Saturday, August 14, 2004
This morning
dawned so dark for some
as they picked through the rubble
of what the storm left behind.
Remind us, Lord,
that every morning
someone picks through the shattered rubble
that their life has become,
whether it is in loss of things,
loved ones,
work,
joy,
hope.
This day, O Lord,
help us to remember all those who face loss,
and open our eyes
to see the ways you would have us help.
and help us to be there,
to be the neighbor you asked us to be,
to be your hands,
and not turn our backs.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
dawned so dark for some
as they picked through the rubble
of what the storm left behind.
Remind us, Lord,
that every morning
someone picks through the shattered rubble
that their life has become,
whether it is in loss of things,
loved ones,
work,
joy,
hope.
This day, O Lord,
help us to remember all those who face loss,
and open our eyes
to see the ways you would have us help.
and help us to be there,
to be the neighbor you asked us to be,
to be your hands,
and not turn our backs.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Forgive me Lord,
for sitting here in the midst of plenty
and feeling poor and miserable.
Forgive me Lord
for all those times I found reasons
not to reach out and help.
Forgive me Lord
all those times I chose to be angry
instead of seeing the hurt in another.
Forgive me Lord,
for all those times I chose my way,
knowing it was my way,
and then running back to you
when I got burned.
Teach me Lord,
to know when you put others needs in my sight
so I can help,
even if all I can give is a smile,
a cup of water,
a prayer.
Teach me to be a giver,
the way you were a giver
today and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
for sitting here in the midst of plenty
and feeling poor and miserable.
Forgive me Lord
for all those times I found reasons
not to reach out and help.
Forgive me Lord
all those times I chose to be angry
instead of seeing the hurt in another.
Forgive me Lord,
for all those times I chose my way,
knowing it was my way,
and then running back to you
when I got burned.
Teach me Lord,
to know when you put others needs in my sight
so I can help,
even if all I can give is a smile,
a cup of water,
a prayer.
Teach me to be a giver,
the way you were a giver
today and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Friday, August 13, 2004
Friday Morning
Friday morning in spring,
was the weather mild
or cool that day
as the passover crowds milled through the street,
in festive mood?
Did the whisper pass
from ear to ear that morning
about the trial,
letting the crowd gather at the courtyard
to witness another passover,
a spectacle unexpected, perhaps,
but which would shout through the centuries.
How frail you must have seemed
when he presented you
to the leaders
to the gathering group,
beaten, bloody,
so far removed from the prophet-king
of last Sunday,
no hosannas this time,
just calls for your blood.
Some merely curious,
some angry,
some caught up in the emotion of the moment,
calling out,
watching,
waiting
as the sentence was passed
and they led you away to be slaughtered,
the pascal lamb,
where your blood would be smeared on the lintel,
your arms stretched out to heaven
to set us free.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
was the weather mild
or cool that day
as the passover crowds milled through the street,
in festive mood?
Did the whisper pass
from ear to ear that morning
about the trial,
letting the crowd gather at the courtyard
to witness another passover,
a spectacle unexpected, perhaps,
but which would shout through the centuries.
How frail you must have seemed
when he presented you
to the leaders
to the gathering group,
beaten, bloody,
so far removed from the prophet-king
of last Sunday,
no hosannas this time,
just calls for your blood.
Some merely curious,
some angry,
some caught up in the emotion of the moment,
calling out,
watching,
waiting
as the sentence was passed
and they led you away to be slaughtered,
the pascal lamb,
where your blood would be smeared on the lintel,
your arms stretched out to heaven
to set us free.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Labels: Friday Meditations, Passion of Christ
Thursday, August 12, 2004
Light.
The human eye, they say,
can register
the light of a single photon
in the darkness.
How brightly your coming
must have rent the darkness,
how your sacrifice
tore the night
ighting an unquenchable beacon
of body and blood,
soul and divinity
stretched out
cruxiform,
an open invitation
for all mankind.
O Lord,
help those of us who love you
become true lanterns of your light,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E Stone, 2004
The human eye, they say,
can register
the light of a single photon
in the darkness.
How brightly your coming
must have rent the darkness,
how your sacrifice
tore the night
ighting an unquenchable beacon
of body and blood,
soul and divinity
stretched out
cruxiform,
an open invitation
for all mankind.
O Lord,
help those of us who love you
become true lanterns of your light,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E Stone, 2004
At times,
hearing the news,
looking around,
I could almost despair
so dark a picture they give me,
those who report,
those who talk,
wallowing in the muck,
making my little work seem useless,
and then,
you come, Lord,
to chase away the shadows
like a child carrying a single flower
as a gift
and brighten my day.
Here, you whisper,
here is where I want you to be,
here is where you work,
be my light to the grocery clerk,
be my witness to the woman down the road,
be my sign to the schoolteacher,
your family,
those who come your way.
Here is your monastery,
among the pots and pans and laundry,
here is your mission,
among the family, friends, workers, strangers
here is where it matters.
Be my salt,
be my light,
be my leaven.
O Lord,
guide me in the ways of holiness
in the here and now,
be thou the center
from which my strength comes,
this day,
and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
hearing the news,
looking around,
I could almost despair
so dark a picture they give me,
those who report,
those who talk,
wallowing in the muck,
making my little work seem useless,
and then,
you come, Lord,
to chase away the shadows
like a child carrying a single flower
as a gift
and brighten my day.
Here, you whisper,
here is where I want you to be,
here is where you work,
be my light to the grocery clerk,
be my witness to the woman down the road,
be my sign to the schoolteacher,
your family,
those who come your way.
Here is your monastery,
among the pots and pans and laundry,
here is your mission,
among the family, friends, workers, strangers
here is where it matters.
Be my salt,
be my light,
be my leaven.
O Lord,
guide me in the ways of holiness
in the here and now,
be thou the center
from which my strength comes,
this day,
and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Storm Clouds
The storm clouds gather,
dark and menacing,
as something in the air
changes,
warning that this is more
than an afternoon storm.
Can you feel it,
the gathering wind.
See how fast the clouds are racing across the sky.
Be ready,
for soon the rains will lash
and the winds will howl,
and it will be too dark
to look for what you forgot.
When the storm surge crests the shore
and the waters rise,
will you have shelter?
My shelter is the Rock of Ages
too big to wash away,
too strong to break apart,
and here,
at the foot of His cross,
where Heaven and earth meet
in one bright saving stroke
I will be safe
no matter what the storm will bring me.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
The storm clouds gather,
dark and menacing,
as something in the air
changes,
warning that this is more
than an afternoon storm.
Can you feel it,
the gathering wind.
See how fast the clouds are racing across the sky.
Be ready,
for soon the rains will lash
and the winds will howl,
and it will be too dark
to look for what you forgot.
When the storm surge crests the shore
and the waters rise,
will you have shelter?
My shelter is the Rock of Ages
too big to wash away,
too strong to break apart,
and here,
at the foot of His cross,
where Heaven and earth meet
in one bright saving stroke
I will be safe
no matter what the storm will bring me.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Meditation on the Crucifixion
I kneel here,
pebbles and sand grinding into my knees,
at this place dedicated to death,
and ignore the flies,
the smells of blood
and fear
and dying,
longing to shield my eyes
from the reality of what we have wrought
with our anger
and greed
and pride
and hate,
and yet,
as you call my name
and I look up into those eyes
in spite of myself,
in spite of my guilt,
in spite of my remorse,
"It's really about love, you know," you whisper,
and I collapse
and watch you die,
knowing never
can I deserve this gift
so freely offered
in pain,
in knowlege,
in love.
Deo gratias.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone
I kneel here,
pebbles and sand grinding into my knees,
at this place dedicated to death,
and ignore the flies,
the smells of blood
and fear
and dying,
longing to shield my eyes
from the reality of what we have wrought
with our anger
and greed
and pride
and hate,
and yet,
as you call my name
and I look up into those eyes
in spite of myself,
in spite of my guilt,
in spite of my remorse,
"It's really about love, you know," you whisper,
and I collapse
and watch you die,
knowing never
can I deserve this gift
so freely offered
in pain,
in knowlege,
in love.
Deo gratias.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone
O Lord,
Another day,
and how you like to surprise me
in the little kindnesses you do,
a pleasant word spoken
and unexpected,
an act of kindness uncalled for,
beauty where I least expected it.
O Lord,
I am in your hands,
like a toddler learning to walk,
learning to see with a loving heart,
learning to hear with a loving ear
beause you show me.
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
make my heart,
day by day,
more like yours.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Another day,
and how you like to surprise me
in the little kindnesses you do,
a pleasant word spoken
and unexpected,
an act of kindness uncalled for,
beauty where I least expected it.
O Lord,
I am in your hands,
like a toddler learning to walk,
learning to see with a loving heart,
learning to hear with a loving ear
beause you show me.
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
make my heart,
day by day,
more like yours.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Monday, August 09, 2004
O Jesus,
Ocean of Divine Mercy,
Heart big enough to hold the entire world,
Today O Lord,
I offer you my heart,
small and scarred as it is,
may it grow in love and adoration.
I offer you my hands,
may you use them for helping and healing.
I offer you my feet,
may they walk in your ways.
I offer you my tongue,
may it speak words of blessing and not hurt.
O Lord,
Today, teach me to trust you more,
to let myself always be the tool in your hand,
to never turn away from your grace or your call,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2oo4
Ocean of Divine Mercy,
Heart big enough to hold the entire world,
Today O Lord,
I offer you my heart,
small and scarred as it is,
may it grow in love and adoration.
I offer you my hands,
may you use them for helping and healing.
I offer you my feet,
may they walk in your ways.
I offer you my tongue,
may it speak words of blessing and not hurt.
O Lord,
Today, teach me to trust you more,
to let myself always be the tool in your hand,
to never turn away from your grace or your call,
this day and always,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2oo4
Sunday, August 08, 2004
O my Jesus,
forgive me for all those times
I have told you what to do,
how to do it
and when,
when I should have relied
on your sense of timing,
your knowledge,
your wisdom.
O my Jesus,
forgive me for all those times
I thought it was I who was the doer,
I who had the strength,
I who had the wisdom.
when it was you
who was holding my hand,
lifting me up,
keeping me safe.
O my Jesus,
forgive me all those times
when you came to me in the guise
of someone distressed,
in need,
ugly,
angry,
or hard to like,
when I chose to be rude,
or ignore you,
or curt,
or cold.
O my Jesus,
help me remember
that you are my wisdom,
you are my strength,
you are my fortress.
Teach me to love
as you love,
see as you see,
care as you care
until I become
a tool of your mercy,
an instrument of your peace,
a lantern of your light,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
forgive me for all those times
I have told you what to do,
how to do it
and when,
when I should have relied
on your sense of timing,
your knowledge,
your wisdom.
O my Jesus,
forgive me for all those times
I thought it was I who was the doer,
I who had the strength,
I who had the wisdom.
when it was you
who was holding my hand,
lifting me up,
keeping me safe.
O my Jesus,
forgive me all those times
when you came to me in the guise
of someone distressed,
in need,
ugly,
angry,
or hard to like,
when I chose to be rude,
or ignore you,
or curt,
or cold.
O my Jesus,
help me remember
that you are my wisdom,
you are my strength,
you are my fortress.
Teach me to love
as you love,
see as you see,
care as you care
until I become
a tool of your mercy,
an instrument of your peace,
a lantern of your light,
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Litany
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1: 1-5
O Light that shines
in spite of the weakness of man,
have mercy on us.
O Light that shines
in spite of what we do to discredit you,
have mercy on us.
O Light that shines
in spite of our lying about you,
have mercy on us.
O Light that shines
in spite of failure to hold up your truth,
have mercy on us.
O Light that shines
even as our slain brother's blood
calls to you from the ground,
have mercy on us
O Light that shines
even as we rip the child from the womb of its mother,
have mercy on us
O Light that shines
even as we turn our back on our brother and sister,
have mercy on us.
O Light that shines,
teach us to see with eyes like yours.
O Light that shines,
teach us to feel with a heart like yours,
O Light that shines,
teach us to love.
O Lamb of God,
who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
O Lamb of God,
who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
O Lamb of God,
who take away the sins of the world,
teach us your ways of peace.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1: 1-5
O Light that shines
in spite of the weakness of man,
have mercy on us.
O Light that shines
in spite of what we do to discredit you,
have mercy on us.
O Light that shines
in spite of our lying about you,
have mercy on us.
O Light that shines
in spite of failure to hold up your truth,
have mercy on us.
O Light that shines
even as our slain brother's blood
calls to you from the ground,
have mercy on us
O Light that shines
even as we rip the child from the womb of its mother,
have mercy on us
O Light that shines
even as we turn our back on our brother and sister,
have mercy on us.
O Light that shines,
teach us to see with eyes like yours.
O Light that shines,
teach us to feel with a heart like yours,
O Light that shines,
teach us to love.
O Lamb of God,
who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
O Lamb of God,
who takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
O Lamb of God,
who take away the sins of the world,
teach us your ways of peace.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
