Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Teach me to pray

Participating in a lenten journey with Abbey of the Arts, yesterday Christine encouraged us in the practice of lectio divina to use the Lord's Prayer as a starting point, considering it perhaps as a new place in our lives.  I prayed with it for a very short time in the a.m. and thought about it during the day.  Last night as I awakened for a time, I found words forming; perhaps a way to pray that prayer today.  This a.m. reconstructing the words that I've known since a child into the words of my prayer of the night......

Gracious Creator
Who lives in my time and always
Blessed be your existence and awesomeness
May I show your power in my life
May I use your strength to love all of your children
while my human life continues on this globe
Love shown as it is in your eternal space and time
Let me recognize with heart and mind all you gift me with today
Please forgive me when, through selfishness, I stray from your love
as I forgive those who seem to have sleighted me
Walk with me avoiding the dark and evil corners of my life
When I err, I ask that you lend me your hand in order that I may best be rescued in not an easy but a certain way
For you God are my creator and lover of my soul
You hold all eternity in your hand
You alone have created all beauty, all love, all human, plant and animal beings 
I glorify your name for these blessings
For all time and eternity
May it be so!
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6 comments:

  1. How lovely this is, this image of a "gracious" Maker of beauty and love, the Ultimate Sharer of the gifts of Creation.

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  2. I love this SS, I have led retreats in the past leading folks through a reclaiming of this prayer in their own words, yours is beautiful.

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  3. Maureen, I've read this prayer over to myself many times today - I don't think out of pride but out of my image of just what you've mentioned - God's gracious gifts and sharing with me. Thanks for your comment.

    Christine, This really poured out of my heart in the night. I was surprised how clear it was to me this a.m. when I wrote it out and then put it here on the site. Thanks for reading and leading this experience of awareness and intention during lent!

    xoxo

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  4. This is glorious, a beautiful prayer, and so 'true' ... A prayer to come back to, to taste it and savor it and let it grow in ... me :-)
    Thank you,
    Blessings.

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  5. A wonderful prayer. I will say it again and again this week and beyond.
    Thank you
    Godbless
    Phil

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  6. Claire and Philomena,

    Getting my "home" legs back after a wonderful month in Maui, I came across each of your wonderful comments. Thank you so much for responding to this prayer post. I'm surprised that I, personally, have found this prayer continuing to be a positive influence in my own personal prayer.

    I hope your own seasons of Lent are blessed and serving to fulfill your spiritual needs.

    xox

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