Daily Prayer

a call to world peace

Lord Jesus Christ,
who are called the Prince of Peace,
who are yourself our peace and reconciliation,
who so often said, "Peace to you," grant us peace.
Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love.

Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace.

Enlighten our rulers that they may guarantee and defend the gift of peace.

May all peoples on the earth become as brothers and sisters.

May longed for peace blossom forth and reign always over us all.

Amen

- Pope John Paul II

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a call to resist narcissism

Dear Lord,

Narcissism calls to me every day. It tells me ...

... how it is all about me and my life ...

... other people are less important than me ...

... that my needs and wants are great than others.

I present myself to you Holy Spirit and ask that you might ...

... make me self-aware and sorry for my self centeredness ...

... help me to become other-centered ...

... bless me with a heart to encourage and serve.

In the name of our Servant King I pray.

Amen

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a call to trust

Help us Lord to trust that you are ...

... with us when things are really bad ...

... leading us when life is so confusing ...

... healing us when we are sick in body ...

... loving us when we have acted so poorly ...

... forgiving us when we have sinned so badly.

At all times and in all ways ...

... we thank you for the grace you have given to us ...

... we praise you for saving us and living in us ...

... we offer ourselves to you and your purposes.

Amen

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a call to a new vision

We pray for the power to be gentle;
the strength to be forgiving;
the patience to be understanding;
and the endurance to accept the consequences
of holding on to what we believe to be right.

May we put our trust in the power of good to overcome evil
and the power of love to overcome hatred.

We pray for the vision to see and the faith to believe
in a world emancipated from violence,
a new world where fear shall no longer lead people to commit injustice,
nor selfishness make them bring suffering to others.

Help us to devote our whole life and thought and energy
to the task of making peace,
praying always for the inspiration and the power
to fulfill the destiny for which we and all men and women were created.

Amen.

- Author Unknown

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Pull away

There are times when we must simply pull away from the world and PRAY.

There are times that we must go into a quiet place, shut the door, and fall to our faces in DEEP and FERVENT prayer.

There are times that we need to get alone with Jesus and simply cry out to Him. Pouring out all that is within and then positioning ourselves to be able to hear…

PRAYER is the key to spiritual intimacy with the LORD.

Pull away… and PRAY.

Amen

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A Prayer for Reconciliation

Where there is separation,

there is pain.

And where there is pain, there is story.

And where there is story,

there is understanding

and misunderstanding,

listening

and not listening.

May we --

separated people, estranged strangers,

unfriended families, divided community

-- turn toward each other,

and turn toward our stories,

with understanding

and listening,

with argument and acceptance,

with challenge, change

and consolation.

Because if God is to be found,

God will be found in the space

between.

Amen

from Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community

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a call to inner peace

Loving God,

Please grant me peace of mind and calm my troubled heart.

My soul is like a turbulent sea.

I can't seem to find my balance so I stumble and worry constantly.

Give me the strength and clarity of mind to find my purpose.

Help me to walk the path you've laid out for me.

I trust your Love God, and know that you will heal this stress.

Just as the sun rises each day against the dark of night.

Please bring me clarity with the light of God.

In your name I pray,

Amen

- Author Unknown

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a call to new life

Creator God,

We are in awe of your creation.

Open our eyes that we might see ourselves as your creations.

Help us to yield ourselves to your Spirit.

We ask for a transformation from above.

Help us to answer your call to a new life based in your love.

In all ways, bless us to live as citizens of heaven.

Amen

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a call to mercy

Merciful Lord, it does not surprise me that you forget completely the sins of those who repent.

I am not surprised that you remain faithful to those who hate and revile you.

The mercy which pours forth from you fills the whole world.

It was by your mercy that we were created, and by your mercy that you redeemed us by sending your Son.

Your mercy is the light in which sinners find you and good people come back to you.

Your mercy is everywhere, even in the depths of hell where you offer to forgive the tortured souls.

Your justice is constantly tempered with mercy, so you refuse to punish us as we deserve.

O mad Lover!

It was not enough for you to take on our humanity; you had to die for us as well.

Amen.

- Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)

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a call to humility

Lord Jesus, when you walked the earth,

Your humility obscured your Kingship.
Your meekness confused the arrogant,

Hindering them from grasping your purpose,
Your nobleness attending to the destitute.

Teach me to model after your eminence,
To subject my human nature to humility.

Grant me with a natural inclination
To never view myself greater than anyone.

Banish all lingering sparks of self-importance
That could elevate me greater than you.

Let my heart always imitate your humility.

Amen

- Author Unknown

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a call to praise

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

praise Him in the heights!

Praise Him, all His angels;

praise Him, all His hosts!

Praise Him, sun and moon,

praise Him, all you shining stars!

Praise Him, you highest heavens,

and you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the Lord!

For He commanded and they were created.

And He established them forever and ever;

He gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

Praise the Lord from the earth,

you great sea creatures and all deeps,

fire and hail, snow and mist,

stormy wind fulfilling His word!

Mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars!

Beasts and all livestock,

creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples,

princes and all rulers of the earth!

Young men and maidens together,

old men and children!

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for His name alone is exalted;

His majesty is above earth and heaven.

He has raised up a horn for His people,

praise for all His saints,

for the people of Israel who are near to Him.

Praise the Lord!

-Psalm 148

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I said to myself, “I will watch what I do
    and not sin in what I say.
I will hold my tongue
    when the ungodly are around me.”
But as I stood there in silence—
    not even speaking of good things—
    the turmoil within me grew worse.
The more I thought about it,
    the hotter I got,
    igniting a fire of words:
“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.” Interlude
We are merely moving shadows,
    and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth,
    not knowing who will spend it.
And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
    My only hope is in you.
Rescue me from my rebellion.
    Do not let fools mock me.
I am silent before you; I won’t say a word,
    for my punishment is from you.
But please stop striking me!
    I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.
When you discipline us for our sins,
    you consume like a moth what is precious to us.
    Each of us is but a breath. Interlude
Hear my prayer, O Lord!
    Listen to my cries for help!
    Don’t ignore my tears.
For I am your guest—
    a traveler passing through,
    as my ancestors were before me.
Leave me alone so I can smile again

Amen

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an uncomfortable blessing

May God bless you with discomfort…
Discomfort at easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships,
Discomfort, so that you will live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger…
Anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
Anger, so that you will work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears…
Tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, starvation and war,
Tears, so that you will reach out to comfort them
And turn their pain into joy.

And, may God bless you with foolishness…
Foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world,
Foolishness, so that you will do what others claim cannot be done.

Amen

-A Fransciscan Blessing

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to be a vessel of love

Today, O God of all days, give me an experience of your heart.

Draw me deep into your very being,
into the core of your love for me, others, and the world.

Give me a glimpse of others the way you see them.

Help me to see the ways that you love them, forgive them and delight in them as they give glory to you through their very existence.

Help me to discern out of that open place of deep affection
so that I too might be a useful vessel of your love in the world.

Amen

- Author Unknown

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