Catholic Meditations

Lord,
you give us the crosses we are to bear,
and call us at last home,
and sometimes,
how much we would rather be elsewhere, anywhere,
but where you have placed us.
Lord, give us the strength
to put our faith in you,
to put our trust in you,
to put our hands in yours,
to feel your arms around us even in our darkest moments
and to know that you too
knew what it was like to bear
grief and pain,
agony and sorrow,
rejection and misery,
seeing your loved ones aching
for their inability to stop what was happening,
and in your knowing,
you are always there to comfort us,
aid us,
and walk with us
down that last frightening walk
until you take us home in glory.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Discipleship

Another day, O Lord,
another gift from you,
another moment to say thank you,
another chance to do the right thing,
another opportunity
to be your hands,
to speak your words,
to give your smile
to be a lantern of your light.

Another day, O Lord,
another gift from you,
another moment
to sit at your feet and listen,
another chance to realize
the miracle of the fact
that you love me
in spite of myself,
another opportunity
to turn my back to the darkness
and clasp the foot of your cross,
the only true refuge.

Another day, O Lord,
another gift from you.
Thank you, Lord.
May I use it the way you want me to.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Lord,
giver of life,
we are in your hands,
this day,
always,
even when we close our eyes
and pretend you away,
and cling to some lesser view
of reality,
precluding your existance
because we really don't
want the answers
to why
and what we should do.

Lord,
giver of life,
I would like to think
that in our hubris
we amuse you,
except the stakes
are so awfully high,
in cost of blood,
and grief
and sorrow
and pain,
how we hurt
and hurt others
by the sheer will
of our choosing
not to listen
not to acknowledge
your gentle calling,
your longing to heal,
your desire to see us grow
beautiful and strong
in the sunshine of your love.

O Lord forgive us.
O Lord heal us.
O Lord,
giver of life,
teach us to love life
as you do.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

They

Lord,
while we rant and rave
about things "they" ought to do,
and actions "they" ought to take,
and the misery and pain and injustice
that surrounds the world,
teach us to look at our own hands,
teach us to open our hearts,
teach us to look at you,
high upon the cross
giving your lifeblood
that we might have life,
and that abundantly.

And in that moment,
may we fall to our knees,
and know
that the "they" we rant and rave about
too often should be us,
that ours are the hands
that you can use
to make a difference,
ours our the lips
that you can use
to bring your blessing
to the needful,
ours the feet
that can walk in the paths
of righteousness and goodness
for you
if we open our hearts
and let you in.

O Lord,
may we hunger and thirst for you
this day,
and always.
Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Discipleship

O Lord,
infinite Ocean of Mercy,
our source,
our hope,
our truth,
help us this day to be your hands here
on this world
where the unmerciful nature
of the dark confronts us daily.

Help us this day to be lanterns of your light
and show those around us
that the dark
is not the truth
no matter how common
or prevalent.

Help us this day
to be beacons of your hope,
and by our love for you,
by our actions,
by our words
by the choices we make
may we show others the way
home to you.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Amen.

Labels: Discipleship, Love of Neighbor, Loving God