by Christine Sine
As I prepare for the new year and my intended focus “Let God’s newness emerge” I am constantly looking for prayers I can use regularly to keep my focus on God and God’s purposes for me. Today’s prayer, which I understand Mother Theresa used every day is a beautiful prayer from the 19th century Catholic theologian John Henry Newman.
The line that particularly held my attention and which I have spent time reflecting on this morning is “be in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel your presence in my soul.” What I wonder do I need to commit to in the new year so that others are able to sense God’s presence in my soul at all times? I think it is a question that all of us should ponder at this season.
Help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go.
Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly,
that my life may only be a radiance of Yours.
Shine through me, and be so in me that every soul I come in
contact with may feel Your presence in my soul.
Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus!
Stay with me and then I shall begin to shine as You shine,
so to shine as to be a light to others; The light, O Jesus will be
all from You; none of it will be mine;
It will be you shining on others through me. (John Henry Newman.)
For those that wonder why I post so many prayers like this, and why poetry is such an important part of Godspace I suggest you read this article: Why Reading Poetry Is Good For Your Brain Evidently poetry helps us reflect and is good for our memory and cognitive health. No wonder there is a resurgence of interest in poetry. No wonder so many of us still love to recite poems we learned as kids and no wonder a growing number of us like to write poetry.
What kind of poetry do you love to listen to, recite or write?
4 comments
Thank you for sharing this prayer, Christine. It’s EXACTLY the words I’ve been feeling inside and needing to express out loud. It will be my daily prayer as well, but I don’t think I’ll wait for the New Year, just the Church new year, which has already begun. 🙂 Blessings to you!
Anya, I am beginning the New Year early in a way too – spending the days up to New Year’s day really focusing on what matters, and how I prepare for a year that I think will hold a lot of challenges.
Mary Oliver’s work is always a favorite to read aloud. I also love the poetry of my ancestor Sir Thomas Wyatt. ee cummings is an exercise in abstract thinking. I have also been inspired to write my own. Thank you, Christine, for the cardinal’s prayer/poem.
Thanks Catherine. I love Mary Oliver’s poetry too. I will look up Sir Thomas Wyatt. He is not one I know.