Friday, May 12, 2006

Prayer for Mercy 

O Lord,
You who gave so much in care and pain and sorrow,
emptying yourself out to come walk along the paths
of the world you created,
who looked at us with compassion in our pain, our fear, and our need,
who accepted the Father's will, and drank that bitter cup of hard, painful death
so that we might taste your mercy,
forgive us Lord, for all the times we spurn your mercy
and choose, like at the beginning of things to go our own way
in spite of what you offer.

O Lord,
As the current darkness descends,
and we are more interested in chasing after comforts than to give comfort,
and are more interested in spiting our brother
than to join hands to work to stop the calamities growing ever closer,
Open our eyes.

Although we demand the right to tell you what is good and what is bad,
Open our hearts to the truth.

Although we twist your truth
to justify the meanspiritedness or avarice or lust that motivates us today,
Fill us with the reality of the darkness we do.

Although we would grind you into insignificance,
Awaken us to the reality of your power.

Even though we stand proud against the universe
in what we think is our power,
Drop us to our knees.

Even though in our anger and our determination,
We use you as a tool to attack our enemies,
Teach us what you really want us to be.

O Lord, you are the fount of all mercy,
pull the scales from our eyes
that we see that dark is dark,
light is light,
truth is truth,
and that in that moment of reality,
we will be pulled into your loving arms,
never to depart again.

Lord have mercy,
Christ have mercy,
Lord have mercy.

Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

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We Ask For Your Mercy 

O Jesus, my Savior and Redeemer,
Son of the living God,
Ocean of Divine Mercy,
whose loving Heart is big enough to embrace the entire world
behold, we kneel before You and plead for your mercy.
Hear us as we ask for your mercy for this poor world,
for all the lost and weary souls who refuse to see
that only You will fill the aching in their souls.
We ask your mercy on all the young people
who are growing up in a world who will not acknowledge the good,
but that chooses to call good evil, and evil good.

We who love you would make amends for all the blasphemies uttered against Your holy name,
for all the injuries done to You in the Blessed Sacrament,
for all the irreverence shown toward Your immaculate Virgin Mother,
for all the lies and slanders spoken against Your spouse, the Church.

O Jesus, who has said: "If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you,"
we pray and beg You to be with all who are in danger of sin;
May those who should know better but choose the wrong
find the way to your light..
For those who are wavering, shield them from every temptation to fall away;
save those who are even now standing on the brink of the abyss;
to all those who will hear your voice, give light and knowledge of the truth,
courage and strength for the conflict with evil,
perseverance in faith and active charity!

O Lord, you are our light.
In this dark time, may we stand forth,
witness of the light you long to shed to an aching mankind,
no matter the cost,
and know, that end the end, you have promised
to be with us, always.

Show us the way to go, and help us walk it,
This day, and always, Amen

Susan E. Stone, 2006

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Thursday, May 11, 2006

The Pilgrim's Journey Home 

The sun sinks low near the end of the day
As my weary back bends beneath its load.
My mind is filled with sweet thoughts of home
That waits for me at the end of the road.

At times each step seems so hard to take,
My hands do shake and my knees grow weak,
Yet far ahead the road leads on,
To the place I go, to the home I seek.

Some may think that I walk in vain,
Step after step on this pilgrim's way,
They think me foolish for what I do,
Glance while I pass, and then turn away.

And yet they wonder where comes the strength
To love when others would choose to hate,
To ease the pain of another's load,
To try when others curse their fate.

It is not I who can do this thing,
It is not I who is strong, you see --
The joy, the peace, the strength within
To take each step, it is not me.

It only looks like I walk alone,
Another carries me along the way.
He gave his life to set me free
And brings me home at the end of the day.

O Jesus, you whisper into my heart
The words of life that set me free,
Your arms are strength where I am weak,
When I fall down you carry me.

And though the valley ahead seems dark,
O Good Shepherd you comfort me,
It will be but the pathway home,
And where you lead, I long to be.

To the Tune of Lord Franklin.
(midi of the tune can be found here:
http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/midis7/franklin.mid)

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