Friday, March 26, 2004
Morning Prayer
O Lord,
another morning has dawned,
another gift from you,
another day to reach out in your name,
another chance to spread your light,
another opportunity to be your witness.
Lord, this day,
fill me with your compassion
so I might see my fellow man with your eyes,
fill me with your patience
so I might do the tasks at hand
as if I were doing them for you.
fill me with that poverty of spirit
which looks to you for my strength and power
instead of my own hand,
my own strength,
my own will.
Help me ever to be the instrument of your peace.
But above all,
help me to love you more and more
this day,
and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
O Lord,
another morning has dawned,
another gift from you,
another day to reach out in your name,
another chance to spread your light,
another opportunity to be your witness.
Lord, this day,
fill me with your compassion
so I might see my fellow man with your eyes,
fill me with your patience
so I might do the tasks at hand
as if I were doing them for you.
fill me with that poverty of spirit
which looks to you for my strength and power
instead of my own hand,
my own strength,
my own will.
Help me ever to be the instrument of your peace.
But above all,
help me to love you more and more
this day,
and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Thoughts on God's Love for Mankind
O Lord,
so much is there,
this day,
and every day,
such hatred, anger, pain, suffering,
all caused by the hand of man,
that makes me wonder
why you chose the path you took,
the pain of atoning sacrifice,
the bloody stripes
by which we might be healed,
the foolishness that was a slave's death
by which you chose to set your people free.
O Lord,
what do you see in us,
a petty, angry, hateful people,
who ruin the world you gave us
through greed, and hate, lust and pain,
a people who will use any reason,
even the love of you
to strike out at our fellows,
who trample the poor,
who steal from the weak,
who rise up and kill our neighbors?
And yet, Lord,
you chose that path of old,
to bring us salvation
by your words of truth
and by the blood of your own body,
spilled in pain
and sorrow,
and grief
and love.
We are the works of your hand, O Lord,
and even though we reject you too often,
and even though we do evil, even in your name,
and even though no matter how much we try by our own
strength and power,
we fall short,
You treat us with love,
and hold out your hands
in love and forgiveness and acceptance.
Heal us Lord,
and teach us,
that we may learn to walk in your footsteps,
and bring your light and message everywhere we go,
for your glory,
as willing tools of your love,
today, tomorrow, and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
O Lord,
so much is there,
this day,
and every day,
such hatred, anger, pain, suffering,
all caused by the hand of man,
that makes me wonder
why you chose the path you took,
the pain of atoning sacrifice,
the bloody stripes
by which we might be healed,
the foolishness that was a slave's death
by which you chose to set your people free.
O Lord,
what do you see in us,
a petty, angry, hateful people,
who ruin the world you gave us
through greed, and hate, lust and pain,
a people who will use any reason,
even the love of you
to strike out at our fellows,
who trample the poor,
who steal from the weak,
who rise up and kill our neighbors?
And yet, Lord,
you chose that path of old,
to bring us salvation
by your words of truth
and by the blood of your own body,
spilled in pain
and sorrow,
and grief
and love.
We are the works of your hand, O Lord,
and even though we reject you too often,
and even though we do evil, even in your name,
and even though no matter how much we try by our own
strength and power,
we fall short,
You treat us with love,
and hold out your hands
in love and forgiveness and acceptance.
Heal us Lord,
and teach us,
that we may learn to walk in your footsteps,
and bring your light and message everywhere we go,
for your glory,
as willing tools of your love,
today, tomorrow, and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Thoughts on Mary's Yes
(On the Feast of the Annunciation)
O Blessed Mother,
Young you were that day
when God asked so much of you,
and with a heart filled with love,
you said Yes.
O Bkessed Virgin,
You did not worry about
the hows and the whens and the wheres,
what people would say,
what they would think of you,
leaving all that in God's hands,
you merely said Yes.
O Full of Grace,
You who the Lord is with,
Blessed are you among women
for being the new Eve,
not turning your back on the desire of God,
but instead,
always, whenever he called,
no matter the pain or the joy or the sorrow,
you said Yes.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
(On the Feast of the Annunciation)
O Blessed Mother,
Young you were that day
when God asked so much of you,
and with a heart filled with love,
you said Yes.
O Bkessed Virgin,
You did not worry about
the hows and the whens and the wheres,
what people would say,
what they would think of you,
leaving all that in God's hands,
you merely said Yes.
O Full of Grace,
You who the Lord is with,
Blessed are you among women
for being the new Eve,
not turning your back on the desire of God,
but instead,
always, whenever he called,
no matter the pain or the joy or the sorrow,
you said Yes.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Labels: Mary
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
On the Road to Jerusalem
It was a perilous road,
sometimes,
the road from Jericho,
the road to Jerusalem
through rough country.
And about you were
your followers,
who warmed themselves next to your holiness,
who thought they knew you,
who wanted you to be
their image of the holy one of God,
who heard you speak
and shaped it into their hearts' wishes.
How what was to come would shatter
this mold they were casting you in,
and give them something more they could not quite comprehend.
They bickered sometimes,
jockying for favor and position,
as humans are always wont to do,
and yet you repeated
the same lessons over and over.
And now, it was time,
the last time you would walk this road,
the last time you would come to this feast.
Did you look at them fondly
as you walked the road to Jerusalem,
this motly crew of friends and followers,
weighing each of their strengths and faults,
how much they had grown,
how much more they would grow.
In the darkness that was to come,
you knew that they would be like steel
heated in the fire of your agony,
plunged into the waters of your death,
and polished by your resurrection,
and they would be the blade to spread your message
throughout the world.
Some would think it folly
to think that the world could be changed
by such a handful,
but you knew
that your words were in good hands.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
It was a perilous road,
sometimes,
the road from Jericho,
the road to Jerusalem
through rough country.
And about you were
your followers,
who warmed themselves next to your holiness,
who thought they knew you,
who wanted you to be
their image of the holy one of God,
who heard you speak
and shaped it into their hearts' wishes.
How what was to come would shatter
this mold they were casting you in,
and give them something more they could not quite comprehend.
They bickered sometimes,
jockying for favor and position,
as humans are always wont to do,
and yet you repeated
the same lessons over and over.
And now, it was time,
the last time you would walk this road,
the last time you would come to this feast.
Did you look at them fondly
as you walked the road to Jerusalem,
this motly crew of friends and followers,
weighing each of their strengths and faults,
how much they had grown,
how much more they would grow.
In the darkness that was to come,
you knew that they would be like steel
heated in the fire of your agony,
plunged into the waters of your death,
and polished by your resurrection,
and they would be the blade to spread your message
throughout the world.
Some would think it folly
to think that the world could be changed
by such a handful,
but you knew
that your words were in good hands.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
The River
O Lord,
you are the river of water
pouring out life
upon all who will hear your word,
take, and drink.
You are life, Lord,
and the giver of life.
From your throne,
the waters pour out
in an unending stream of mercy
upon an undeserving world.
Let me wash away
all my iniquities
in your cleansing waters.
Let me be a tree
planted beside that water
bringing forth my fruit in its season.
Help me to share those waters
with all who need them.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
O Lord,
you are the river of water
pouring out life
upon all who will hear your word,
take, and drink.
You are life, Lord,
and the giver of life.
From your throne,
the waters pour out
in an unending stream of mercy
upon an undeserving world.
Let me wash away
all my iniquities
in your cleansing waters.
Let me be a tree
planted beside that water
bringing forth my fruit in its season.
Help me to share those waters
with all who need them.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Monday, March 22, 2004
Another Day: In Thanks
O Lord,
another day!
A day when the world groans out its sufferings,
as it has grown since the fall.
A day when man chooses to harm each other
in the name of "I want"
in the name of "You are unworthy,"
in the name of God.
A day when through your mercy,
I can come before your throne
even though the darkness swirls around me,
there to offer up my contrite heart,
begging for mercy,
finding peace.
A day when I can be your servant,
and carry your light into that darkness,
A day when I offer you
my hands,
my mind,
my feet,
my heart,
and in any way you chose,
become the instrument of your peace
against the darkness that threatens all.
I give you thanks, Lord,
for each day you give me
for each chance to be your tool,
your instrument of peace,
for each good to share,
each pain and frustration to offer up,
each moment you give me to grow.
I will lift my head up,
and look to he who gives me my salvation,
and know that Jesus is Lord,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
O Lord,
another day!
A day when the world groans out its sufferings,
as it has grown since the fall.
A day when man chooses to harm each other
in the name of "I want"
in the name of "You are unworthy,"
in the name of God.
A day when through your mercy,
I can come before your throne
even though the darkness swirls around me,
there to offer up my contrite heart,
begging for mercy,
finding peace.
A day when I can be your servant,
and carry your light into that darkness,
A day when I offer you
my hands,
my mind,
my feet,
my heart,
and in any way you chose,
become the instrument of your peace
against the darkness that threatens all.
I give you thanks, Lord,
for each day you give me
for each chance to be your tool,
your instrument of peace,
for each good to share,
each pain and frustration to offer up,
each moment you give me to grow.
I will lift my head up,
and look to he who gives me my salvation,
and know that Jesus is Lord,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Sunday, March 21, 2004
True Strength
but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9,10 RSV
O Lord,
is there any strength that counts
unless it is from you?
Is there any power that is true power
unless it comes from your hands?
Remind me, Lord
that at these times I feel so weak,
so uncertain,
so unable,
so frail,
that it is not I
who accomplishes,
it is not I who controls,
it is not I.
I offer up to you my weakness,
my pain,
my insecurities,
my pretense of control,
my desire for power,
for admiration,
for success.
Be thou my strength,
that the labor I do
is for you,
by you,
through you.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9,10 RSV
O Lord,
is there any strength that counts
unless it is from you?
Is there any power that is true power
unless it comes from your hands?
Remind me, Lord
that at these times I feel so weak,
so uncertain,
so unable,
so frail,
that it is not I
who accomplishes,
it is not I who controls,
it is not I.
I offer up to you my weakness,
my pain,
my insecurities,
my pretense of control,
my desire for power,
for admiration,
for success.
Be thou my strength,
that the labor I do
is for you,
by you,
through you.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
