Saturday, February 21, 2004
The Most Precious Miracle
O Jesus,
in your willingness to give all,
in your willingness to say yes,
in your willingness to give your blood,
in your willingness to bear your cross,
and by the glory of your resurection,
you have set us free.
O Jesus,
how the world likes to shrink you down,
cast your blood upon the bare earth,
turn you into a shadow of yourself,
and tell us all you suffered
was for naught,
man's inhumanity.
O Jesus,
knowing what we would do,
still you said Yes,
and that itself
is the miracle
more precious than any other.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
O Jesus,
in your willingness to give all,
in your willingness to say yes,
in your willingness to give your blood,
in your willingness to bear your cross,
and by the glory of your resurection,
you have set us free.
O Jesus,
how the world likes to shrink you down,
cast your blood upon the bare earth,
turn you into a shadow of yourself,
and tell us all you suffered
was for naught,
man's inhumanity.
O Jesus,
knowing what we would do,
still you said Yes,
and that itself
is the miracle
more precious than any other.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Being a Witness
Dear Lord,
even as I stand up for your holy truth,
teach me to stand up for it
the way you taught,
the way you demonstrated it,
the way you lived it
Fill me with your love,
so if they say hurtful things,
I may treat them as your children.
Fill me with your light
so my life radiates your reality
against the darkness.
Fill me with your patience,
so that I avoid the pitfalls of
anger and hate and self-righteousness.
Fill me with your truth,
so I will not stumble.
Remind me of the saints
those called to shed their blood,
those called to long years of service,
those called to love greatly,
each a witness
and an example.
May I always follow in their footsteps.
Susan Stone, 2004
Dear Lord,
even as I stand up for your holy truth,
teach me to stand up for it
the way you taught,
the way you demonstrated it,
the way you lived it
Fill me with your love,
so if they say hurtful things,
I may treat them as your children.
Fill me with your light
so my life radiates your reality
against the darkness.
Fill me with your patience,
so that I avoid the pitfalls of
anger and hate and self-righteousness.
Fill me with your truth,
so I will not stumble.
Remind me of the saints
those called to shed their blood,
those called to long years of service,
those called to love greatly,
each a witness
and an example.
May I always follow in their footsteps.
Susan Stone, 2004
Friday, February 20, 2004
Crosses
And calling the multitude together with his disciples, he said to them: If any man will follow me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel shall save it. Mark 8:34,35
There is that place
where heaven and earth come together,
and the world is renewed
in the pain and suffering
of one
who gave his all for love.
O Jesus,
teach me to bear my cross
with the same love.
When I stumble carrying it,
let me realize it is your hands
that help me stand back up,
readjust the weight,
and get ready to carry it again.
O Jesus,
for love of you,
teach me to love my cross,
and that road that brings me closer to you,
and at last,
when I stand before you,
may I find that it is not a cross that I am carrying,
but a victor's crown
to lay down at your feet
all for love.
Susan E. Stone 2004
And calling the multitude together with his disciples, he said to them: If any man will follow me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel shall save it. Mark 8:34,35
There is that place
where heaven and earth come together,
and the world is renewed
in the pain and suffering
of one
who gave his all for love.
O Jesus,
teach me to bear my cross
with the same love.
When I stumble carrying it,
let me realize it is your hands
that help me stand back up,
readjust the weight,
and get ready to carry it again.
O Jesus,
for love of you,
teach me to love my cross,
and that road that brings me closer to you,
and at last,
when I stand before you,
may I find that it is not a cross that I am carrying,
but a victor's crown
to lay down at your feet
all for love.
Susan E. Stone 2004
Thursday, February 19, 2004
Morning Prayer
Dear Lord,
Be with me this day,
my constant companion.
Let me know you are with me
when I long to curse
the driver who frightens me.
May my words and thoughts
turn to prayers instead of curses.
When I go out,
Remind me that the person
who makes me angry with his rudeness
is also your child too.
Help me give him a smile
instead of returning his anger.
May my words and thoughts
turn to prayers instead of curses.
When I see the one in need,
soften my heart,
nudge me to act the way you want me to,
reminding me frequently that caring for one like this
is the same as caring for you,
and free me from the misguided feeling
of being exploited,
when it's my own desire not to share speaking.
May my words and thoughts
turn to prayers instead of curses.
Dear Lord,
be thou my constant companion,
this day,
every day,
now and forever. Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Dear Lord,
Be with me this day,
my constant companion.
Let me know you are with me
when I long to curse
the driver who frightens me.
May my words and thoughts
turn to prayers instead of curses.
When I go out,
Remind me that the person
who makes me angry with his rudeness
is also your child too.
Help me give him a smile
instead of returning his anger.
May my words and thoughts
turn to prayers instead of curses.
When I see the one in need,
soften my heart,
nudge me to act the way you want me to,
reminding me frequently that caring for one like this
is the same as caring for you,
and free me from the misguided feeling
of being exploited,
when it's my own desire not to share speaking.
May my words and thoughts
turn to prayers instead of curses.
Dear Lord,
be thou my constant companion,
this day,
every day,
now and forever. Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Some Brief Thoughts on the Passion
I sit here in my pain,
feeling isolated,
alone.
I think back to Gethsemani,
and the pain you were feeling,
isolated,
alone,
and my darkness
seems a little less heavy.
The pain in my hand
throbs
up to my elbow and shoulder,
but then,
I think of you hanging there,
nails through your wrists,
carrying the world's sins,
and this little arthritis
seems less a burden to carry.
Susan E. Stone
I sit here in my pain,
feeling isolated,
alone.
I think back to Gethsemani,
and the pain you were feeling,
isolated,
alone,
and my darkness
seems a little less heavy.
The pain in my hand
throbs
up to my elbow and shoulder,
but then,
I think of you hanging there,
nails through your wrists,
carrying the world's sins,
and this little arthritis
seems less a burden to carry.
Susan E. Stone
Labels: Passion of Christ
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Prayer to Mary, Mother of Consolation
O Mother of Consolation,
how your heart was forged in the furnance
of God's love,
quenched like a flaming sword in the depths of sorrow,
and always
you told God yes,
no matter what the cost,
no matter what the pain,
no matter the gossip or opinions of others.
O have mercy on me, Mother of Consolation,
I, who have told God no far too many times,
I, who bear my sorrows with complaints and whining,
with the tears of anger
as well as those of sorrow.
Pray for me, Mother of Consolation,
that I might find healing for the sorrows
which threaten to break my life with grief,
healing for the hurts
which beg me to strike out in anger,
healing for the small child within me,
hidden under all the adult wrappers
who does not know the way to turn,
but to turn to you, my mother.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our deaths, Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
O Mother of Consolation,
how your heart was forged in the furnance
of God's love,
quenched like a flaming sword in the depths of sorrow,
and always
you told God yes,
no matter what the cost,
no matter what the pain,
no matter the gossip or opinions of others.
O have mercy on me, Mother of Consolation,
I, who have told God no far too many times,
I, who bear my sorrows with complaints and whining,
with the tears of anger
as well as those of sorrow.
Pray for me, Mother of Consolation,
that I might find healing for the sorrows
which threaten to break my life with grief,
healing for the hurts
which beg me to strike out in anger,
healing for the small child within me,
hidden under all the adult wrappers
who does not know the way to turn,
but to turn to you, my mother.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our deaths, Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Those Last Nasty Bits of Anger
Forgive me Lord
those last nasty bits
of anger
that lodge stubbornly in my heart,
that seem so hard to release,
to purify in the light of day,
that my mind wants to savor
over and over
instead of purify them
in the light of your love.
Help me to forgive and let go,
for it is not in my will
that I hold on to these things -
they burn me
and try to turn me from the path I would take-
Heal me, Lord,
and let the soothing water of your love
put out that fire
and teach even those dark recesses of my being
only to love.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Forgive me Lord
those last nasty bits
of anger
that lodge stubbornly in my heart,
that seem so hard to release,
to purify in the light of day,
that my mind wants to savor
over and over
instead of purify them
in the light of your love.
Help me to forgive and let go,
for it is not in my will
that I hold on to these things -
they burn me
and try to turn me from the path I would take-
Heal me, Lord,
and let the soothing water of your love
put out that fire
and teach even those dark recesses of my being
only to love.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
God and His Sense of Humour: A Thank You
You are sneaky, God.
Just when I am ready to comfort myself
with how put-upon I am,
you send me someone to help,
someone who needs comfort,
and prayer,
and hope,
with the same type of problems,
who forces me to see
the pity-party I've been having.
I have to laugh,
because you've caught me out again.
Thank you for having your sense of humour.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
You are sneaky, God.
Just when I am ready to comfort myself
with how put-upon I am,
you send me someone to help,
someone who needs comfort,
and prayer,
and hope,
with the same type of problems,
who forces me to see
the pity-party I've been having.
I have to laugh,
because you've caught me out again.
Thank you for having your sense of humour.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Monday, February 16, 2004
First Things
This morning, Lord,
let me remember first and foremost,
that I belong to you,
beloved Master,
and that you paid a terrible price
for me to call you friend,
Master,
beloved,
King.
Let me never take your willingness
to save me from the darkness
for granted.
Let me always respond
to the depths of your love
with joyful wonder,
thankfulness,
love,
now and forever,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
This morning, Lord,
let me remember first and foremost,
that I belong to you,
beloved Master,
and that you paid a terrible price
for me to call you friend,
Master,
beloved,
King.
Let me never take your willingness
to save me from the darkness
for granted.
Let me always respond
to the depths of your love
with joyful wonder,
thankfulness,
love,
now and forever,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Sunday, February 15, 2004
Winter's Afternoon: A Meditation
The light dances through my window,
bright sun on a cold winter's day,
reflecting off the piles of snow.
The snow transforms into the diamond dust
of ice crystals beneath the sun.
Green yew peeps out as the snow gives slowly away,
and the edge of the garden grows visible,
subtle promise of the spring
that lays beyond the winter.
O my Jesus,
how I need the promise of that spring
that lays beyond the cold winter reality
of death and the tomb,
the easter moment
that awaits in your promise.
Thank you for the hints along the way.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
The light dances through my window,
bright sun on a cold winter's day,
reflecting off the piles of snow.
The snow transforms into the diamond dust
of ice crystals beneath the sun.
Green yew peeps out as the snow gives slowly away,
and the edge of the garden grows visible,
subtle promise of the spring
that lays beyond the winter.
O my Jesus,
how I need the promise of that spring
that lays beyond the cold winter reality
of death and the tomb,
the easter moment
that awaits in your promise.
Thank you for the hints along the way.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Daily Prayer for Children
Today, O Lord,
I commend to you my beloved children.
I put them now firmly in your hands.
Cover them with your precious blood,
keep them ever safe from harm,
and bring them home to you at last.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Today, O Lord,
I commend to you my beloved children.
I put them now firmly in your hands.
Cover them with your precious blood,
keep them ever safe from harm,
and bring them home to you at last.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
