Thursday, November 01, 2012

Prayer for All Saints ...


Holy One, be with the people of Bella Coola
and be with the family who gather today to say farewell:
his mischievious grin will be missed,
his wise counsel will linger, but his blunt voice will be mourned,
his laughter and humour and generosity will remain as his legacy,
but we weep for what we've lost ...

Loving God, on this day of Remembrance
as the Saints who have gone before us are remembered and celebrated,
be with those who remember and celebrate this unlikely saint ...

He was a son, brother, husband, father, grandfather,
and he was most of all a friend ...
he shared his care and love with those around him,
and he offered himself without apology or regret ...
and for that we thank you for the gift that was his life ...

Holy Creator, embrace your people in thier grief,
bind up their breaking hearts,
wipe away their falling tears,
and whisper to their souls reminding all of us
of the gift of life everlasting ...

Blessed One, the earthly journey has ended,
his legacy remains,
and we entrust him into your keeping
with the ancestors and saints who have journeyed before us,
and who with you, continue thier journey in a place of
love, laughter and live everlasting ...

Hear our prayers O Holy One,
and be with those who this day mourn
those who have gone on before us ...

AMEN.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Prayer for today ...


Holy One, in our busy and noisy world, may we find room and time to pray ...

May we remember your holy presence, and your gift of grace and shalom ...

May we pause in the midst of our busy-ness, and stand in your love ...

Hear us today as we pray for those in need in our world, our community
and in our circle of family and friends ...

Hear our prayers for those who are hurting ... struggling ... feeling alone ...

Send healing to those facing illness and uncertainty ...
sending your Spirit to rest with them, bringing healing, comfort, wholeness and peace ...

Send strength and courage to those rest in hospital beds and care facilities ...
may they feel the care our prayers, and the wholeness of your loving grace ...

Send tranquility and calm to those who struggle and feel alone and frightened ...
may they know that place of shalom - that place of peace that you alone offer ...

Loving One, our friend, our companion ... be with us on this journey ...
Hold us in our weakness,
dance with us in our joy,
comfort us in our sorrow,
uplift us in our praise for you and all you offer us ...

Hear our prayers today O Loving God,
and be with us now and always ...

AMEN

Friday, October 19, 2012

It is time to pray ...


Holy One, it has been one of those weeks ...

Busy-ness has kept me from pausing to remember you ... yet, you break in and remind me that you are not far from me, and that our conversation continues even if I fail to pause and properly pray ...

Loving One, I remember those in need today:

Young D and his Mom as they recover from their surgeries and treatments ... be with them, holding them in your shalom and love every moment of this journey ... be with their circle of family and friends as we pray ...

Be with M as she continues her journey, having said farewell too soon, and too quickly to one whom we've loved and lost ... hold her and her circle in your love and strength ... pour out your spirit on them as they mourn and heal ...

Rest with S and others in care homes, hospitals and places of rest and recuperation from illness ... bring strength and healing and wholeness to them and to their circle of care and support ...

Continue the healing of R and J and P and others who have had surgeries and who struggle to be well and to return to normalacy ... and be with their partners, their children, their friends as they offer support and as they themselves sometimes falter and struggle ...

Be with those of us who grieve and mourn and who realize the burden that weighs heavily on our shoulders ... the journey sometimes is long and challenging and just as we crest another hill we find our steps faltering and the path becomes hard to see ... hold the light for us, and take us by the hand O Holy One, that we may know your presence, your courage and your love ...

Loving One ... hear our prayers ... those we've dared to speak, and those we've held within ... hear our prayers and pour out your love and blessings upon us ... In your name we draw before you, and in your name we dare to pray.

Dayenu!!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

A prayer for those in need ... (Sept. 12th 2012)

Oh St Benedict Joseph ... hear our prayers ...
Our prayers for those who are broken,
our prayers for those who are frightened,
our prayers for those who are struggling,
our prayers for those who are alone ...

O St Benedict Joseph ...
you know the lonely struggle of those who have no home,
you know the gut wrenching fear that grips those living at the margins,
you know the yearning of the soul of those who are alone and frightened ...

Hear our prayers O Loving God,
our prayers for those who are struggling,
our prayers for those who are ill of mind, body and spirit,
our prayers for those who are frightened,
our prayers for those who are fighting illness and waiting ...

Loving God ... into your hands we offer our prayers,
our worries our concerns, our fears, our burdens ...
Hear our prayers and in your love answer them with love, grace and Shalom ...

Thursday, August 30, 2012

a prayer for today ... (August 30th 2012)


Holy One,
all about us people are in turmoil ...
economics have alienated and battered many ...
politics have divided and angered even more ...
people yearn for answers and certainty, but find only questions ...
and even in our Congregations and faith communities,
we are torn apart by divisive opinions and misunderstandings ...

Whisper to us again O Blessed One ...
remind us of what is important ...
hear us in our moments of weakness,
and hold us when we stumble ...

Call to us over the clamour and the tumult ...
Speak to us with love and care ...
and bless us with your gift of Shalom ...

We yearn for peace in a world torn apart ...
We crave comfort in a world that offers none ...
We stumble through the darkness searching for light ...

And through it all you are still there ...
loving us ...
caring for us ...
holding us ...
and strengthening us ...

Hear our prayers O Blessed One,
and be with us today and always,
as we seek your strength and comfort,
trusting always in your grace and love ...

In your name we pray ... AMEN.

Thursday, June 07, 2012

A prayer for today - June 7th 2012


O Holy One,
break through our moments of tired cynicism,
illuminate the darkened corners of our souls,
lift our spirits and
remind us again that You are Our God,
and that our days and moments are in your hand.

Loving One,
whisper to our hearts and souls
and soothe our worries and apprehensions,
take from us our fears and burdens,
and grant us strength and courage
even in the face of a troubled and tumultous world.

You alone know the breadth of what faces us Creator God,
and you alone can bring to us the courage and strength we need.

Be present in our lives, and in our hearts,
be present in our communities, and in our world.

Touch those who are ill,
comfort those who are frightened,
calm those who are angry,
accompany those who are lonely,
strengthen those who are weak,
welcome in those who are marginalized,
and remind us again that together we are
your church,
your children,
the very incarnation of your Kingdom,
and send us into the world to live and share the Good News,
now and always ...

Sunday, June 03, 2012

Prayer for today - June 3rd 2012 ...


Your words echo through us O Holy Servant:
Father forgive them for they know not what they do ...

Today, we feel those words more than we should ...
our media is filled with disturbing images and news
of violence and suffering,
of fear and anxiety,
of senseless actions against innocent people ...

And we feel those words:
Father forgive them for they know not what they do ...

We hear of the woundedness of others,
of the fear and suffering,
and we ache for a place of serenity and peace ...

Father forgive them for they know not what they do ...

Your call echoes through us and into the cosmos ...
The senselessness hurts and scares us ...
The Violence cuts across ages and social standings ...
The foolishness of it all leaves us weeping ...

Yet, even in those words uttered from the cross so long ago,
the end was not what it seems ...

Father forgive them for they know not what they do ...
... was answered in the Resurrection.

In the face of death
comes life.

In the face of suffering
comes wholeness.

In the face of fear
comes HOPE.

You not only forgive, O Loving One,
you heal and render whole what the world has broken.

Into your hands we commend our spirits and our lives,
into your love we offer ourselves and our communities,
into your gift of grace we plunge our fear filled moments ...

and with wholeness, healing, grace and love,
we are transformed and resurrected.

Father for give US for our doubts as you forgive
the thoughtlessness of others ...

In your name we pray ...

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Prayer for today - May 31st 2012


O Holy One ...
We live in a troubled and tumultous time ...
around us voices cry out for justice and righteousness ...
voices cry out in pain and distress ...
voices cry out in anger and disgust ...
voice simply cry out ...

Around us we hear and feel the burden of pain others carry,
we yearn through faith to respond and reach out ...
yet fear enters in and anger overwhelms us ...

Teach us again your gift of patience O Holy One.

Guide to the springs of living water
where we can refresh our souls and restore our troubled hearts.

Grant us your wisdom and gift of discerning
that we may lead rather than follow,
that we may inspire rather than react,
that we may offer your love and care rather than resentment and anger.

We live in a troubled and tumultous time O Holy One,
be with us every step of the journey ...
opening our beings to the splendour that is your love
and holiness in our world ...

These things we ask in your Blessed and Most Holy Name.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Prayer for today ... May 16th 2012



O Holy One,
in the quiet moments we search for you,
in the silence we call for you,
in the whisper of the wind we yearn for you ...

And we know you find us,
you hear us,
you accompany us ...

Breath hope into our uncertain souls,
whisper comfort in our uneasy hearts,
and soothe with love our troubled minds ...

Touch us with your holiness
and comfort us with your love.

Hear our concerns and worries,
take from us our burdens and fears,
remind us again of our place as your children ...

Holy One,
be with us,
comfort us,
strengthen us,
and bring wholeness to us and our lives ...

Hear the cries of our hearts
and the yearnings of our souls.
Bless us with your presence and your love
today, tomorrow and always.

Love us O Holy One ...
... in your name we pray.


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

A prayer for today - May 15th 2012


O Holy One,
sometimes in looking forward we glance backwards
and see your presence and feel your support ...

Too often we can step past the weak and broken,
we can over look the bloodied and forgotten,
we can ignore those crying out ...

But then you break thru like a rainbow after the storm
to touch our hearts and open our souls
and to call us to something more than simply journeying ...

Holy One, we give thanks for those moments
when you break through our walls and our reluctance
when you transform our hearts and our beings
when you inspire us to something more than we can imagine ...

Holy One, we give thanks for your presence in our lives ...

In those unexpected moments and overlooked corners
when we encounter you and our breath is taken
we say 'Amen' and 'Thanks'.

In the opportunities you offer to live our faith
and to reveal your presence to others
we say 'Amen' and 'Hallelujah'

And for the quiet saints who labour in your name
and often are neglected with honours are bestowed
and thanks is lavishly given
we say 'AMEN' and 'Praise to You O God!'

Open our eyes, our hearts, our souls and our beings
to your glorious presence in our midst
and transform our reluctance into faithful service ...

We ask these things in your name O Holy One ...

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Prayer for today - May 3rd 2012 ...





Holy One, as we pause before the day begins,
be with us as you have always been ...
Open our eyes to new possibilities,
to overlooked and unheeded calls to faith,
to needs and yearnings within ourselves,
and in our community ...

Be with us as we make our way into our day ...
Guide our steps,
hold our hearts,
inspire our spirits,
and open our minds to you and your Holy Call ...

From the deserts of Sinai,
to the wild places of Northern Canada,
to the busy urban centres of our cities,
to the profound aloneness of the open ocean,
you are there to guide, inspire, nurture and accompany us
whether we see or acknowledge you or not ...

Be with us in our day O Holy One,
hold us in your shalom, and carry us in your love ...
Inspire us to become the people you yearn us to be,
show us the way of your faith and grace,
and help us to move into the world unafraid
to be your Church and to be your Children ...

Be with us in the quiet moments
and in the busy hush ...
Be with us always ...

Friday, April 27, 2012


God of all seasons,
it has been a week of change and unexpected surprises.
it has been a time of sadness and sorrow,
at time of comfort knowing you are with us ...

Be with us as neighbours, friends and family
struggle with the loss of loved ones,
and the sorrow that washes over us in those moments ...

Be with us as our circle of community
seeks to make sense of happenings and events
that have touched us and left us reeling ...

Be with us as we yearn for spring
but still feel the cold bite of winter ...

Be with us as we lift our voices in song and prayer to you,
yet still wonder if you are listening and if you hear us ...

Holy One,
God of all seasons, God of all time and space,
God of all that is and that shall be ...

Be with us ...
send your spirit to move among us and within us,
bring comfort and strength to lives,
and fill us with the hope
that sent the disciples forth from the upper room
boldly out into the world
joyously proclaiming their certainty of The Resurrection.

We are your children O Holy One,
We are your Church,
Be with us as we seek to embody and proclaim,
the faith and hope you have given us.
In your blessed and holy name we pray ...

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Prayer for today - April 24th 2012 ...


God of infinite suprises ...
We awaken to a world of breathtaking beauty
and soul embracing awe ...

When we think we have it all together,
You shake it up and leave us laughing ...

Be with us in the midst of the cold and snow,
just as you are with us in the sun and warmth ...

Be with us as we gaze outside in bewilderment
and comfort us with the knowledge that we live in your world ...
your creation ...
your garden ...
your playground ...

O God of infinite and bewildering suprises,
today the world beyond the window is ful
full of awe and wonder
full of blessings and gifts galore ...

Be with us in the frustrations and fears
that come with inclement weather and unexpected moments ...

Be with us as we journey through our day
and hold us in your love and care
today, tomorrow and always ...

In your name we pray ...

Monday, April 23, 2012

Prayer for today - April 23rd ...


"Peace is not the silence of cemeteries." - Oscar Romero

Holy One ... we tread through the hallowed halls of memory,
we walk the gravel path through aged and cracking stones,
we hear the brush of the wind through the sprouting grass,
we feel the warmth of spring sunshine as we linger ...
as we remember ...
as we say farwell ...

Holy One, this week our Easter Journey has meandered
into the peaceful silence of a cemetery filled with saints and sinners,
filled with memories and recollections,
filled with lives both celebrated and forgotten ...

Holy One, through our remembrance
we have recalled the lives of those who have gone before,
and we have celebrated where those lives have touched ours,
but more importantly, we have recalled
the gift of life everlasting ...

Be with us in our memories O Blessed and Holy One,
and be with us in our flickering moments of sorrow ...

On our Emmaus journey we pass the cold etched stones
and we remember ... but our companion bids us on ...
on to life ...
on to life everlasting ...

Holy One, be with us in our journey,
and hold us as we linger in a place of death
remembering the life that has been,
and affirming the life that continues unabated
in your Holy and Grace-filled presence ...

In the peace of our remembrance,
may we find the peace that surpasses all understanding ...

In the peace of our remembrance,
may we find the peace of your presence ...

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Prayer for today - April 17th ... in the quiet of the morning ...


Gentle One, in the quiet of the morning
we find ourselves in your presence without seeking you ...

in the soft music offered by the birds flitting here and there,
in the warm dappled sunshine that dances silently across the floor
in the the curling vapours rising from the mug of hot coffee
in the unfolding of the day ...
we find you and your indelible presence throughout creation.

As we pause before the hurry of the day begins
be with us, bringing serenity and shalom.

Grant us the peace of your presence as we ready for our day.

You alone know the many worries and concerns we carry
You alone know the hurts and burdens shouldered around us
You alone know the shadowy places that need your presence

Loving God as we think forward into our day
we see the faces of those around us who need you
illness
struggles
frustrations
aloneness
as names arise within us, we offer them to you
our concerns and care
rise like the tendrils of steam above our morning coffee
dancing, floating, lifting upward
our thoughts, concerns and worries
are taken from us and carried to you ...

Hear our prayers O Holy One,
the ones we dare to utter
and those we hide away afraid even to acknowledge.

Hear our prayers as they rise to you
and in your love answer them
by pouring out your love and presence
upon us and upon our circle of community ...

Loving God, in the quiet of the morning
we find you, and release our prayers,
be with us ... hear us ... comfort us ...

Monday, April 16, 2012

Prayer for today - April 16th 2012 ,,, Resurrection ...


Loving God, your servant Jesus spoke the words from the cross:

Into your hands I commend my spirit ...

Today you will be with me in paradise ...

Loving God in the quiet hush we yearn to hear those words,
to believe those words,
to feel the truth and power behind those words ...

Too many whispers around us speak of loss
and mask the weeping that comes with death ...

Our circle of community struggles
losses seem to pile upon losses,
brokeness breaks in upon brokeness,
tears of sorrow and sadness
are more abundant then smiles of joy ...

And yet in that moment when all seems lost
we hear the voice of comfort from within
speaking the familiar yet ancient words ...

Into your hands I commend my spirit ...

and we know you are with us ...

We hear that promise ...

Today you will be with me in paradise ...

and we know this is not the end.

Holy One, move within and among us
touch our hearts and minds

remove the doubt and fear
and replace it with hope and certainty,

remove the sorrow and sadness
and replace it with joy and trust.

Holy One, we know the promises of resurrection,
yet some days those words seem distant and cold ...

... today move among us and through us
transform us from an uncertain and doubt filled people
into a Resurrected community proclaiming our faith
and living our lives knowing we are never alone
and we are never seperated from that love
that holds and sustains us throughout our life.

Hear our prayers O Holy One,
and in your love answer.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

A Prayer for today - St Benedict Joseph Labre ...


O Holy One, today I've read the story of your servant
Saint Benedict Joseph Labre,
one who lived on the margins of the Church,
one who was shunned from to the edges,
one who lived like those he has become a patron to ...
the homeless ...
the neglected ...
the rejected ...
the mentally ill ...
the forgotten and marginalized
who linger in poverty
and who struggle along the periphery.

O Blessed One, on this day as we hear again
the story of Thomas, the one who dared to express his doubt,
remind us again
that faith is not about comfort and complacency,
faith is about taking chances,
faith is about living on the edges,
welcoming in those who lurk at the periphery
embracing those who struggle to find a place.

O Risen One, be with us in the coming days
comfort us in our weakness,
grant us strength in our moments of fear,
embrace us when we find tears rising to our eyes,
and remind us again that we are never alone ...

In the coming days be our companion,
our guide,
our friend,
our companion,
and the one who challenges and comforts us ...

Be with us O Holy One as we remember
the many servants like St Benedict Joseph,
who have served and celebrated the Church
while living on the margins ...
and as we remember,
may we have the courage to include them
and welcome them ...

In your name we pray ...

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Prayer for today - April 12th 2012 ... Thomas ...

Holy One, I am struck by the words:
behind locked doors ...
for fear of the Jews ...
The message of the Resurrection
loomed over them as they gathered,
the Good News hadn't sunken in,
they failed to comprehend,
the simply didn't know what to believe.

And then you were there.
Peace Be With You
My Peace I Give to You
The words echoed within them
yet I doubt they knew what to think
what to believe ... the quivered in fear.

And so your reassured them,
you spoke to their fears
you soothed their uncertainties
you sought to comfort them ...
... and they struggled to comprehend.

Holy One, as we again approach these familiar tales,
open our eyes, our hearts, and our minds
to the whisper of Peace that you still offer,
speak to our fears and uncertainties,
comfort our doubts and confusions,
show us again what it means
to fall to our knees like Thomas
and utter those profound words of belief:

My Lord and My God ...

Risen One, we yearn to know,
be with us in the moments of crisis,
comfort us in the times of darkness,
and guide us through the shadows,
that we may once again
hear your voice,
feel your presence,
and celebrate our experience
of Resurrection in our lives and in your's.

Holy One,
Risen One,
our friend
and our Hope,
hear us as we pray ...

Monday, April 09, 2012

Prayer for today ... open tombs, mysterious strangers ...


Risen One ... our day began in deep dark silence,
tear fell too easily as we considered the loss,
as we embraced the enormity of death,
as we experienced the breadth of sorrow ...

In the darkness she went first to mourn and to weep,
in the darkness she found the tomb, broken and empty,
in the darkness she cried out and fled searching ...

Together in the breaking dawn they came to see ...
Running, hearts pounding, pulses racing,
they came to see if what she said was true ...

Empty ...
Gone ...

Uncertainty broke in upon them ...
from grief they fled to fear and horror ...

Death was one thing,
but a missing body was something different ...

Standing alone she heard her voice whispered
whispered by a familiar voice
whispered by the Risen One ...

Grief and fear gave way to joy ...

The missing one had returned ...
The missing one had risen ...
The missing one had been found and shows the way ...

"Mary" he called her by name ...
bringing her from a place of darkness
to stand blinking in the fullness of God's welcoming light ...

And so the day began ...

... and it ended in a room ...
They gathered, talking, discussing, arguing ...

what did all of this mean?
how has this happened?
what is happening now?

Confused and uncertain, they gathered in a familiar place
where he had prayed
where he had washed their feet
where he had broken bread
where he had poured out the cup
where he had taken a deep breath and plunged into the night ...

They gathered, waiting, wondering, praying ...

And suddenly he was there,
the missing one had come
the missing one had risen
the missing one was found anew ...

My Peace I give you,
he whispered with a smile,
My peace I give you,
he said breathing new life through the room ...

In the darkness the light had come,
in the uncertainty came awe and wonder ...

Risen One ... you called them by name ...
you guided them through the dark and lonely places ...
you whispered to thier hearts to trust in God ...
you revealed yourself in that moment that comes
when darkness gives way to light
when life continues on in the face of death
when hope glimmers and pushes aside cynicism and disbelief ...

Guide us from the garden through the streets O Holy One,
take us by the hand and lead us from doubt to believe ...
take our hands and place them in yours ...
reveal yourself in the unexpected place ...
show yourself in the breaking of the bread ...
Transform us from fearfilled disciples cowering in the dark,
to faithful messengers proclaiming the message:

He is Risen, He is Risen INDEED !!!

Hear us as we pray O Holy and Risen One,
and be with us in our journey.


---

Friday, April 06, 2012

Prayer for today - Good Friday


O Suffering One ...
the sound of the suffering still echoes within us ...
the slashing of the whips,
the sting of the slaps,
the thwhack of the blows,
the pounding of the nails ...

we hear and feel the sounds of today ...

we hear the fleeing footsteps of your disciples,
the denial of your friend,
and the mocking of the crowds ...

O Suffering One,
we can not begin to grasp what is happening around us ...

Our hearts cleave while our souls fear ...
We want to stay and we want to flee ...
We want to draw nearer the cross,
but we want to find a place away from the dying ...

O Suffering One,
as the warm sunshine beckons us to forget,
the silence and the suffering reminds we simply can't ...

Be with us in the darkness,
hold us as we pass through the shadowy places,
and carry us when we stumble down the lonely path we trod.

O Suffering One,
be with us as we struggle to stay with you
and to remember and once again witness
the suffering ... the loneliness ... and the dying ...

O Suffering One,
there are no words to offer ...
there are no more tears to shed ...
there is only silence ...
the silence of suffering and death ...
the silence left by those who turned and ran ...
the silence that came with the darkness ...
the silence of a world that would kills its hope ...

O Suffering One,
in the silence we wait ...
in the silence we wait ...
in the silence we wait ...

... and all we find is silence ...

... a deep and defeaning silence ...

Thursday, April 05, 2012

Prayer for today - on the eve of the beginning ...


Brother Jesus,
what thoughts ran through your mind
in this in-between time?

Did you sit outside in the spring sunshine
as the preparations were made?

Did you smile at the banter from inside
as you looked to the events about to unfold?

Was your heart at peace knowing God was with you?
Or was your soul troubled knowing what loomed before you?

O Brother Jesus, did you know what was in store for you?

Did you cherish the moments with your
circle of family and friends,
breaking bread and pouring out the cup,
celebrating the richness of God's Grace
and recalling where God's presence has been revealed?

Or did you weep inside,
knowing this would be the last
the last gathering with your friends,
the last breaking of the bread you would enjoy,
the last moments of your life?

O Brother Jesus, in this time of waiting
and anticipating ... show us a glimpse of what you felt ...

As we prepare for what is looming before us,
grant us the peace that comes within the darkness ...

Be with us as we try to follow where you will lead ...

Be with us as we struggle in the shadows ...

Be with us as we sit with you and wait ...

O Brother Jesus, be with us as we pray ...

Wednesday, April 04, 2012

Prayer for today - April 4th (waiting for the journey to begin)


O Holy One, we stand poised in the middle of week that ends badly ...
Around us many are crying out; yearning for the touch of your presence ...

Loving One, as we continue our journey through the streets of Jerusalem
remind us that we are never far from your presence
and your love has never failed nor abandoned us.

Hear our prayers for our
family
neighbours
friends,
acquaintances,
and strangers.

Hear our prayers for those
who are grieving,
who are hurting,
who are lonely,
who are afraid,
who are struggling,
who are overwhelmed
and who feel the burden of despair.

Hear our prayers for
those who are in need of comfort
strength
courage
peace
healing
wholeness
rest
and those who need to know your presence.

Hear our prayers O Loving God,
those we have dared to speak,
and those that linger within our hearts and minds.

Hear our prayers,
and in your love answer.

Dayenu ... Dayenu!!

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Prayer for today - April 3rd (a prayer of anxious waiting)


Servant King,
a few short hours ago you entered the city to triumphant shouts,
The crowds cheered and celebrated
the gathered people chanted "Hosanna in the highest"
Hosanna
Hosanna
Hosanna

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.

But even as the echo of the hooves clattering on stone faded,
the chants and cheers turned to jeers.

Instead of taking the city you focused on the temple,
tables overturned,
coins thrown about,
merchants disrupted.

They screamed "How dare you?"
as your up ended their commerce
and questioned their values.

How dare you?
they shouted as you disrupted their comfort
and challenged their complacency.

They ran to the comfort of the authorities,
gnashing thier teeth and weeping crocodile tears
playing the victim while cherishing their shekels.

"How dare you?" screamed as you questioned the status quo

How dare you?
How dare you?
How dare you?

The Hosannas faded away in the realization
of what your Kingdom would be.

The Hosannas faded away as people
tried to protect the comfortable and familiar.

The Hosannas faded away as the path
turned from triumph to tragedy ...

Today O Holy One, we hear thier voices ...
we hear their bitterness and their fear
we feel their anger and resentment
we see the lengthening shadows
we know what lies ahead ...

Be with us in the gathering quiet
that looms before the storm ...

We know where this journey leads ...

We know the blood soaked hill lies ahead ...

We know the Hosannas have given way to Horrors ...

Be with us in the quiet,
hold us in the shadowy places that cause us fear,
love us even when we've turned away and fled.

Servant King ... in our hearts we want to cheer
Hosanna in the highest
but today our fear tells us to remain silent
and guard our words instead ...

In the quiet of the waiting, be with us,
forgive us, and love us in spite of ourselves ...

Hear our prayer O Blessed One
and be with us as we try to follow ...

Monday, April 02, 2012

Prayer for today - April 2nd


Holy One ...

there are simply no words to offer this day ...
the news within our community overwhelms us
it brings a wave of sadness that crashes down upon us.

We pray for the broad circle of family,
and the many places the lives of those who have gone
touched the lives of young and old throughout our community.

Hear our prayer for the grieving,
for the recovery of the battered and bruised,
and for the community weeping bitter tears of sadness.

Holy One, be with us as we pray.
Be with us as we pray for friends and neighbours.
Be with us as we pray for our community.

In this Holy Week, our shadowy places have become real.
The sorrow and sadness has come close to home.

Be with us.
Hold us in your love.
Carry us in your strength.
And envelope us in your Shalom.

These things we ask today in your name.
Hear our prayers O Holy One,
and grant us your presence and your strength,

In your name we pray ...

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Prayer for today - Palm Sunday


O Servant King,
we hear you approaching.

The clip clop of hooves grows ever louder,
the rustle of palm branches and cloaks grows urgent,
we hear you coming, but we are not ready ...

Our expectations are not yours,
what we want differs from what you offer,
we want a Triumphant entry into the city,
we want victory and rejoicing
we want to feel the surge of Holiness ...

But in the coming hours our enthusiasm will wane,
our passion will cool
our cheers will turn to jeers
and like your disciples we too will abandon you ...

We will busy ourselves with other things,
plans for the long weekend,
dinners and gatherings,
chocolates and treats,
preparations for the celebrations to come ...

And we'll forget the long dark days
we'll avoid the shadowy places,
we'll stay clear of the loneliness and suffering.

It's all too much for us,
so we will leap from Hosannas to Hallelujahs
avoiding the horrors that lie between ...

Forgive us O God,
Forgive us and love us despite our shortsightedness.

Be with us today, and in the coming days,
let us hear the gentle clip clop of hooves on the stones,
let us hear the shuffle of sandals in the dusty streets
let us hear the echo of shouts in the halls and courtyards
let us hear the thunderous silence of your disciples,
let us hear the bloody thwack of whips, slaps and suffering
let us hear, even if we stop our ears,
the events and happenings in the streets ...

Events and Happenings that lead us from
the triumphant entry into the city
to the quiet prayers over bread and wine
to the empassioned pleas in a darkened garden
to the suffering and the dying ...

O Servant King,
be with us in the coming days ...
take us by the hand and lead us ...
lead us to the shadowy places that await us
and give us the courage to persist in our journey ...

O Servant King,
hear our prayer ... AMEN

Friday, March 30, 2012

Prayer for today - March 30th 2012


The printer has offered the worship materials for the coming week ...
a Holy week ...
a busy week ...

the photocopier is cooling down and clicking quietly
after running to copy and print bulletins, inserts, announcements and other items
needed for the seven services we'll celebrate in the next eight days ...

now in the quiet lull we catch our breath
before rushing headlong into the dark shadowy corners
that mark the journey from Hosannas to Hallelujahs ...

O Holy One ... hear our pray for the coming days ...

be with us as we follow the path your servant
took through dry dust streets of a long ago city ...

be with us in the jarring moments
of suffering, denial, abandonment and death ...

be with us in the long shadows
that await us as we kneel before the cross ...

hold us in the darkness as we weep for a world
that would kill its Hope and deny the Love ...

guide us through the long lonely nights that lie before us ...

take us by the hand and lead us ...

hold us when we stumble ...

and carry us when we fall exhausted ...

... and yet, as difficult as it is,
and as tempting as it may be,

don't let us hurry our way from the Hosannas to the Hallelujahs ...
but rather be with us in the slow deliberate journey that we must take

a journey that leads us
from the triumphant entry into the city,
past the overturned tables and bruised egos,
to the table where the body is broken and the blood is poured out,
to the place of abandonment and fear of friends turning away and running,
on to the thunderous quiet of the place of suffering and death
the place crowned by the rough cross
etching the sky with its reminder that here,
in this place,
our last hope perished ...

be with us as we linger
in the long quiet moments of despair and loneliness,
be with us as we linger ... afraid ... uncertain ...

be with us ...
that we may once again stand before the empty tomb
and know the full glory of the Resurrection ...

but not yet ...
when it is time ...
let us take each step
carefully,
thoughtfully,
and faithfully ...

guide us into the dark shadowy places O Holy One ...
guide us with the sure and certain knowledge
that we are not alone ...

be with us in the coming days ...
in your name we pray with out ceasing ...

Monday, March 26, 2012

Prayer for today - March 26th


Walk with me, I will walk with you
and build the land that God has planned
where love shines through. (John S. Rice)

Holy One, today we rejoice at the breadth and depth of your Grace and Love,
we celebrate the living out of the promises of inclusion and welcome,
we give thanks for the diversity of the Kingdom that embraces one and all ...

Hear our prayers for those willing to reach out and welcome in all your children.

Hear our prayers for those struggling with issues of health and wellness.

Hear our prayers for those struggling with issues of family and friends.

Hear our prayers for those who are lonely and frightened.

Hear our prayers for those facing uncertainty and violence.

Hear our prayers for those yearning to be free.

Hear our prayers for those fighting for justice and equality.

Hear our prayers for those who are battered, bloodied and beaten, but not defeated.

Hear our prayers for those who stand up for their faith, and willingly face the consequences without hesitation or fear.

Hear our prayers for those glimmering corners of creation where the land you have planned that abounds and overflows with love is emerging.

Hear our prayers for those children of God who live their faith, share their joy, and dare to dance in the light of love you alone offer ... Loving and Holy God, hear our prayers today and always as we seek to create in our lives, our congregations, our communities and our world, the Kingdom you have promised, and that you help bring into being ... be with us as we journey towards it, as we embody it, and as we work in faith to create it ... In your loving name we pray.

L'chaim !!
Hol

Friday, March 23, 2012

Prayers for today - March 23rd


Holy One, as we awoke to a day of grey and rain, we are mindful of the many blessings you have continued to pour out upon us in this season of transition and new life ... though the warmth of the sun has for the moment been pushed aside by the cool and chill of falling rain, we know that in time the grey will give way again to soft sunshine and warm refreshing breezes ...

Hear us, O Holy One as we gather in your presence and remember in our thoughts and prayers, our family, our friends, our neighbours and members of our circle of community who are in need of your strength, your comfort, and your loving presence ... Hear us as we pray for friends and family, and as we offer up strangers in our prayers as well ...

We pray this day for those who are grieving and struggling with the mixed feelings of sadness and sorrow.

We pray for those who are lonely and afraid.

We pray for those who are struggling with illness, infirmity and weakness.

We pray for caregivers and family members seeking to support and encourage those they love facing burdens, worries and stresses ...

We pray for those who are struggling emotionally, financially, mentally, and physically.

We pray for those who are in need of comfort and care.

We pray for those who may not realize the burdens they are shouldering, but who need and deserve relief ...

Loving and Holy God, we pray for those in need, and we pray too for ourselves ... be with us in our moments of weakness, and carry us when we stumble, reminding us always that we are the beloved children of the One True God, who gives us courage and strength, and who never fails us.

Holy One, hear our prayers today, tomorrow and always ... in your name we pray. AMEN.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Prayer for today - March 19th


Holy One, in the quiet of this warm and sunny day we approach you carrying with us the prayer requests and concerns of our community ... hear us as we offer up in prayer those we've named and remembered in our worship services ...

We remember in our prayers:
Donny
Chad,
Amy and her family,
Logan
Megan
Ken

we remember too the circle of family and friends who offer love and support in challenging moments ...

We remember those awash in emotions and feelings and pray for thier comfort ...

We remember those who are travelling and who are far from home ...

We remember those who are in need of healing and help though they are unwilling to make that admission out of fear or stubborness ...

We remember in our prayers those whose lives are turned upside down or inside out by uncertainty and transitions over which they have no control ...

We remember in our prayers those who are struggling and who are frightened ...

Loving and Merciful God may you hear our prayers and bring comfort and solace to us and those who rest in our hearts ... hear our prayers O Loving God and in your care answer.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Prayer for today - March 13th


Holy One, as one day give way to another, we pause to remember before you those in need of your healing and comforting touch.

Loving God, hear our prayers for those who have had their names shared within our community by email today and in the previous days ...

Into your care and love we commend our friends: Chad, Bev, Ken. Donnie and their circle of family, friends and care givers ... hear the prayers being offered over and on behalf of them, and in your love pour out your courage, your strength, your blessings and your wholeness that they may know your presence, and be comforted by your love ...

Loving God, hear our prayers for those whom we have not named directly in our instant communications, but have thought of in the passing of our days ... take from us our worries and in your love answer our concerns and prayers, even if they have been offered in fleeting moments amidst the busy-ness of our day ...

Holy One, hear our prayer today, tomorrow and always ... it is in your name we pray ...

Monday, March 12, 2012

Prayer for today - March 12th


Holy One ... as the weather changes from snow to sun to rain and back again, we are reminded that your love and your presence in our lives is constant and steadfast ... as the winds of change blow through our lives and our world, the comforting strength of your Love holds us firmly and never lets us go ...

As the rain falls and the winds blow, hear our prayers and in your love answer by pouring out your blessings and your Spirit upon us ...

Hear us as we continue our prayers for those having and recovering from surgery and treatment
Hear us as we continue our prayers for those recovering from illness and set backs
Hear us as we continue our prayers for those struggling with issues of health and wellness
Hear us as we continue our prayers for those who have had accidents and mishaps
Hear us as we continue our prayers for those who are frightened, lonely and alone ...

Pour out your Spirit upon us and upon your people that we might feel the firmness of your love and the strength of your grace ...

Take from us our worries and concerns
Take from us our fears and apprehensions
Take from us our burdens and the emotions that weigh us down ...

Transform this moment O Holy One with your love as you transform a rainy day with the brightness of sunshine and warmth ...

Touch our lives and lift our hearts with your Grace as we stand in your presence seeking your guidance and strength ...

O Holy One, hear our prayers and transform us and our moments in the fullness of your Holy Presence ...

In your name we pray ...

Friday, March 09, 2012

Prayer for today - March 9th


Holy One, as the snow falls, covering everything with a blanket of freshness,
fall upon our hearts and touch our souls ...
Bring wholeness and healing, comfort and strength to those in need ...

Hear our prayers for those in hospital and recovering at home,
Hear our prayers for family and friend who are in need ...

Into your hands O Holy One, we entrust
those recovering from surgeries,
those recovering from the onset of illness,
those recovering and healing on their journeys of grief ...

Into your hands O Holy One, we entrust
those who are lonely
those who are struggling
those who yearn for your comfort and your courage ...

Into your hands O Holy One, we entrust
those who are hurting
those who are frightened
those who hunger and thirst for righteousness ...

Loving and Holy God, hear our prayers,
those we dare to speak, and those that we hold within ...

Hear our prayers and in love, faith and the promise of hope,
answer them by pouring out your Spirit upon us and upon ALL your children.

In your name we pray.
AMEN

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Prayer for today ... March 7th ...


Outside the rustle of the winds is accompanied by the rhythm of water dripping from melting snow and the soft crystaline clatter of collapsing ice ... the flutter of birds accompanies their bold and haunting call to the spring that is stirring ...

O Holy One, attune my heart and soul to the sounds of the season
In the silence may I feel your Spirit stirring within, and softly caressing my being

As I stand heavy and weary, may you lighten my heart
lifting my worries and concerns
and instilling within a sure and certain hope that where I stand
I am not alone
For you are with me

Remind me again Blessed One
that the promises made to Sarah and Abraham
still resonate throughout the cosmos
and that in the silence
I stand
knowing
feeling
living
as a child of God ...

Holy One, hear my prayers today
those spoken,
and those unuttered,
and in your love answer ...

AMEN

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Prayers for today - March 6th


O Holy One ... today as the chill of winter grips much of our nation, and people huddle in the cold yearning for winter send your Spirit to move amongst and within us all ...

Be with those facing treatments, tests and surgeries ...
Be with those struggling with illness of mind, body and spirit ...
Be with those in the midst of transition and change ...

Be with those travelling ...
Be with those who are feeling far from home and alone ...
Be with those who are searching, but may not be sure what they are searching for ...

Holy One hear the prayers of your people ...
the words spoken in liturgy and worship,
the words cried out in anger and frustration,
the words whispered in fear ...

Hear the words spoken aloud, and those that lurk in the shadowy places of our hearts,
hear the words and pour out your Spirit so that those prayers may be answeres ...

Holy One, this day we call on you to touch our lives,
our hearts,
our spirits,
and hold us in your Shalom,

in your name we pray ... AMEN

Friday, March 02, 2012

Prayer for today - March 2nd


Creator God, whisper peace into our busy days ... guide to a place of your Holy Shalom where we might find renewal of mind, body and spirit ...

Hold our hearts in the moments of distress and difficulty as we face the challenges before us and struggle with the mundane ... let us be reminded by the refreshing breeze of your spirit and the glimmering of your loving light that we are not alone, and that even in the deepest darkest moments of loneliness, you are with us ...

Guide us again to the place of light, love and laughter ... let us find the strength and courage to live our faith today, mindful of our calling to recreate tomorrow into the Kingdom that yearns to be.

Be with us and with all those hungering and thirsting for justice, righteousness that they will know the warmth of your love, the strength of your grace and the joy of your presence ...

Hear us as we pray O Holy One ... and in your love answer ...

Thursday, March 01, 2012

Prayer for today ...


Creator God, we pray this day for communities and places affected by the vagaries of weather and the challenges posed by too much snow, too little snow, rising temperatures, falling temperatures, and all the things that touch lives and remind us of what lies beyond our control ...

We pray this day for those places in our world struggling to make sense of the challenges before them ... be with the First Nations communities as they struggle with the teachings and guidance of thier ancestors and traditional ways, and yearn to find a place of peace and comfort in our modern world that affirms their ways while learning from the wisdom they offer to all ...

We pray this day for those struggling with addicitons ... those fighting feelings of alone-ness, fear and abandonment ... those who are yearning for peace and healing in their minds, bodies and spirit ...

We pray this day for those who are sick in hospital, care facilities or at home ... send your Spirit to rest with them O Holy One that they may know your comforting strength, your healing presence and the peace of your loving wholeness ...

We pray too for those who are travelling this day that they may find safety and rest in their journeys and they will return home refreshed and made new by their travels ...

Holy One, hear our prayers and be with us in our Lenten Journey ... these things we ask in the name of the Risen One who offers life, love and grace in abundance ...

In your name we pray, AMEN.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

An Epiphany Moment ...


For quite awhile I've struggled with what I should and could do with this blog. It has long seemed like the little sibling of my main blog Prairie Preacher ... then with the arrival of the blog dedicated to the Sermons and Worship of the Flesherton Pastoral Charge, the role of this blog further blurred ...

Yesterday though, on the way home from a meeting in Durham I had an Epiphany moment about what I could do with this blog ... instead of being a forgotten little sibling, Meditative Moments can step up and take on a full role in a Blog Trinity that encompasses the life and ministry of myself and the community I serve.

The roles of my three blogs will be as follows:

The Prairie Preacher will remain MY blog where I muse as a person about the issues and happenings around me that I feel compelled to comment on ... it is where I will continue to speak frankly and openly about what touches me ... the range of topics has and will continue to vary depending on what is happening in my life, what I'm reading, and what I feel like writing. It is MY blog where I speak as ME ... in a sense, it will remain unchanged.

The second blog - The United Church in the Grey Highlands, will be where sermons and Orders of Worship from the Flesherton Pastoral Charge will be posted. This blog will serve, in conjunction with the webpage for the Pastoral Charge, as the 'official' online voice of the Pastoral Charge where our resources and our announcements are posted for all to see.

And now the third Blog - this site, will become the place where prayers and petitions are offered on behalf of the Flesherton Pastoral Charge and those in our community and our world who need this amazing gift called prayer.

It occurred to me the other day that with all the things swirling around me and the life and ministry of the Flesherton Pastoral Charge that sometimes the best gift we can offer is the gift of prayer. While we have a strong prayer ministry within the Pastoral Charge peopled by people who take this blessing seriously, we can take prayer to another level by involving, and including others.

SO, there in lies my epiphany moment last night ... the third piece of the online presence offered by these blogs WILL be the gift of prayer !!

We have a place for me to share my musings and reflections, a place to share our worship and our announcements, and now we have a place to share the MOST IMPORTANT gift we have - the gift of prayer.

No Church can engage in, or be successful in its life and ministry without balancing and grounding everything in PRAYER.

So, this blog - the little sister of Prairie Preacher and the United Church in the Grey Highlands, will become the Prayer Chapel that will balance, ground, motivate and inspire EVERYTHING else that we do.

Sometimes the best we can do is kneel in prayer and draw into the presence of the Holy ... and too often it is the one thing we fail to do in our busy lives. So now the Meditative Moments will become JUST THAT - a place to pause, pray and meditate in the presence of the Holy ...

Please feel free to join in ... contributions and comments are welcomed ... and prayer requests will not be ignored ...

Peace and Prayers ...

Prayers for today ...

Holy One, with thanks for the gift of today, we lift our hearts in prayer to you remembering our circle of friends and family, our community, our Church and our sisters and brothers who share this world with us.

We pray for those who are ill ... those who are in care homes and care facilities ... those who are at home and who await tests, treatment and results ... hold them in your love and your Shalom and carry them in your strength as they journey the road before them ...

We pray especially this day for your servant D and the transition and changes he is facing ... may your spirit rest with him as he settles in his new home and finds his way in a new place ... may he know our thoughts and care and prayers are with him ... may he know he is not alone ...

Loving God, we pray this day for those who are frightened ... alone ... lonely ... Those who are struggling ... those who linger in the darkness and yearn for light ... those who feel distant and removed from your presence and your love ...

Loving God, hear our prayers that day that we have expressed aloud, and those that linger in our hearts and mind unspoken, but felt ... send your Spirit to move within us and to remove our doubt and hesitation ... take our worries and concerns and in your love answer our prayers and touch our lives and the lives of those we care for and care about ...

Creator God, in your love we pray knowing that you hear us, and you never abandon us ...

AMEN