“Beloved Community: A society that appreciates that people possess an abundance of creativity, talent, initiative, energy, and resourcefulness to serve the greater good. A village that energizes and communicates peoples’ worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it in themselves. A place where neighbors join together to protect dignity and create peace; where we embrace one another in the fullness of life and discover the miracles of love.”—Robert Ferrell
Verse of the day
The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.
– Joel 2:31
Voice of the day
We advance to live on the moon, Slaughtering our world behind us.
– Leo Connellan, “To War Dead” (1967)
Prayer of the day
God, sanctify the Earth and purge us of war, violence, greed, and selfishness.
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
It has been a challenging week, Lord
Yet in the midst of challenges there have been so many blessings
The blessings of dear friends who are family
The blessings of those who understand the difficulties we face
The ones who love and are praying for us and for my Dad
The wonderful opportunities to simply Be Still
To Be Still in the midst of your creation
Now as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
“We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.”—Arthur O’Shaughnessy
| Verse of the day No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. – John 15:13 |
| Voice of the day I learned that we serve ourselves best when we serve others first. – Martin Sheen |
| Prayer of the day God of love, bring us back to you, Send your Spirit to make us strong in faith and active in good works. – Prayer for Active Good Works |
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”—Maya Angelou
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
It was a long and emotionally exhausting day
As we walk with Dad through the process of rehab
As I consider pastoral leadership in the midst of the COVID resurgence
As I see the increasing divisiveness in our country
Yes, Lord, it is overwhelming
Yet in the midst of it all, a delightful meeting/reunion with two very dear friends
Stories shared and support offered
Lots of laughter and love
For all that they offer along with many others from a distance
We are truly thankful
Now as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
As Denise and I continue our visit with Dad as he enters rehab, I found these words from John O’Donohue to be especially poignant for me and for Dad.
Life and aging offer both challenges and blessings. For me, as my aches and pains remind me that I am not the young fellow that I remember. However, the wisdom and grace that I have received and continue to receive are a reminder that the journey I continue to walk offers opportunities for wholeness and healing.
If our church is not marked by caring for the poor, the oppressed, the hungry, we are guilty of heresy. — Ignatius of Loyola
On this feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits) I have been pondering much in this journey called life.
As we walk through pandemic times where wearing a mask and getting the vaccine have become political issues rather than an issue of loving your neighbor, I wonder.
As we walk with my Dad through the difficulties of recovering from a fall and entering rehab, we hold him closely in our hearts.
These words of Ignatius seem to ring true even more so today.
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.
In this community, nation, and world, I pray that we might come together and allow God’s love and grace to permeate our hearts, our spirits, and our lives as we walk this journey called life together.
And now our Evening Prayer
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
It has been a long day, Lord
It has been an emotionally draining day, Lord
Yet in the midst of it all, we do find grace and beauty
In the love and support of dear friends who are family
In the beauty of a sunset through the trees
In the whimsical frog planter at The Old Mill Restaurant
In the laughter and stories shared with Zack our waiter
In the calm and serenity of dinner on the side of the river with my beloved
For these gifts I am truly thankful
Now as my eyelids grow heavy
I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
