each in its way glorifies Him.
• If that's the case, how ought we to treat the world around us?
• How ought we to treat each other?
• How ought we to treat ourselves?
  

• All things new
• Our God makes all things new, rather than all new things.  Often, we wonder why would God not just start with a clean slate.
• Have you ever been in a failed relationship?
• Did you just walk away, or did you try to repair, heal, transform that hurt?
• Why did you work so hard?
• Why do you think God has worked so hard on redeeming us, both corporately and individually?
• Do you think God shares your grief?
  

• Giving consolation, being consolation
•  Consolation is anything that draws (rather than pushes I might add) us towards God.  That could be a gorgeous spring morning bursting with life and pregnant with glory, the fond touch of a loved one just when you need it the most, or even a superb pastrami on rye if you are properly grateful for it.
• Who are some of those who are a consolation for you, in your life?
• How have they come to mean so much to you over the years?
• Did you ever think that they would be that important to you?
• What do you do to foster and nourish that relationship?
• What do you wish you were doing?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be inviting me to be more welcoming?
• Where might God be inviting me into greater openness to others?
• Where might God have joy unexpected waiting for me where I least expect it?
• Where might God be calling me to deeper awareness of my place in the world?
  

 Building the Kingdom In Patience

Her name is Ezri.

She is a female black Labrador Retriever.

All of about fourteen pounds.

And very sure of what she wants, when she wants it.

 

Mary & I have raised puppies just like Ezri for over 20 years.

Every one of them with different personalities, foibles and quirks.

And a small handful of them have gone on to serve.

Furry ambassadors from our home to some other home.

 

They will never know of the countless trips to the back yard to relieve,

The time spent learning how to teach amazing things to that animal,

The times when we have had to take a deep breath in frustration,

And let it out in a laugh at the dog and ourselves.

 

The Kingdom of heaven is built of the little things.

What goes largely unnoticed in this world.

But has the power to transform the giver of such love,

And provide companionship and consolation to the receiver.

 

Each of us has our own puppies to care for and give away.

Sometimes, we just don't see them in that light.

But generous hearts send forth the love of God regardless,

And so are blessed in the giving.

Shalom!

4th Sunday of Easter

Our readings for the 4th Sunday of Easter:

1. Acts 13: 14, 43-52
2. Psalms 100: 1-2, 3, 5
3. Revelation 7: 9, 14b-17
4. John 10: 27-30

• Filled with joy
• The joy of the Gospel is not meant to be something that is exclusive to an elite few in God's service, but to all of us.  Trouble is, where do you find that joy?
• What is something that has given you joy in your walk with God that surprised you?
• How did you come to find joy in that person/ministry/work?
• What had to change within you before you were able to find that joy?
  

• God of all, even you, even me
• It seems as though there is a great deal of talk about inclusivity these days.  Makes you wonder how well that is aligned with the love of God for all of us, and just how we are to live in such all inclusive love.
• Who are some individuals, groups, peoples that you feel that you have little in common with?
• How are they different from you?
• How much do you think that matters in God's eyes?
• How can you cultivate the same view/attitude toward them that God has?
  

• Wiping away the tears
• Just making the pain go away might be what we think we want.  But is that really best?  Do we want to really forget all that contributed to that pain?  I still miss my father at unexpected times.  Do I want to stop missing him?  If not simple numbing of the pain, what do I really want instead?
• Think of a time of loss in your life.
• Do you think that you have been healed of that loss?
• What did that healing actually mean for you?
• Is it still going on?
• Do you think that this healing will ever be truly over?
• How much of that healing do you expect to take to heaven with you.
  

• I am known
• It is sometimes hard for us as humans to know why we respond/react the way that we do.  Sometimes it takes hard work to get to the root of why certain things affect us they way that they do.  Sometimes that process takes a really good friend.
• Has Jesus ever helped you to get to know yourself better?
• Have you ever thought to ask?
• Has He used other people in your life to help you discover yourself?
• How do you think that self-discovery could be better/deeper in the future?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be inviting me to be more welcoming?
• Where might God be inviting me into greater openness to others?
• Where might God have joy unexpected waiting for me where I least expect it?
• Where might God be calling me to deeper awareness of my place in the world?
  

 

Shalom!

3rd Sunday of Easter

Our readings for the 3rd Sunday of Easter:

1. Acts 5: 27-32
2. Psalms 30: 2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13
3. Revelation 5: 11-14
4. John 21: 1-19

• I'm not worthy
• The challenge in following Jesus is that He calls each of us in different ways.  We are all called to bring about the Kingdom on earth, but just what our proper contribution to make that kingdom happen differs.
• How does it make you feel when you see someone preaching at a street corner?
• Do you think that sort of evangelization is truly effective?
• What sort of evangelization is effective?
• Do you think that all of us are called to be evangelists?
• How will you ever know if you're doing a good job?
  

• Dancing for Jesus
• Sometimes, when God intervenes, it's not so much to change the circumstances themselves, but to change our attitude toward those circumstances.
• Have you ever been transformed such that you found joy in something that had previously filled you with anger, anguish, or despair?
• How did that transformation/resurrection happen?
• How did that change you?
  

• Finding time to worship
• Much of what we experience on this earth is meant to prepare us for our eternal destiny.  Worship is one of them.
• Would you like more time for worship?
• How much is enough?
• How much is too much?
• What does your worship time do for/to you?
• Is it better alone or with other people?
  

• Follow me
• Renewal of wedding vows can be a meaningful occasion for a couple to reflect on their relationship to each other, give thanks for the time that they have had together, and resolve to continue to deepen and enrich that living relationship.  It's not a bad idea to do the same with Jesus.
• Have you ever been in a "dry" spell in your faith walk, a time when your relationship with Jesus seemed all but dead?
• What do you think caused that?
• What did you do about that season in your life?
• What finally brought you out of that "dry spell"?
• Do you think that you're a better person for experiencing that?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be inviting me to be more welcoming?
• Where might God be inviting me into greater hope?
• Does God have my worship, or someone else.
• Can I rededicate myself to God in any measurable way today?
  

Burning

is my heart within me watching those coals on the beach.

Their flames dancing before my eyes with the same warmth -

That same warmth that I see in the eyes of my Master.

 

Yes, I backed down,

Yes, I turned away from Him,

Yes, I let my fear become certainty.

 

Yet, here He is, gazing intently into my eyes.

Seeing everything in me,

Knowing everything about me.

 

Yet still loving

Affirming,

Taking radiant joy in me.

 

He offers no guarantees of safety, security, nor shelter.

Just a life full of meaning, heart-felt wonder, and a home for all eternity -

Beginning here, now.

When first I met Him

I set aside my nets and my boat

Because they had become too small for me in that moment.

 

Today, today I set aside my shame, my fear, my pride.

Knowing that they too have become too small for me.

Knowing that Jesus offers me freedom.

 

If I will just accept it.

 

Shalom!

2nd Sunday of Easter

Our readings for the 2nd Sunday of Easter:

1. Acts 5: 12-16
2. Psalms 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24
3. Revelation 1: 9-11a, 12-13, 17-19
4. John 20: 19-31

• Doing the work of Jesus
• My nephew once sported a T-shirt with the image of a bearded man, in a long flowing robe, hang gliding, with the caption "what wouldn't Jesus do?"  You have to wonder how those early disciples were able to decide how to go about being Jesus' Presence in their world with Him no longer there to give them advice.
• How have you been inspired by Jesus in your life?
• How have other people, perhaps closer to home, inspired you to live differently, maybe more generously, or more boldly?
• What do you think it really means to imitate Christ?
  

• Opening up to joy
• Imagine yourself suffused with a joy that is unquenchable, that triumphs over whatever you experience, not by tamping down those hurts, but by transforming them into avenues for grace.
• What gives you the most joy in your life?
• What is it about that which makes your heart soar?
• How has that joy changed you through the years?
  

• Sharing your distress
• Distress, stress, trauma, tragedy, call it what you will, all of these can isolate us from those closest to us.  We can feel cut off from our loved ones because our pain puts us into a strange, unexplored twilight that is all but unreachable.
• How have you found it possible to reach out to others in great pain?
• How did you learn that?
• Why do you think it makes a difference how you reach out to, touch those in need?
• How has that touch changed you?
  

• Afraid to hope
• I took Thomas as my confirmation name for two reasons, it was my father's first name, and I always felt that Thomas at least ought to get credit for being honest.  Were I in his shoes, I would be afraid to hope because hopes can be dashed.  Personally, I think that the greatest sign in this week's Gospel reading is Jesus' love and mercy toward Thomas.
• Imagine that you're in that locked room with the rest of the disciples (and yes ladies, I believe there were women there, so don't let that slow you down) and Jesus suddenly is there with you.
• He turns and gazes at you.  Suddenly, you feel as though the room is empty except for you and Jesus.
• You clasp His hands, feel the cruel nail marks, the warmth of His flesh, the strength of His hands in yours.  You suddenly know that He never really left you, and that He never will leave you.
• What expression is on the face of Jesus as you gaze at Him?
  
• What is it that Jesus has to say to you today?
• How do you respond?
• Happy Easter!

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be inviting me to bring hope to another?
• Where might God be inviting me into greater hope?
• How is God inviting me to be closer to Jesus today?
• Where might God be inviting me into a miracle? 
  

Warm

is the flesh I clasp in my calloused hands.

Warm the glance, the gaze, the caress of His eyes upon me.

Warm my heart as I gaze back and find my courage in His eyes.

Find my salvation at the shores of eternity in His flesh embracing mine.

 

My heart knows what my mind could scarce believe:

I am loved, I am accepted, I am called -

Just as I am, right here, right now.

And that's all that I really need to know.

 

I am resurrected  out of the tomb of my own despair.

Given power over the chains of my own fears.

Filled with a joy based in Jesus and Him alone.

Knowing that all I need to know is the step right before me.

 

Jesus sees my face light up.

He throws back his head and laughs with me.

And I know that He is in me and I in Him.

And that I never want to leave His side.

 

Hallelujah!

 

Shalom!

Palm Sunday

Our readings for Palm Sunday:

1. Isaiah 50: 4-7
2. Psalms 22: 8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
3. Philippians 2: 6-11
4. Luke 22: 14 - 23: 56

• Seeking a well trained tongue
• A person in great need is often hard to reach.  They can feel isolated, alone, cut off from the rest of humanity by their tragedy.  This can especially happen to those grieving the loss of a loved one.
• Have you ever been confronted by someone whose need was so deep that you had no idea what to say to them?
• What were you able to say/do for them?
• How did you come to that response to their need?
  

• Feeling abandoned
• What is something that God has done for you just lately that you're grateful for?
• Were you seeking that blessing, or did it come as a surprise?
• What were you praying for at that time?
• Why do you think that God answered you the way that He did?
• What does that tell you about God?
• What does that tell you about yourself?
  

• What wondrous love
• Jesus' gift of Himself was no snap decision, no single impulsive act that committed Him to His death.  Rather, His whole life among us was one decision after another, one giving of self after another, one death after another.
• What do you think that it means to imitate Christ?
• What good can come of trying to live a life as Jesus did?  Didn't Jesus live that self-denying life so that we would not have to?
• What has denying yourself ever gotten you?
  

• Hangin' with Jesus
• You have to feel awe that Jesus was able to extend mercy to St. Dismas even in the midst of his own agony, shame, and isolation.
• Have you ever ministered to someone else when you were troubled in one way or another?
• What made you think to look outside yourself, and touch that other person?
• How were you able to get past your own problems in that moment?
• Did that offering of yourself help you in any way?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be inviting me to bring hope to another?
• Am I honest with God in prayer?
• How is God inviting me to be closer to Jesus today?
• Where might God be inviting me into a miracle? 
  

Splinters In My Shoulders

 I hate the Romans.
They find an endless litany of ways to remind you that they are the dominant force on the planet.

Their soldiers can demand that you carry their arms and armor for a mile.

Every transaction is an opportunity for another tax.

Even the money bears the image and likeness of the emperor.

 

The wood that they pressed upon me was stained,

Heavy,

Rough in places, worn smooth in others.

And I wasn't sure which revolted me more: the bloody stains

Or the smooth spots worn down by the spasms of agony of former victims.

 

I wanted nothing to do with it.

But, of course, like all things with the Romans,

What I wanted did not matter.

So they lashed that hateful instrument of torture to my back.

And bid me walk for the pathetic, beaten, mutilated man beside me.

 

I could tell that he was barely hanging on.

Putting one foot in front of the other through sheer act of will.

Meanwhile, the soldiers just wanted to get his execution over and done with,

So that they could get home to their families and get a little rest

For my part, I was already trying to decide how I would describe today to my wife.

 

Even in the midst of His agony, He comforted others.

Telling them to take heart,

No cries for pity parted His lips.

No screams of outrage or mourning tumbled out of his bruised and beaten frame.

His eyes always seeking others, to meet and comfort them.

 

Finally, he looked at me.

And suddenly I joined the crowd of mourners,

Reduced to tears at his cruel fate.

Reduced to groans and sighs in the face of such cruelty.

He held me in the embrace of his eyes and thanked me for my service.

 

I could not leave His side after that.

I knew that I had to stay close to Him as long as possible.

I did not know what would come of that impulse, 

But I knew that I would be forever incomplete if I left His side.

And I have found my best self on that via dolorosa ever since.

Shalom!

5th Sunday of Lent - Cycle A

Our readings for the 5th Sunday of Lent Cycle A are:

1. Ezekiel 37: 12-14
2. Psalms 130: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
3. Romans 8: 8-11
4. John 11: 1-45

• Hope in God
• Faith, Hope, and Love are the three cardinal virtues.  All three of them can be hard to find for various reasons.  Sometimes, hope can seem unrealistic, even delusional.
• What do you hope for as a child of God?
• What is the source of that hope of yours?
• What are some things in your life that strengthen that hope?
• What are some things that threaten your hope?
• What are you doing about that?
  

• Communal redemption
• Each of us is part of a larger whole.  To pretend that we can get right with God without that community that has formed and sustained us is arrogance.  At the same time, to imagine that we will find redemption merely because we belong to a community undergoing redemption is presumptuous.
• Do you see signs of God redeeming our nation, our parish, your family?
• How does that communal redemption strengthen your ongoing redemption?
• How is your ongoing redemption strengthening your community(ies)?
  

• Indwelling
• We believe that the Holy Spirit takes up residence within us at the sacrament of Confirmation, and in that faith, we are soon going to confirm several Elect and Candidates at Easter Vigil.  And every year we confirm a batch of young adults, supposedly into lifelong service to God.  But these confirmed rarely stick around.
• Why do you think so many leave soon after Confirmation?
• Is it a lack of the sacramental preparation that they receive?
• Is it maybe that they don't see a warm welcome into service within the parish?
• Maybe they are still running on "second-hand faith" and they have not really appropriated  this as their faith?

• Lazarus come out!
• It's not clear just who Jesus got to roll away the stone from Lazarus' tomb, but I am going to bet that it was a communal effort.  Maybe a few of the locals had to come up with picks and crowbars.  I would have been thinking to my self that this is going to be a huge waste of time if nothing miraculous comes of it and we just have to put the stone back.
• Why do you think that God calls on us to help make miracles happen?
• What might have happened if the man born blind had asked "why the pool of Siloam?  There are closer pools than that one!"
• Have you ever been a part of a miracle?
• How did that change you?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be inviting me to greater hope?
• How might I be more deeply redemptive for my community?
• What can I do to make my parish more welcoming to the young?
• Where might God be inviting me into a miracle?
  

Shalom!

4th Sunday of Lent - Cycle A

Our readings for the 4th Sunday of Lent Cycle A are:

1. 1 Samuel 16: 1b, 6-7, 10-13a
2. Psalms 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 69
3. Ephesians 5: 8-14
4. John 9: 1-41

• Seeing what God sees
• "Don't judge a book by its cover" is a familiar aphorism that never grows old because we so easily fall into that trap.
• Think of someone that you were very mistaken about at some point in your life.
• What was different about how you looked at them in the beginning versus how you eventually came to look at them?
• How did that transformation in your outlook change?
• How did that transformation in your outlook change you?
  

• Finding repose
• I somehow doubt that many of us identify much with sheep.  We like to think of ourselves as a bit more active about making our futures than that.  Perhaps a bit more intelligent too.
•  Think of a time when God met a deep need of yours in some unexpected way.
• Were you able to accept that immediately?
• Were you even looking for His help in the first place?
• What did you go through before you were able to really accept that help?
  

• Exposing the darkness
• St. Oscar Romero of El Salvador was featured the other day in The Little Black Book (a set of devotions for Lent) for fearlessly calling for an end to the violence and oppression going on in El Salvador at the time.  Hopefully, not all of us are called to be so outspoken in the midst of such violent oppression.  That's a very hard life to lead.
• What evil have you seen in your life?
• What did you feel called to do about it?
• Where did you find the courage?
• Would you do it again?
• Was your action successful?
• How do you know?
  

• Reacting or pondering
• I daresay that there is nothing so well fortified as a closed mind.  Thankfully, our God is a God of mercy, and He leads us in small steps, often along seemingly crooked paths, to see Him for who He really is, and who He wants to be in our lives.  That long slow process is often a great opportunity for growth.  And potentially very frustrating.
•  What are some of the transformations that have come along in your life as a disciple?
• Are any of those still ongoing?
• Do you wish that the process were over sooner, that you could get over that "awkward stage"?
• How will you know when it's over?
• Do we ever stop transforming in Jesus?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Whom might God be trying to show me in a new light?
• Where might God be inviting me towards gratitude?
• Is there someone in my life that God is calling me to serve/defend?
• Where might God be calling me to see Him/myself in a brand new way?

Now What?

Life as a beggar is hard.

You never know what will come your way from one day to the next.

Some passers-by pretend not to see you.

Others glance your way and hurry by.

Others casually throw a few coins in your basket and go about their business.

And once in a great while, someone will stop and actually talk to you.

 

Jesus and His disciples were different.

Jesus was not interested in the usual explanations for my condition.

He was in no hurry to be on His way.

He touched me, lavished time on me.

And healed me in a totally unexpected way.

And made me a scandal to my family, friends, and the local leaders.

 

I still miss the centuries-old community that I once knew.

For a long time I ached for my birth family,

The place where I grew up,

Even the patch of roadside that I had come to see as "my own".

But gradually, I realized that Jesus had given me so much more.

And I try to share that with everyone that I meet.

 

Hardly anyone believes that I was once blind.

That I once called the side of the road my home.

And that I found a measure of comfort there.

In the sure knowledge that blind I was born, and blind I would die.

Always subsisting on random acts of generosity -

From complete strangers.

 

Today, I try to tell others how Jesus changed my life.

Not just in giving me these new eyes.

But because He gave me new purpose.

And a new relationship to my creator.

One born of love rather than duty.

One founded in freedom rather than bondage.

 

This new sight still surprises me daily.

The ongoing revelation continuing to this day.

As I try to help others to open their eyes.

And leave behind whatever is blinding them today.

And I wonder where this journey might take me

As I continue to follow Jesus out of today's Egypt into His next promised land.

 

Shalom!

3rd Sunday of Lent - Cycle A

Our readings for the 3rd Sunday of Lent Cycle A are:

1. Exodus 17: 3-7
2. Psalms 95: 1-2, 6-7, 8-9
3. Romans 5: 1-2, 5-8
4. John 4: 5-42

• Honesty with God
• Sometimes, its hard to be honest with God.  We think maybe He doesn't care enough to do anything, or maybe we tell ourselves that we should be able to take care of whatever it is that we're facing.  Or, we tell ourselves that God put this in our lives to make us suffer, to test us, to make us stronger.  Or, we are so scared, angry, ... that we don't know how to pray.
• Have you ever had a hard time bringing something to God in prayer?
• What made it hard for you to talk with Him about that?
• How did you manage to get past that obstacle?
  

• Dealing with doubt
• Even the most devout follower of Jesus has their doubts from time to time.  Sometimes its sudden and dramatic, sometimes the doubts come because we are tired and worn.
• Was there ever a time that you doubted?  Maybe the doubt was that you weren't sure that God cared anymore, or you doubted that God could ever receive you into His bosom again, or you doubted that there was a way to recover from a mistake that you had made.
• Did your faith eventually triumph?
• What did you learn from that "dark night of the soul"?
  

• Feelin' the love
• Accepting the love of God in our lives is essential to living in His kingdom.
  
• When or where do you most feel the love of God?
• Why do you think that time/place was graced for you?
• How are you affected by that graced time/place to this day?
  

• Change in plans
• When I make a plan, I prefer to stick to it.  Changing plans at the last minute feels disruptive, uncertain, even dangerous to me.  But sometimes, that's the best part of the journey.
• Have you ever had a sudden change in plans for your ministry?  You thought you were doing exactly what God had for you, but something else popped up out of nowhere?
• How did that make you feel?
• Why do you think that was such a surprise?
• Do you think God might have just told you that was coming ahead of time?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Do I truly think that God longs to hear from me, no matter what?
• Am I willing to live with my doubts and let them draw me closer to God?
• Am I willing to accept the love of God in my life, no matter how it comes?
• Where might God be calling me to deeper trust?

So Much for the Groceries

The Samaritans could spot us from a mile away.

Glancing sidelong at us,wherever we went.

Wondering who we were, why we were there.

And all that we needed was food for the journey.

 

We had heard stories about these Samaritans as children.

How they had abandoned our ways so many years ago

When we were wrenched from our land by the Assyrians

And led into lonely exile to strange lands and stranger customs.

 

Finally, after a great deal of money-changing, and bargaining,

We had enough to see the group of us through the week.

We congratulated ourselves on getting some real bargains.

And we were ready to go back to Jesus and be on our way.

 

But there He was, deep in conversation with one of the locals.

Clearly they were sharing deeply with each other -

But we knew that Jesus needed to eat, as did the rest of us.

But Jesus would have none of ordinary food.

 

Instead, He told us that His food was to do the will of His Father,

As though that would put meat on his bones and spring in His step.

And I began to wonder whether it would ever be the case for us -

That we would draw nourishment from finding and doing God's well.

 

So often it feels as though we try to do what's reasonable,

Or what anyone else would expect in similar circumstances,

And Jesus has some totally different take on what really matters.

Always amazing, always challenging, always loving.

 

I just wish that I could see that coming before I bought the groceries.

 

Shalom!

2nd Sunday of Lent

Our readings for the 7th Sunday of Lent are:

1. Genesis 15: 5-12, 17-18
2. Psalms 27: 1, 7-8, 8-9, 13-14
3. Philippians 3: 17- 4: 1
4. Luke 9: 28b-36

• Chosen
• It's hard to imagine what it must have been like for Abram to put his faith in God.  In his day, gods were far more tangible, and tied to a specific country or people.  This God that Abram worshiped is different.  Abram must have felt very much alone.  You wonder what Sarah and her family thought of all of this.
• What are some things that you have had to leave behind in your life as you have followed God?  They might be familiar places, a community, family, a job that you loved, family, ...
• How did you know that it was time to leave them behind?
• Did you feel that God was asking too much of you at the time?
• Would you make the same decision again?
  

• The face of God
• Imagine that you are face to face with God.  He has something very important that He wants to tell you, and He has manifested Himself to you because He wants to make absolutely sure that you get this directly from Him.
• You are ushered into His presence, and He looks deep into your eyes and says to you "I love you, without qualification, without bound, without any merit on your part."
• Silence falls between the two of you as you let that affirming love touch you.
• Finally, God speaks again: "do you love me?"
• Where does that conversation go from there?
  

• Called to hope
• Building is a statement of hope.  Building a community, a family, writing a book, are all aimed at the future, a future made brighter because of sacrifices made today.
• What do you hope for from your life?
• What do you hope is being built/created this very moment in your life?
• Do you have to be around to see that thing come to pass for it to be worthwhile?
• Why do you have this hope?
  

• Sacred Silence
• It's hard sometimes to fall silent before God, let His Presence envelope you, and let your presence tabernacle with Him.  It feels oddly wasteful, as though there must be something more important, more urgent that needs to be done.  Nothing could be further from the truth.
• What in your life has ever been inspired to silence?
• What did you get from that silence?
• Was it worth it?
• Could you have received that blessing any other way?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Do I truly embrace the fact that all that I have is gift?
• Do I really believe in God's unremitting love?
• Am I acting out of hope?
• Where might God be calling me to deeper trust?

Great Exodus

The sacrificial offering lies on the burning sand.

Waiting for me and my God to journey through it.

To emerge at the other side covenanted forever.

 

The blood of their freshly sacrificed corpses gleams.

Catching the last rays of the setting sun.

Reminding me that I, too, will soon be dying.

 

Dying to my old ways, becoming a new man.

Born of God, born of a mutual pledge stronger than death.

Transformed by this convent into a child of God.

 

My eyes travel over this familiar country once again.

Reveling in each well worn curve of hill and valley.

Knowing that I will never see it quite this way again.

 

I wonder what this convent will ask of me in the years ahead.

What journeys lie ahead of me.

In wonder, I realize that I no longer care.

 

All that I ask is that each journey, each step -

Brings me closer to God, closer to His destiny for me.

And I know now that I am ready to set my foot upon this path.

 

Shalom!

1st Sunday of Lent

Our readings for the 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. Deuteronomy 26: 4-10
2. Psalms 91: 1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
3. Romans 10: 8-13
4. Luke 4: 1-13

• Chosen
• Everything is gift.  Every gift has a purpose.  The hard part is to remember that none of what we have is ours to hold but ours to give away.
•  What are some of the biggest blessings, things that you are most grateful for in your life?
• How did those come into your life?
• What purpose do those things serve in your life?
• How do you remind yourself that they are God's and His alone?
  

• Is anyone there?
• Times of trouble isolate us.  We look about and realize that no one has been through quite what we have seen, and we realize that to an extent, no quantity of words will bridge that gap.
• Think of a time of trouble, doubt, panic even in your life.  If someone told you in that crisis "take heart, God is with you" what would you have said?
• If, instead, your best friend declared to you "come all manner of calamity, I will never leave your side, I am with you through it all.  You will never be alone" what would be your reaction?
• When evil befalls you, what do you count on God's Presence to really amount to?
  

• Living in honor
• It seems that there is no sense of shame these days.  But in Jesus' day, shame was avoided, and honor sought at all cost.  Honor received was worth more than gold.  Trouble is, what God finds honorable is often at odds with the culture that we find ourselves in.
• When is a time that you chose honor in God's eyes, over what "made sense" to those around you?
• What made you do that?
• What were the consequences?
• Would you do that again?
  

• Finding trust
• Waiting for God requires trust.  Perhaps the hardest time to trust is knowing that God will provide for us, but not seeing the how, when, or where.
• Think of a time when you cried out to God in need.  And the answer to your prayer seemed long in coming.
• What made you think that God was going to answer that prayer at all?
• What was your expectation of when God was going to meet your needs?
• Were you tempted to take matters into your own hands?
• How did you know that God had something better in store for you?
• How did you know God's answer when it arrived?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Do I truly embrace the fact that all that I have is gift?
• Do I really appreciate God's presence in my life?
• Does my life honor God?
• Where might God be calling me to deeper trust?

Lenten Prayer

Lord, I thank you for all the gifts that you shower upon me.

Family who remind me of who I am, even when I don't want to hear it.

Friends who call forth the best from me, even when I tire of my best.

Your children in need who remind me that we are all one.

And that generosity to them is my surest pathway to your heart.

 

Teach me to be free.

Free of the snares of never enough.

Never enough recognition.

Never enough security.

Never enough control.

 

Help me to give boldly, without regard for the cost.

That I might learn to be free to be Your generosity

To those that you bring in my path.

That I might learn to know the peace that comes.

Of trusting you what what you have first entrusted me.

Shalom!

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. Sirach 27: 4-7
2. Psalms 92: 2-3, 13-14, 15-16
3. 1 Corinthians 15: 54-58
4. Luke 6: 39-45

• The potter's kiln
• Richard Rohr says that we never get in touch with our real self until we have been through great loss and/or suffering.  Part of me hopes that he's wrong.  Part of me hopes that my real self isn't really all that important.
• When have you felt tested by some sort of loss or suffering?
• Did you get better, or bitter?
• Why do you think that that experience affected you that way?
• Would you react any differently to that today?
  

• Bearing fruit in old age
• I have lots of things that I never had as a younger man: a bald spot, wrinkles where I didn't even think that you could wrinkle, more and more joints that click, and the list goes on.  I hope that I can look forward to different sorts of fruits as I venture deeper into my golden years.
• What are some of the fruits that God has brought about in your life?
• How did those come about for you?
• Were you looking for them?
• How are those fruits blessing those around you?
  

• Labor in the Lord
• What are some of the things that you have labored over in your life?
• Looking back on that labor now, was it really worth it?
• Is it worth it because of what you accomplished, or who/what you became along the way?
• How do you know if you are, or have been, laboring in vain?
• Is it enough for our labor to just put food on the table?
  

• Soul friends
• Friends are essential.  They bring out the best in us, sometimes in spite of us.  But finding really good friends can be hard.  Nurturing friendships has to be intentional.  A soul friend is someone who you can share deeply with, and whom you trust implicitly.
• Who is someone in your life that you would term a soul friend?
• What is it about them that helps you on your walk with God?
• Have you ever thanked them for that?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me to embrace loss or suffering in my life?
• Where might God be calling me to bear new/different fruit?
• Is my labor at all fruitful?
• Are all of my relationships really good for me?

Your Inheritance

The old man had died poor. 
He had never held on to much.
Instead, he gave it all away.
Saying "you can't take it with you.
So why bother so much now?"

To the first son, he gave a fishing pole.
"Learn to relax a little each day"
Said the attached card.
"And you'll never go to bed with regrets."

 Disappointed, the son left in disgust. 
For his wealth was vast,
And his worries even larger.

The second received a journal.
"Write what you are grateful for."

But the young man would have none of it.
Because he never had enough.

The third son received a smooth, round, pebble.

Seeing it, he clutched it to his chest and sobbed.

"Dad and I would search the stream banks
For the smoothest stones, the ones tumbled by the currents
Until all of their rough edges had worn off.
Until they had become beautiful in the hands of God
Worn and embraced in a thousand trying times and seasons.

And now here he is,
Showing all of us the beauty of trials, the love found only in turbulence."

Shalom!

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. 1 Samuel 26: 2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23
2. Psalms 103: 1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13
3. 1 Corinthians 15: 45-49
4. Luke 6: 27-38

• Trust is a path where there is none
• Trust in God is something that we all want.  We know that, with that trust comes hope, and with hope comes peace, and peace leads to a joy that is unstoppable, no matter how dire circumstances might get.
• Have you ever found it hard to trust God?
• What did you trust Him for?  Was God supposed to make something bad go away, restore something to you that you had lost, bring healing of some sort, prosper the work of your hands in some way, bring you closer to himself?
• Did God come through for you?
• What did that tell you about God?
• What did that tell you about you?
  

• A father's compassion
• A father's compassion can be a powerful thing in our lives.  Looking into those eyes that know you so well, that cherish you for all that you are this very moment, that longs to hear from you where your road has taken you, with all its joys and disappointments.
• What makes you think that God has compassion for you?
• How does that compassion make you feel about God?
• How does that compassion make you feel about yourself?
• Do you ever wonder if God would like compassion from you?
  

• The image of God
• What do you think it means that we were formed in the image and likeness of God?
• How do you know if you are fulfilling that destiny, being the image and likeness of God?
• Can you think of a time/event when you were able to fulfill that destiny?
• Was that hard for you?
• What did that experience teach you?
  

• The lure of judgement
• Judging others is easy.  And sadly, it only gets easier with age.  After all, if someone else is noticeably different from you, they must either be ignorant or mistaken.  Otherwise, they'd be just like you in their perspectives, actions, attitudes.  Judging others cuts us off from them, makes it impossible for them to really hurt us.  Especially when that other is God Himself.
• Has God ever done something unexplainable in your life?
• How did you come to terms with that experience?
• Did that change how you looked at God?
• Did that change how you regarded yourself?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me step even where there is no way forward?
• Where might God be trying to reveal His father's heart to me?
  
• What of God might others see in me?
  
• Where might I be judging others?
  

Shalom!

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our readings for the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time are:

1. Jeremiah 17: 5-8
2. Psalms 1: 1-2, 3, 4, 6
3. 1 Corinthians 15: 12, 16-20
4. Luke 6: 17, 20-26

• Staying connected
• The need for water is universal among living things.  We all need that simple substance in abundance, and it has to come from the outside.  We are unable to manufacture it ourselves.  And in a very similar way, we rely on God to fulfill us, whether we realize that or not.
• Who are some folks who have nourished you during your life?
• How did their lives enrich yours?
• Do you feel that you have been able to pass any of that enrichment along to others?
  

• Where is your hope?
• What do you hope for in the future for yourself, your family, your various communities?
• How do you think any of that is going to happen?
• Where did you get that hope?
• Do you feel that God has the same hope?
• Why do you think that you have that hope?
  

• Transformed by resurrection
• I wonder whether the resurrection is an ongoing journey in a similar fashion to the incarnation.  Yes Jesus came at a specific point in time, and ascended to the Father at a specific point in time.  But that incarnation is far from over.  It happens every time someone applies a healing touch to the traumatized, or shares God's presence with the afflicted.  Maybe our resurrection is happening even as we speak, we are being transformed into that eternal us that Christ has made possible.  I could be wrong there ...
• What are some transformations that you have undergone in your life?
• Would that have been possible if you were not looking forward to the resurrection?
• What would you like to achieve/be by the time that you are loved into eternity?
  

• Blessed are those who mourn
• What makes you mourn in your life?
• How do you think that God feels about that sorrow in your heart?
• If He cares so much for us/about us, how could he have let that happen?
• How would you like to find comfort for that sorrow in your life?
• How can you start making that happen?
  

• Preparation for Reconciliation
• Where might God be calling me to deepen my connection to someone else?
• Where is my hope found?
  
• Where is my own resurrection coming to light right now?
  
• Where might God be calling me deepen my trust in Him?
  

  Give me Eyes to See

Lord, grant that I may see more clearly.

See that which is really important.

And that which is just flash and bang.

 

Help me to count on you alone.

In my every moment of need.

And not be distracted by all else.

 

Give me gratitude for what you give me.

Release me from my envy of others.

That I might be free to see your abundance.

 

Help me trust in you and you alone.

For my safe passage day by day.

That I might be bold and courageous in Your service.

 

Give me ears to hear the cry of the poor.

Even above the clamor of the superficial.

That I might lend a hand and heart where they are needed most.

 

Give me eyes to see that you are all that matters.

That nothing else will stay.

That nothing else is worthy of my adoration.

 

Shalom!