Heaven and earth and all that is in the universe cry out to me from all directions that I, O God, must love You, and they do not cease to cry out to all so that they have no excuse.
— St. Augustine (source)
WEEKLY PRAYER
WEEKLY PRAYER
A prayer for understanding from Evelyn Underhill:
O Lord Christ who, in this difficult world, was tempted in all things, as I am, yet fell into no sin, look pitifully, I pray you, upon me. Guide me with your adorable wisdom. Teach me in everything and in every hour what I ought to do. You alone know, both that I suffer, and what I need. To you that perfect path that I should walk is known. Show it to me and teach me how to walk it. Keep me, O Saviour, in body, mind and spirit, for into your strong and gentle hands I commit myself. Give me, O Lord, I beseech you, courage to pray for light and to endure the light here, where I am on this world of yours, which should reflect your beauty but which we have spoiled and exploited. Cast your radiance on the dark places; those crimes and stupidities I like to ignore and gloss over. Show up my pretensions, my poor little claims and achievements, my childish assumptions of importance, my mock heroism.
Take me out of the confused half-light in which I live. Enter and irradiate every situation and every relationship. Show me my opportunities; the raw material of love, of sacrifice, of holiness lying at my feet disguised under homely appearance; and only seen as it truly is…in your light.
Amen.
WEEKLY PRAYER
A prayer from The Venerable Bede (ca. 672 – 735):
I beseech thee, good Jesus, that as thou hast graciously granted to me here sweetly to partake of the words of thy wisdom and knowledge, so thou wilt vouchsafe that I may some time come to thee, the fountain of all wisdom, and always appear before thy face, who livest and reignest, world without end.
WEEKLY PRAYER
A prayer from St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380):
Eternal Trinity, You are a deep sea. The more I enter You, the more I discover of You; and the more of You I discover, the more I know to look for You.
God, You are voracious, and in Your depths the soul is satisfied, yet I always remain hungry for You and thirsty for You, Eternal Trinity, longing to see You with the light in Your Light.
As the deer longs for a stream’s living water, my soul longs to escape from the prison of my problematic body. I want to see You in truth, absolutely. How long will You hide Your face from my eyes?
WEEKLY PRAYER
A prayer from Henri Nouwen:
Help me, O Lord, to let my old self die, to let die the thousand big and small ways in which I am still building up my false self and trying to cling to my false desires. Let me be reborn in you and see through you the world in the right way, so that all my actions, words, thoughts can become a hymn of praise to you.
I need your loving grace to travel on this hard road that leads to the death of my old self and to a new life in and for you. I know and trust that this is the road to freedom.
Lord, dispel my mistrust and help me become a trusting friend.
Amen.
WEEKLY PRAYER
A prayer from Mechthild of Magdeburg (ca. 1210 – ca. 1285):
Heavenly Father, thank you for creating me.
Jesus Christ, thank You for saving me.
Holy Spirit, thank You for making me clean.
Holy Trinity—whole and undivided—remember my days
of trusting in You,
and send me a merciful death
that frees me from all worry.
Into Your capable hands I commend my spirit.
WEEKLY PRAYER: FREDERICK BUECHNER
A prayer from Frederick Buechner:
Lord, catch me off guard today.
Surprise me with some moment of
beauty or pain.
So that at least for the moment
I may be startled into seeing that you
are here in all your splendor,
Always and everywhere,
Barely hidden,
Beneath,
Beyond,
Within this life I breathe.
WEEKLY PRAYER
A prayer from St. Richard of Chichester (1197-1253):
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have given us; and for all the pains and insults which you have borne for us.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother, may we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen.
WEEKLY PRAYER
A prayer from St. Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510):
Lord, I give myself to You as a present.
I don’t otherwise know what to do with
who I am.
So please let me exchange this weak and fragile self
for Your goodness.
I place it in Your hands.
You’re the only one who can hide it in Your love and so rule
over me.
Busy me so much with Your kind Self
I’ll have no time or place or inclination for anything or
anyone else.
ADVENT PRAYER
A prayer for Advent from Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153):
Let Your goodness, Lord,
appear to us, that we, made in Your image,
conform ourselves to it.
In our own strength we cannot imitate Your majesty, power, and wonder;
nor is it fitting for us to try.
But Your mercy reaches from the Heavens,
through the clouds, to the earth below.
You have come to us as a small child,
but you have brought us the greatest of all gifts,
the gift of eternal love.
Caress us with Your tiny hands, embrace us with Your tiny arms,
and pierce our hearts with Your soft, sweet cries.
The Contemplative Writer 