Thursday, July 08, 2004
O Lord,
you who are our peace,
calm the rough waters
of our impatience
as we see the storm clouds gather,
the wickedness made clear,
the truth spattered with mire.
O Lord,
how we long to
smite the evil doer
to defend your honor,
to stamp out wickedness with the sword
in our impatience
to make the world yours.
Remind us
that you asked us
to love our enemies,
do good to those who wrong us,
to be light in the midst of darkness,
to see our neighbor as everyone,
o rejoice when persecuted.
Help us
to learn the way of love,
even when it means
holding our tongue,
and demonstrating the loving act.
You are our peace,
make us the tools of your peace.
You are our hope,
teach us to show that hope
in the paths you choose,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
you who are our peace,
calm the rough waters
of our impatience
as we see the storm clouds gather,
the wickedness made clear,
the truth spattered with mire.
O Lord,
how we long to
smite the evil doer
to defend your honor,
to stamp out wickedness with the sword
in our impatience
to make the world yours.
Remind us
that you asked us
to love our enemies,
do good to those who wrong us,
to be light in the midst of darkness,
to see our neighbor as everyone,
o rejoice when persecuted.
Help us
to learn the way of love,
even when it means
holding our tongue,
and demonstrating the loving act.
You are our peace,
make us the tools of your peace.
You are our hope,
teach us to show that hope
in the paths you choose,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Meditation on the Precious Blood
How red the blood,
red,
dark,
offered up drop by drop
to the soldier's whip,
to the thorn's bite,
to the executioner's nail,
to the long wait on the cross.
Trickling down his arms,
across his feet,
down his forehead,
red blood,
sticky,
mark of death,
fluid of life,
blood of sacrifice,
redemption.
O Sacrifice of Love,
O Victim Conqueror,
O Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world,
thank you for your mercy.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
How red the blood,
red,
dark,
offered up drop by drop
to the soldier's whip,
to the thorn's bite,
to the executioner's nail,
to the long wait on the cross.
Trickling down his arms,
across his feet,
down his forehead,
red blood,
sticky,
mark of death,
fluid of life,
blood of sacrifice,
redemption.
O Sacrifice of Love,
O Victim Conqueror,
O Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world,
thank you for your mercy.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Who will be our light
as we grope in the midnight?
How dark the night -
a midnight which some who claim to be wise
say always was,
always will be,
and claims to light
are just a fancy,
a wish fulfillment,
magic thinking.
And yet,
there is One who has lit a lamp,
set it on the hill
light radiant in its beauty,
intense,
white,
transforming -
too painful, perhaps,
for those who love the dark
to look on,
and yet for those
who brave the transformation,
who turn and look,
nothing could be more beautiful.
Unflinching was the love
that lit that beacon,
unfailing is the fuel
that keeps it burning,
love unboundless,
accepting,
waiting -
the arms stretched out
across the horizon,
the center
from the depths of the earth to the highest heaven,
the unmistakable sign
of eternal love,
a bottomless pool of mercy,
the unwavering sign of our hope.
Teach us Lord,
to choose the light over the dark,
to let your light enter us,
burn away the stain of midnight,
transform us,
until we become
not lost in the dark,
but vessels washed clean,
purified,
filled,
to become lanterns,
signposts of the way home.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
as we grope in the midnight?
How dark the night -
a midnight which some who claim to be wise
say always was,
always will be,
and claims to light
are just a fancy,
a wish fulfillment,
magic thinking.
And yet,
there is One who has lit a lamp,
set it on the hill
light radiant in its beauty,
intense,
white,
transforming -
too painful, perhaps,
for those who love the dark
to look on,
and yet for those
who brave the transformation,
who turn and look,
nothing could be more beautiful.
Unflinching was the love
that lit that beacon,
unfailing is the fuel
that keeps it burning,
love unboundless,
accepting,
waiting -
the arms stretched out
across the horizon,
the center
from the depths of the earth to the highest heaven,
the unmistakable sign
of eternal love,
a bottomless pool of mercy,
the unwavering sign of our hope.
Teach us Lord,
to choose the light over the dark,
to let your light enter us,
burn away the stain of midnight,
transform us,
until we become
not lost in the dark,
but vessels washed clean,
purified,
filled,
to become lanterns,
signposts of the way home.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Lord,
Into your hands
I commend those
who chose the ways
away from light and truth,
who ignore Wisdom's call,
who spurn her offer of instruction
for something they think
will give them pleasure,
but proves to be poison,
or worse, because they imagine
your good word
to be dangerous,
foolish,
frightening.
O Lord,
help us see
the follies of our ways
without you.
Help us to reject
the message of misery,
of meaningless life,
of searching for joy
down ways that lead to death,
of the false ways to peace,
all the deceits of the darkness.
Let the scales fall from our eyes,
and let us see your light
for what it is:
the clear truth of meaning,
the joy of hope,
the path of peace,
the light that destroys the dark.
In your hands
let us become
the lanterns that spread your light,
this day and always, Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Into your hands
I commend those
who chose the ways
away from light and truth,
who ignore Wisdom's call,
who spurn her offer of instruction
for something they think
will give them pleasure,
but proves to be poison,
or worse, because they imagine
your good word
to be dangerous,
foolish,
frightening.
O Lord,
help us see
the follies of our ways
without you.
Help us to reject
the message of misery,
of meaningless life,
of searching for joy
down ways that lead to death,
of the false ways to peace,
all the deceits of the darkness.
Let the scales fall from our eyes,
and let us see your light
for what it is:
the clear truth of meaning,
the joy of hope,
the path of peace,
the light that destroys the dark.
In your hands
let us become
the lanterns that spread your light,
this day and always, Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Monday, July 05, 2004
So I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart....and she will respond there as in the days of her youth. - Hosea 2:16,17
O Lord,
again and again it seems
you come calling us -
we,
who are so enamoured
of our own brilliance,
the flash of things,
the pleasures of our own toys,
the promise of our own power,
who deserve nothing
from you,
how often we
forget you,
run after the bright toys
that lead to our sorrow,
our loss,
our emptiness,
our death.
Lost in the desert,
we so often taste the dust
of our own shattered dreams,
the death of our own schemes,
the ashes of our own weakness.
And yet,
there, if we look,
we can see you,
calling our name.
There, if we listen,
we can hear the sweetness of your voice
saying, "Come, beloved,
let me heal your hurts,
let me soothe your pains,
let me love you."
There, in the desert,
you offer us shelter,
shade against the burning,
protection from the stinging sands,
forgiveness,
love,
acceptance.
"Return to me,
let me love you,
let me show you
peace,
joy,
truth," you whisper.
Lord,
without your call,
we would be truly lost indeed.
May each of us,
hearing your voice,
take your hand
and find shelter in your arms,
this day,
and always.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
O Lord,
again and again it seems
you come calling us -
we,
who are so enamoured
of our own brilliance,
the flash of things,
the pleasures of our own toys,
the promise of our own power,
who deserve nothing
from you,
how often we
forget you,
run after the bright toys
that lead to our sorrow,
our loss,
our emptiness,
our death.
Lost in the desert,
we so often taste the dust
of our own shattered dreams,
the death of our own schemes,
the ashes of our own weakness.
And yet,
there, if we look,
we can see you,
calling our name.
There, if we listen,
we can hear the sweetness of your voice
saying, "Come, beloved,
let me heal your hurts,
let me soothe your pains,
let me love you."
There, in the desert,
you offer us shelter,
shade against the burning,
protection from the stinging sands,
forgiveness,
love,
acceptance.
"Return to me,
let me love you,
let me show you
peace,
joy,
truth," you whisper.
Lord,
without your call,
we would be truly lost indeed.
May each of us,
hearing your voice,
take your hand
and find shelter in your arms,
this day,
and always.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
