April's Prayers















This month my speaking calendar is plump and juicily awaits me like a big, round, red apple. It seems especially enticing after the last few months of being cloistered at my writing desk working on my latest project, God's Girls: 1o Women Who've Encountered Divine Love, How You Can, Too.

Research for the book has taken me on virtual tours second century Palestine, Medieval England, China, and Germany during WW II. As I've figuratively journeyed, I've met faith-filled women ranging from Harriet Tubman to Jullian of Norwich, Xiao Min to Gomer, The Woman of Bleeding to Joan of Arc and Pocahontas. As stimulating, sagacious, even miraculous as these women are; I can't wait too look into the eyes of some living women.
love
With riant expectation, I anticipate sharing stories with these women, hearing their stories, praying, laughing, crying, connecting shoulder to shoulder, soul to soul! As I prepare messages, pack bags, kiss my kids goodbye for a couple rare and glorious weekends, I'm praying two prayers, April's Prayers, which I pray any time I'm called on to speak:
love

THE SARUM PRIMER PRAYER

God be in my head,
love And in my understanding;
God be in my eyes,
love And in my looking;
God be in my mouth,
love And in my speaking;
God be in my heart,
love And in my thinking;
God be at my end,
love And at my departing
love

ANCIENT CELTIC PRAYER
(a paraphrase)

Set us free, O God, to cross barriers for you,
As You crossed barriers for us.
Spirit of God, make us open to others in listening,
Generous to others in giving,
And sensitive to others in praying.

We pray for our ministry; from today and always may we:
Look upon each person we meet with the eyes of Christ;
Speak to each person we meet with the words of Christ;
And go wherever we are led with the peace of Christ.
Amen

February's Prayer

This month's prayer is one of my favorites. It is written by Saitn Francis of Assisi, A Roman Catholic Friar. The Patron Saint of animals, Saint Francis' likeness with bird liting on index finger, is readily and recognizable in gardens and other bucolic settings. Though the church calendar recognizes Saint Francis with a Feast Day in October; I thought his prayer, an homage to LOVE was fitting as February's Prayer!
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I remember singing a version of the Prayer of Saint Francis in mass as a little girl: inscence floating in St. Mary's of Lake Forest smelling almost as good as Jasmine in spring, guitar chords wafting and reverberating 'round vaulted sanctuary ceilings, Mrs. I-Forget-Her-Name's nasal soprano leading the congregation:

Today, as a writer and stay-at-home-mama, I find the prayer: a call, a summoning, a challenge! I'd be delighted if you'd join me in praying:

PRAYER OF SAINT FRANCIS

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy 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;
and where there is sadness, joy.
love
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.


For more on Saint Francis' famous prayer, check out Wikipedia's entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_of_Saint_Francis