Saturday, September 18, 2004
True Home
He prays today
by the side of his house
devastated
by the wind
and the sea,
crushed
like a crumpled paper bag.
Seeing his picture,
I too pray for him,
for it is a hard thing,
this,
to lose the one place
you thought of
as a sanctuary,
a haven,
home.
Teach us, O Lord,
to know what our home really is,
not a collection of things
touched with the memory of days passed,
not a place where we store
the gifts you give us,
not even the place
we raise our families,
spend our time,
shut out the world.
Teach us O Lord,
that if we would have a true home,
untouchable
by the hand of man
or vagaries of nature,
unreachable by thief or storm or war,
it is only with you.
May we find at the foot of your cross
the doorway
to lead us to our true home.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
He prays today
by the side of his house
devastated
by the wind
and the sea,
crushed
like a crumpled paper bag.
Seeing his picture,
I too pray for him,
for it is a hard thing,
this,
to lose the one place
you thought of
as a sanctuary,
a haven,
home.
Teach us, O Lord,
to know what our home really is,
not a collection of things
touched with the memory of days passed,
not a place where we store
the gifts you give us,
not even the place
we raise our families,
spend our time,
shut out the world.
Teach us O Lord,
that if we would have a true home,
untouchable
by the hand of man
or vagaries of nature,
unreachable by thief or storm or war,
it is only with you.
May we find at the foot of your cross
the doorway
to lead us to our true home.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Mobile Bay, Sept. 15, 2004
I remember
the waters there
glistened in the morning light,
whispering
of that interface between land and sea
where life clusters richly.
Beyond, the city rose,
catching the light,
old as cities
here go,
a city that had seen many storms,
weathered many trials.
One more trial to face in the morning.
O Blessed Mother,
be with those left behind
as the storm crashes into land,
those with nowhere to go,
nobody to take them,
those who are there to help,
those who are there to defend.
O Blessed Mother
be with those this night
tasting their fear rise,
those who fled,
those who worry,
those who care.
When the winds cease,
and the damage is tallied,
help lead them
to what really matters,
and may we,
untouched by the wind and the water
be anxious to be the hands
to do the will of a loving God.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
I remember
the waters there
glistened in the morning light,
whispering
of that interface between land and sea
where life clusters richly.
Beyond, the city rose,
catching the light,
old as cities
here go,
a city that had seen many storms,
weathered many trials.
One more trial to face in the morning.
O Blessed Mother,
be with those left behind
as the storm crashes into land,
those with nowhere to go,
nobody to take them,
those who are there to help,
those who are there to defend.
O Blessed Mother
be with those this night
tasting their fear rise,
those who fled,
those who worry,
those who care.
When the winds cease,
and the damage is tallied,
help lead them
to what really matters,
and may we,
untouched by the wind and the water
be anxious to be the hands
to do the will of a loving God.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Our Lady of Prompt Succor,
quick and sure aid in our need,
How often you have been there to aid us
in the storms of our lives,
how often,
O Mary most holy,
have you reached out with a mother's touch
to shield us from danger,
to nudge us back home,
to bring us back to the foot of the cross,
to your son,
remember this day
all those in life's danger,
all those threatened by the storms
both of nature,
and of situation,
of anger
of other's ill will
and be there
with your smiling touch
to lead them to safety.
Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us
Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us
Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us.
O my Jesus,
While hanging on the cross, near the end of your life, you gave us your mother to be our mother. Thank you Lord, for sharing such a precious gift with us, who are not worthy of it. May it please you to listen to the prayers and concerns we share with her, and in your mercy, hear and answer us, and may we always follow her advice to do whatever you say.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
quick and sure aid in our need,
How often you have been there to aid us
in the storms of our lives,
how often,
O Mary most holy,
have you reached out with a mother's touch
to shield us from danger,
to nudge us back home,
to bring us back to the foot of the cross,
to your son,
remember this day
all those in life's danger,
all those threatened by the storms
both of nature,
and of situation,
of anger
of other's ill will
and be there
with your smiling touch
to lead them to safety.
Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us
Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us
Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us.
O my Jesus,
While hanging on the cross, near the end of your life, you gave us your mother to be our mother. Thank you Lord, for sharing such a precious gift with us, who are not worthy of it. May it please you to listen to the prayers and concerns we share with her, and in your mercy, hear and answer us, and may we always follow her advice to do whatever you say.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
Monday, September 13, 2004
At moments like this, Lord,
take me back to that night in the garden,
with the moonlight peaking through the leaves,
cool with early spring.
For you,
how heavy that night,
how far away comfort, peace, light,
as you gave yourself up for me,
and all the countless others
lost,
lone,
in pain,
marred by their sin.
O Lord,
how heavy my little burden weighs,
as I fret under its chafing.
And yet you
struggling in that night
carrying so much more,
you who deserved none of it,
but carried it for the sake of love.
O Lord,
when the darkness deepens,
and I feel myself lost,
uncertain,
not knowing the way to go,
be thou my beacon,
and in your willingness to love,
may I find my strength.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
take me back to that night in the garden,
with the moonlight peaking through the leaves,
cool with early spring.
For you,
how heavy that night,
how far away comfort, peace, light,
as you gave yourself up for me,
and all the countless others
lost,
lone,
in pain,
marred by their sin.
O Lord,
how heavy my little burden weighs,
as I fret under its chafing.
And yet you
struggling in that night
carrying so much more,
you who deserved none of it,
but carried it for the sake of love.
O Lord,
when the darkness deepens,
and I feel myself lost,
uncertain,
not knowing the way to go,
be thou my beacon,
and in your willingness to love,
may I find my strength.
Amen.
Susan E. Stone, 2004
