Full moon to guide us
Tom & I are just back from Wild Goose Festival West. We had a great time and I look forward to sharing more about this throughout the week. However this morning I wanted to update my facebook prayer summary. If you want to view these each day throughout the week please “like” the Light for the Journey Facebook page. I am starting to add photos to many of the prayers and am also expanding the contributors to this page so hope that you will enjoy the expanding resources.
Lord Jesus Christ, let me rest in your presence,
Centered in the wonder of your love.
Lord Jesus Christ, let me rest in your presence,
Assured of your everlasting faithfulness.
Lord Jesus Christ, let me rest in your presence,
Filled to overflowing with your life.
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Draw in close to God this day,
Let nothing hold us back,
From loving you with our hearts and minds and souls,
Let nothing hold us back,
From seeking God in all we are and do.
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Thank you Lord for your presence,
Filling us, filling others, filling your world.
Thank you Lord for your love,
Sustaining us, sustaining others, sustaining your world.
Thank you God for your life,
Enlivening us, enlivening others, enlivening your world.
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Lord thank you that you hear our prayers,
Thank you that your spirit stirs within,
Transforming, renewing, making all things new
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Lord Jesus Christ I listen to your voice and cry glory,
I look into your face and cry glory,
I sit in your ever abiding presence and cry glory.
Glory to the eternal one,
Glory to the redeeming one,
Glory to the loving one,
Glory to the only one who fills every fibre of my being.
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Lord Jesus Christ, I look into your face,
I listen to your voice, I reach out to hold your hand,
And I know that you alone hold the keys to eternal life,
In you all the fulness of God is found
Worship station at Soularize 2005
Tom and I head off to Wild Goose West tomorrow morning so it seems fitting to share this beautiful prayer that I was given at the last festival we attended – The Creative World Festival in Mission B.C.
A Franciscan Blessing
May God bless you with discomfort,
At easy answers, half-truths,
And superficial relationships
So that you may live
Deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression,
And exploitation of people,
So that you may work for
Justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears,
To shed for those who suffer pain,
Rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand
To comfort them and
To turn their pain to joy
And may God bless you
With enough foolishness
To believe that you can
Make a difference in the world,
So that you can do
What others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness
To all our children and the poor.
Amen
Icon of Christ
I love breathing prayers, not so much the traditional prayers like the Jesus prayer that require the repetition of a short phrase or verse to help us center and meditate, but rather prayers that remind us of the infilling presence of God.
I have written about these in previous posts and provide links to most of these prayers in It Allergy Season But Don’t Hold Your Breath Too Long. This week I have again been reminded for this type of prayer as I have sort to recentre myself on the loving presence of God. Here is the prayer that has flowed out of my meditation
In faith and confidence I breathe freely,
I breathe in life,
I breathe in love,
I breathe in hope.
In faith and confidence I breathe in the eternal presence,
I breathe it into the very centre of my being.
In faith and confidence I breathe freely,
I breathe in peace,
I breathe in joy,
I breathe in trust.
In faith and confidence I breathe in the essence of God,
I breathe in the nature of the One who can only respond from a heart of love.
Lord thank you that you hear our prayers,
Thank you that your spirit stirs within,
Thank you that you are at work,
Transforming, renewing, making all things new.
Tom and I have just returned from a wonderful few days with friends in Tsawwassen B.C. It was a refreshing and renewing time. Throughout our trip I found Jesus words before the raising of Lazarus revolving in my mind: Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here. (John 11:41, 42)
I was struck particularly by the confidence of that prayer. Jesus knew that God heard him. He didn’t feel the need to shout or try to get God’s attention. He didn’t feel the need to persuade God to do something for him, he just acted in the confidence that God heard him.
How often I come to God unsure of whether or not God is listening. How often I come feeling that I need to convince God to listen to what I am saying and take notice – more like the psalmist who cries God hear my prayer. How often I question the seeming lack of response.
What does it take for us to live in that confident place of knowing that God hears our prayers?
First we need to come in gratitude – Jesus thank you is a heartfelt cry of gratitude to One that he knows as a loving and caring Father. Gratitude awakens us to the fact that God is already at work in the situation we are praying for. It opens our eyes to see what God is doing and molds our prayers to the divine will.
Second we need to come confident that we are praying the right prayer. I have often wondered why Jesus waited two days before coming to Bethany to see Lazarus. I suspect that he spent at least part of that time praying and asking God about what he should do.
Third we need to come with a sense of the presence of God deep within our being. So often we pray out of a sense of our own needs or concerns without taking time to centre ourselves on the presence of God and remind ourselves that the One to whom we offer our prayers can only, ever respond in the loving way.
Fourth we need to come expecting and looking for God’s answers. So often I pray a prayer and then dash onto the next thing, not taking time to notice and savour what God is doing in response to my request. We not only need to give thanks for the fact that God hears our prayers, we also need to give thanks for the answers.
I have a friend who keeps a prayer journal – jotting down his prayers, writing out his hopes and expectations for that prayer and then writing down the response that comes. He sees this as a way to more closely align his will with God’s. I think this is a wonderful idea but to my embarrassment I must admit that I have never implemented it.
In response to my reflections I wrote this short prayer which I am hoping it will also revolve in my mind and draw me closer to that abiding presence of God
Lord thank you that you hear our prayers,
Thank you that your spirit stirs within,
Thank you that you are at work,
Transforming, renewing, making all things new.
Are We Ready for School
It is back to school time here in the U.S. and everyone has advice to give on how to dress, how to go green, how to find the best bargains, how to relieve anxiety and even how to arrange a play date with new friends. What I have not seen is much advice on how to prepare kids spiritually in order to help reduce their anxieties and improve their ability to fit in to their new situation. many I suspect slip away from their faith jsut because they do not know how to maintain their equilibrium.
Going back to school can be a traumatic time even for mature university and seminar students yet most of us are too busy getting kids out of the house or rushing off to our own classes to give much thought to our spiritual needs. Kids and adults alike need a sense of stability and familiarity to reduce their stress levels and help them adjust.
Here are some simple suggestions kulled from friends on what to do.
This first list are suggestions for school kids and their parents.
1. Begin the school day with a simple breath or circling prayer. I love this simple Celtic prayer which I wrote a couple of years ago and which several friends use with their children before they go to school
The sacred three encircle us,
Keep love within and fear without,
Keep peace within and violence out,
Circle us with your presence.
Keep truth within and injustice out,
Keep acceptance in and prejudice out,
Circle us with your grace.
Keep wholeness in and disease without,
Keep care within and selfishness out,
Circle us with your love.
2. Include a short prayer in your child’s lunch box Such as: Thank you God for this child (use name). May your light shine upon him/her. May your love fill him/her. May your spirit grant him/her peace. Or you may just like to say something like: Thinking of you and praying for you as you eat your lunch.
3. When you first see your child after school check how their day has gone. You may like to ask the questions: Where did you feel close to God today? What made you feel God was a long way away? One of my friends told me that this revolutionized her child’s approach to school and their sense of God’s presence in the day.
4. Spend a few minutes before your child goes to bed discussing what he or she is grateful for at school. Focusing on positive emotions like these help children feel more secure and encourage compassion and love towards other children.
5. Say a short prayer together for friends, teachers and situations your child has faced during the day.
Those who are students themselves may like to develop a similar routine. Trying to spend half an hour each morning reading the bible and praying is usually impossible but finding a simple rhythm of prayer and ritual that draws us close to God not only reduces our stress levels but increases our ability to focus, helps us respond compassionately to our friends and teachers and enables us to keep close to God 24/7.
1. Begin the day with a breath prayer and/or short relaxation exercise that makes you feel relaxed and close to God as you enter the day.
2. Use a book of prayers arranged to be said at different times during the day (called offices). My favourite is David Adam’s The Rhythm of Life. These may only take a minute or two of our time but can reorient us to presence of God.
3. Pause at the end of each class to offer a short prayer of gratitude for what you have learnt in the session.
4. Before you go to bed ask yourself the questions: Where did you feel close to God today? What made you feel God was a long way away? This is a very abbreviated form of the Prayer of Examen which I highly recommend if you want to spend more time.
5. Before you go to sleep name 5 things from your lectures and study times that you are grateful for.
Whatever you decide to do – keep it simple, make meaningful and stick to it.
I would love to hear from students and parents as to what you have found helps the most.
This morning I came across the website Picturing God: Faces and Traces of the Divine developed by Ignatian spirituality. This is a place to share photos of where we experience the presence of God that I thought some of you may be interested in.
Where do you find God in the world around you? Do you encounter God in nature, in the people around you, in a church, in the beauty of the arts, the disciplines of science, or the mundane moments of daily life? All of these are places where we can experience God’s presence and grace. This photo blog seeks to use the visual to help us find God in all things.
Thinking about this made me pull out some of my favourite photos that made me feel close to God. The interesting thing is the diversity of experiences that make me feel close to God.
I feel close to God in the midst of creation, especially in the garden
With God in the garden
I feel close to God when together with friends and family, while doing hospitality and celebrations.
tea with friends
I also feel close to God when I sit in my office gazing out at the beauty of the mountains.
Seattle sunset
I also feel close to God when I meditate, walk the labyrinth, pray, when we go on pilgrimage and spiritual retreats.
Iona Abbey Window
I often start seminars on spirituality by asking the question: Where do you feel closest to God? The answers over the years have surprised me as participants have shared their encounters in the garden, while playing with kids, sharing a meal with friends and even taking a shower. Even though people often mention spiritual practices , they rarely mention church.
So where do you feel closest to God?
The light of God shines through
Last week I did not have an opportunity to post my weekly list of prayers from facebook and twitter, so I thought that I would get a head start and post them early this week. Some of them are drawn from the liturgies that we used at the Celtic retreat so are a little longer than usual.
God awaken us to Jesus, give us his passion for prayer,
God awaken us to Jesus, give us his passion for people,
God awaken us to Jesus, give us new hearts and new spirits,
God awaken us, may our needs drive us to you and the needs of others drive us to them,
God awaken us, let zeal for your ways consume us.
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Father may we stand,
In the centre of your hope and promises.
Christ may we stand,
In the centre of your love and faithfulness.
Spirit may we stand,
In the centre of your sustaining presence.
One in Three, Three in One may we stand,
In the centre of your eternal purposes forever.
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Life of God be with you this day,
Love of the Creator fill your heart,
Light of the Saviour guide your steps,
Hope of the Sanctifier teach your minds,
Life of the Three sustain you,
Love of the One encircle you,
Now and always, this day and forever.
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Lord, let us walk into this day
Your light before us,
Your shield behind us,
Your friends beside us.
Lord, let us walk into this week
Your life before us,
Your strength behind us,
Your love around us.
Lord, let us walk from this place,
Your wisdom before us,
Your truth behind us,
Your breath within us.
Lord, let us walk into the world,
Gratitude in our hearts,
Thanksgiving on our lips,
Joy in our spirits.
Lord, let us walk into your loving presence,
In the name of the One who loves us,
In the name of the One who cares,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.
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(The Rising – one of my favourite Celtic prayers)
Let us go forth,
In the goodness of our merciful Father,
In the gentleness of our brother Jesus,
In the radiance of the Holy Spirit,
In the faith of the apostles,
In the joyful praise of the angels,
In the holiness of the saints,
In the courage of the martyrs.
Let us go forth,
In the wisdom of our all-seeing Father,
In the patience of our all-loving brother,
In the truth of the all-knowing Spirit,
In the learning of the apostles
In the gracious guidance of the angels,
In the patience of the saints,
In the self control of the martyrs,
Such is the path for all servants of Christ,
The path from death to eternal life
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As this day begins Christ be with us,
Be in our hearts and in our minds,
Be in our souls and in our spirits,
Be in our thoughts and in our desires.
As the day begins Christ walk beside us,
Show us the love only you can give,
Show us the light only you can provide,
Show us the wholeness only you can reveal.
As the day begins, Christ surround us,
Circle us with your presence,
Protect and keep us,
Bring us the assurance of your love.
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Let us walk into this day
God’s light before us,
God’s shield behind us,
God’s friends beside us.
Let us be filled
With the music of God’s world,
With the wonder of God’s love,
With the glory of God’s presence.
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May the prayers of my heart be acceptable to you O God.
May they be rooted in the reality of your presence,
And grow in the security of your love.
May they blossom in the assurance of your faithfulness,
And bear kingdom fruit, abundant, pressed down,
Overflowing from my heart to others.
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Go into the world today knowing we are touched by the Triune God,
Let your life shine with the holiness of God,
Let your heart be transformed by the peace of Christ,
Let your ways be filled with the joy of the Spirit.
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