The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
What a wonderful evening of music
What a wonderful evening with dear friends
At the time when it is needed, you provide, Lord
Tonic for the soul
Laughter, Friendship, Love
For these and all good gifts, I thank you
I thank you as I lift my humble prayer to you
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
“The monk in the world knows that holy pauses are essential for discovering the meaning of our experiences. There is no map. We can only drop deep into our hearts to guide us through our next steps.”
— Christine Valters Paintner, PhD The Soul of a Pilgrim: Eight Practices for the Journey Within
Beautiful reflection, Jake!
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
A day of ministry and meetings
A time of fellowship and reflection
A time of preparation and discernment
A time to celebrate a legacy of love
A time to share stories and moments of blessing
Loving Spirits who walk the Valley of the Shadows together
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…
Well said, Madre!
Advent is half over. We still wait for the arrival of the Christ child. But to where will we welcome him? Do we really want him taking up residence in our homes or is easier to relegate him to the stable, to see him as an outsider, not really part of the family? Seeing Jesus in an out of the way place where disreputable people like shepherds can come to worship without us having to worry about them messing up our homes makes life easy for us. We get that glow that tells us Jesus is here but there is very little commitment required of us...
godspacelight.com/2018/12/13/was-jesus-really-born-in-a-stable-and-why-does-it-matter/
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
It has been a long day, Lord
Meetings and paperwork
Trying to get so much done before Christmas
The schedule is quickly filling up
Yet my heart longs for quiet
Time to simply Be Still in your presence
Tonight as I read and reflected
Spending time with a mystic and mentor
Howard Thurman is teaching me yet again
His words speaking so clearly to my heart
Words I need to hear in the rush of this season
Words I need to hear in the darkness of these times
So now, as my eyelids grow heavy
I come into your presence
All I ask is this humble prayer
A prayer for me, for all of your creation
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
As the day draws nearer
As the anxiety grows
As the worries increase
As fear overwhelms
As hatred grows stronger
As the darkness and hopelessness overwhelm
In the midst of it all, Thurman speaks of hope found in the commonplace
From The Christmas Candles in his book, The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations:
I will light the candle of fellowship this Christmas. I know that experiences of unity in human relations are more compelling than the concepts, the fears, the prejudices, which divide. Despite the tendency to feel my race superior, my nation the greatest nation, my faith the true faith, I must beat down the boundaries of my exclusiveness until my sense of separateness is completely enveloped in a sense of fellowship. There must be free and easy access by all, to the rich resources accumulated by groups and individuals in years of living and experiencing. I will light the candle of fellowship this Christmas, a candle that must burn all the year long.
As the day draws closer
As the anticipation builds
As the schedule becomes more hectic
As memories flood in of Christmas’s past
As the stress of daily news disheartens
I find these words of Thurman comforting:
The symbol of Christmas–what is it? It is the rainbow arched over the roof of the sky when the clouds are heavy with foreboding. It is the cry of life in the newborn babe when, forced from its mother’s nest, it claims its right to live. It is the brooding Presence of the Eternal Spirit making crooked paths straight, rough places smooth, tired hearts refreshed, dead hopes stir with newness of life. It is the promise of tomorrow at the close of every day, the movement of life in defiance of death, and the assurance that love is sturdier than hate, that right is more confident than wrong, that good is more permanent than evil. (from the Prologue to The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations)
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
It’s been a long day, Lord
I have seen you in the midst of it
At times, though, I struggle
I struggle with the insanity in our nation’s capital
I struggle with the senseless violence and oppression
I struggle with the hatred and fear
I struggle with rabid nationalism and racism
In the midst of it all, Lord
When I don’t know what to pray
You hear my cries too deep for words
In your mercy, hear this humble prayer
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your exhausted Padre…
The sun has set and the Vesper Lights flicker and glow
A day filled with paperwork
Yet in the midst of it, wonderful fellowship
‘Tis a blessing indeed to work with such wonderful people
At the end of the day, Christmas lights are up
A wonderful meal, fellowship, and wedding planning
Now, as my eyelids grow heavy, I lift this humble prayer
Dona Nobis Pacem
Grant Us Peace
A wee prayer from the heart of your Padre…
