Friday, May 07, 2004
On Injustice, Anger, and God's Love
O Lord!
Some times when we see wickedness
running rampant,
celebrated as freedom,
thought to be a virtue
by those who know you not,
it burns,
the anger that comes unbidden,
that this is not right,
not fair,
not just.
At those moments, Lord,
help us to offer up
this anger to you,
a burnt offering
of our love and concern,
fruit of having followed you.
Help us to remember
those times you experienced first hand
the wickedness of man,
his willingness to cause pain
and hurt and death,
his ability to take pleaure
in what is not right
and just and true,
when for love of us
you went down into the dust of death
through pain and blood and grief.
Help us to remember, too,
that you love us all,
those who harm
and those who heal,
and how you asked us
to care for those who would hurt us,
love those who would harm us,
pray for those who hate us.
Speak your words into our heart, Lord,
that remind us
that you are always in control,
and that we can rest confidently
in your arms,
letting go and letting you
be God.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
O Lord!
Some times when we see wickedness
running rampant,
celebrated as freedom,
thought to be a virtue
by those who know you not,
it burns,
the anger that comes unbidden,
that this is not right,
not fair,
not just.
At those moments, Lord,
help us to offer up
this anger to you,
a burnt offering
of our love and concern,
fruit of having followed you.
Help us to remember
those times you experienced first hand
the wickedness of man,
his willingness to cause pain
and hurt and death,
his ability to take pleaure
in what is not right
and just and true,
when for love of us
you went down into the dust of death
through pain and blood and grief.
Help us to remember, too,
that you love us all,
those who harm
and those who heal,
and how you asked us
to care for those who would hurt us,
love those who would harm us,
pray for those who hate us.
Speak your words into our heart, Lord,
that remind us
that you are always in control,
and that we can rest confidently
in your arms,
letting go and letting you
be God.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Thursday, May 06, 2004
O Sacred Heart
O Sacred Heart,
burning with such love
that you gladly
suffered,
giving up your body's blood
so that we might see
the depths a loving God
would go
to call us home.
And even in that maelstrom
of pain
that accompanied you down
to the darkness of death,
you spoke no curse,
but offered
mercy,
forgiveness,
love.
O Sacred Heart,
light burning in the darkness,
a beacon shining
with the purity of love,
sheltering those who seek it,
purify me,
keep me ever near,
until my heart is reformed
in the furnace of your love
to be the heart you want me to have.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
O Sacred Heart,
burning with such love
that you gladly
suffered,
giving up your body's blood
so that we might see
the depths a loving God
would go
to call us home.
And even in that maelstrom
of pain
that accompanied you down
to the darkness of death,
you spoke no curse,
but offered
mercy,
forgiveness,
love.
O Sacred Heart,
light burning in the darkness,
a beacon shining
with the purity of love,
sheltering those who seek it,
purify me,
keep me ever near,
until my heart is reformed
in the furnace of your love
to be the heart you want me to have.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
O my Lord,
I am weak -
be thou my strength.
O my Lord,
I am but foolish -
be thou my wisdom
and guide my every step.
O my Lord,
my lips are unworthy
to say your praise -
give me your words
that I may touch the hearts
of all I meet
with the love you would share.
O my Lord,
I have a heart
too fond of anger and hate -
purify it,
hide it in your own sacred heart
until it becomes like yours,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
I am weak -
be thou my strength.
O my Lord,
I am but foolish -
be thou my wisdom
and guide my every step.
O my Lord,
my lips are unworthy
to say your praise -
give me your words
that I may touch the hearts
of all I meet
with the love you would share.
O my Lord,
I have a heart
too fond of anger and hate -
purify it,
hide it in your own sacred heart
until it becomes like yours,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Dear Lord,
Forgive me
when I see the evil that others do
and I long to strike out and hurt
to end the evil,
to punish the wicked,
to protect your good name
out of anger
and the self-righteous indignation
that only destroys.
Lord, help me to know
how to heal instead of hurt,
to show by my love and actions
the truth of your way,
to pray instead of striking out
to teach by word and example
the way you have given us,
and to know
that the wicked are your children too,
and in need of prayer
that your light might shine in their hearts.
Lord, help me to know
when not to compromise,
when it is right to stand proudly
clearly,
happily up for your name,
as a witness for your truth -
the truth you suffered and died for,
but not my needs or wants or wishes
masquerading under your name.
May I seek your light always
to share it
with those in the darkness
in the way you would have me do it,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Forgive me
when I see the evil that others do
and I long to strike out and hurt
to end the evil,
to punish the wicked,
to protect your good name
out of anger
and the self-righteous indignation
that only destroys.
Lord, help me to know
how to heal instead of hurt,
to show by my love and actions
the truth of your way,
to pray instead of striking out
to teach by word and example
the way you have given us,
and to know
that the wicked are your children too,
and in need of prayer
that your light might shine in their hearts.
Lord, help me to know
when not to compromise,
when it is right to stand proudly
clearly,
happily up for your name,
as a witness for your truth -
the truth you suffered and died for,
but not my needs or wants or wishes
masquerading under your name.
May I seek your light always
to share it
with those in the darkness
in the way you would have me do it,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Monday, May 03, 2004
Prayer to the Little Souls
Holy Innocents,
little martyrs
ripped from your mother's womb,
you who were formed
to be loved and cared for,
to grow into a child of God
walking the face of the earth,
but instead
became witnesses
of selfishness,
of the culture of death,
of human unwillingness
to even consider you human
lest you interfere
with the life of the ones
who most should have loved you,
O little souls,
safe now in the loving arms
of our Blessed Mother,
where no one will hurt you again,
Pray for us.
Pray that we will
have the courage to speak up
when we would have been silent
on the sanctity of life.
Pray for us
that we will not let the fine words
and smooth talking of those who would lead us
down the dark paths
in the name of fairness
confuse us about what really matters.
Pray for us
to know the culture of death
and have the heart
to stand up for right
and God and truth.
Pray for us,
and mothers faced with crisis
that the right person
will speak the right word
say the right thing,
pray the right prayer
and she will save her child
from the evil of those who would take its life.
O little souls,
pray for us that we might use well
the gift of life
that was denied you,
for the glory of our Lord,
now and forever,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Holy Innocents,
little martyrs
ripped from your mother's womb,
you who were formed
to be loved and cared for,
to grow into a child of God
walking the face of the earth,
but instead
became witnesses
of selfishness,
of the culture of death,
of human unwillingness
to even consider you human
lest you interfere
with the life of the ones
who most should have loved you,
O little souls,
safe now in the loving arms
of our Blessed Mother,
where no one will hurt you again,
Pray for us.
Pray that we will
have the courage to speak up
when we would have been silent
on the sanctity of life.
Pray for us
that we will not let the fine words
and smooth talking of those who would lead us
down the dark paths
in the name of fairness
confuse us about what really matters.
Pray for us
to know the culture of death
and have the heart
to stand up for right
and God and truth.
Pray for us,
and mothers faced with crisis
that the right person
will speak the right word
say the right thing,
pray the right prayer
and she will save her child
from the evil of those who would take its life.
O little souls,
pray for us that we might use well
the gift of life
that was denied you,
for the glory of our Lord,
now and forever,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Prayer on A Sick Day
Today, Lord,
I lay here ill,
surrounded by family who loves me,
with food and drink
and the care of skilled doctors
in a comfortable bed
in a comfortable house.
Remind me Lord,
as I lay here ill,
of all those who are ill without care,
of all those deserted in their illness,
of those without medicine,
of those without food and clean water,
of those without shelter
of those without hope or love.
Help me, Lord,
to do what I can,
to pray,
to offer what I have,
to remember
that these are always your children
that your mercy
asks for my participation,
my care,
my love.
Help me to see
ways to be your loving hands
now and forever,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Today, Lord,
I lay here ill,
surrounded by family who loves me,
with food and drink
and the care of skilled doctors
in a comfortable bed
in a comfortable house.
Remind me Lord,
as I lay here ill,
of all those who are ill without care,
of all those deserted in their illness,
of those without medicine,
of those without food and clean water,
of those without shelter
of those without hope or love.
Help me, Lord,
to do what I can,
to pray,
to offer what I have,
to remember
that these are always your children
that your mercy
asks for my participation,
my care,
my love.
Help me to see
ways to be your loving hands
now and forever,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
