The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
Thank you, Lord for dear friends
Thank you, Lord, for the honor to serve
Thank you, Lord, for your call in my Life
As I prepare for sleep, I lift this humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
So powerful and poignant, Jake… we have walked with so many through this Valley of the Shadows, haven’t we… thank you ❤️
I recently posted on Facebook a picture of Sy Harrington, a lifelong member from Erwin Presbyterian Church in Erwin, North Carolina, shaking hands and passing a key for the facility to a commissioned ruling elder, Jose Perez, who pastors Manantial de Vida, a Latino worshiping community. A meeting had just ended between members of an administrative committee that dissolved Erwin Presbyterian, leaders from Manantial and staff from the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina
— Read on www.presbyterianmission.org/story/pt-0319-easter/
As I walked along the Big Thompson River
I contemplated the Lenten journey
A journey of introspection
A journey of the heart and soul
This song came to my heart and I began to sing
By the Rivers of Babylon
This is Linda Ronstadt’s version – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEPr_ZF9HLs
As the people of Israel found themselves in Exile
Surely they wondered
How do you sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land
Then the song from Godspell came to me – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-b4Q_kanRc
On the willows there
We hung up our lives
In today’s atmosphere of hatred and fear
Love is too often shoved aside in favor of hate
Welcome in favor of fear
As I walked along the river I prayed
Lord make me an instrument of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me sow love
Where there is injury, pardon
Where there is doubt, faith
Where there is despair, hope
Where there is darkness, light
Where there is sadness, joy
By the river, You spoke to my heart
By the river, You called me
By the river, You renewed me
By the river
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
For my beloved it has been a long day of travel
Traveling to spend time with her Dad
Thankful that her boys will also be there
For me another day of travel and reflection
Along with some much needed rest
Time as well to reflect on the life of Dr King
To consider the Prophet’s message
Darkness cannot drive out darkness
Only light can do that
Hate cannot drive out hate
Only love can do that
Lord, in the words of Saint Francis
Make me an instrument of your peace
And now, as my eyelids grow heavy
I consider another thought of Dr King’s
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter
May we be your light, your voice, your love, your prophets
In your mercy hear this humble prayer
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
Driving back from the airport I realized
Fifty-One years ago, Dr King was assassinated
They thought by silencing the man
They thought the dream would die
Hate tried to extinguish the light of love
Hate tried to extinguish hope
Hate tried to extinguish the light
Hate prefers the darkness of ignorance
Hate is strong in the land
Darkness is strong in the land
Yet as I lift my eyes to the Rockies ahead of me
I am reminded that my help comes from the Lord
The Lord who created the heavens and the earth
The Lord who created humankind in the Divine image
As I remember Dr King
I claim this promise from the Gospel
The light shines in the darkness
And the darkness has not overcome it
And I remember Dr King’s words
Darkness cannot drive out darkness
Only light can do that
Hate cannot drive out hate
Only love can do that
The rise of ignorance and hatred
Cannot, nay, WILL NOT prevail
The day before he was brutally murdered he said
I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity
As we remember, may we be the light that drives out the darkness
Then will be fulfilled my humble prayer
Dona Nobis Pacem et in Terra
Grant Us Peace on Earth
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
What a wonderful day and evening, Lord
You call us to make a difference in our community
You call us to make a difference in the world
Even with small strides we can do just that
With words of hope and encouragement
With words of challenge and support
Then to spend some time with a dear friend
To break bread
To laugh and share stories
To share hopes and dreams
To encourage each other
For the varieties of gifts shared this day
I give you thanks
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…
Looking back over your shoulder
Looking back with wistfulness
Looking back with regret
Looking back to remember
The Ignatian Prayer of Examen invites us to look back
To look at our day through God’s eyes
To give thanks to God for the day
To review the day being guided by the Holy Spirit
To face our shortcomings
To look forward to the day to come
From https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/19076/examen-prayer-cards
And in all things, look with the light of God’s grace and love
Mama Elk reminded me of this as I came back from lunch
She also reminded me to simply Be Still
Be Still in the presence of God
Be Still
Be
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
It has been quite a day, Lord
Busy yet interspersed with stillness
Challenging yet with moments of calm
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…
Abbess Christine’s book of poetry is a true gem ❤️☘️
“Three is a sacred number in the Celtic imagination. Three moves us past duality into a place of integration, much like poetry can. Naming the essential ‘three things’ of one’s life is a common trope in desert and Celtic traditions. There are a wide variety of responses to that question, which to me indicates there isn’t one true answer, but an invitation to consider what is essential in this season of my life now.”
— Christine Valters Paintner, PhD Dreaming of Stones: Poems
