THIS IS MY PRAYER

I listen

To these men

And women

 

They remind me

To honor them

 

One

Has not received

His Gold Card

How many others?

 

Another: damage

To his computer

This is important.

 

And this one –

Trying

To get food stamps

Why is it so hard?

 

My brother

Seems angry

Wants to help

The poor and forgotten

 

My sister

Expresses concern

About exploitation

 

Holy one – MERCY

Hear our prayer

Bring peace  

 

4/29/2010 

THIS IS MY PRAYER

I met with a couple

yesterday

he said he is homeless

and his wife

is mentally ill

 

god

you had no place to lay your head

do you remember

 

who cares for these

the vulnerable

who care for each other

with so few resources

 

a husband who has no place of his own

no place for the one he loves

no way to provide

and a wife

who loves and depends on this man

and

to the stranger looking in

would seem to have so little

to give back

 

but you

take and multiply

and give back

 

do so

for these two

for all your children

 

remember

when you wore

flesh

 

hear our prayer

Remind me to say thank you

Smell the Jasmine

Spring

Warm days

Still some coolness in the night

 

Listen to the mockingbird

Calling

Inviting

I always think the mocker is calling us

To leave town and return to our place of

Vacation and rest

 

Maybe

 

Rest here

Stop

Smell the scent of flowers

And grass and garden in the air

Listen to the birds

Remember

 

We saw a summer tanager the other day

The hooded warbler keeps coming back

Along with the martins and doves

Jays and cardinals, sparrows

Grackles

Even the starlings and cowbirds

Offering their voices

 

Reminding me to say

Thank you

Again

For you, for us

For this day

 

The prayers that appear on the pages of this blog:

Each week I have the privilege of being a chaplain with the homeless of Houston.  These men and women are so gracious.  I am honored.  In the pages of this blog I write thoughts and prayers that arise from these encounters, sometimes in response to individuals and sometimes catching the essence of multiple encounters. 

 

I believe there is one who is greater than all of us.  This one shows up in these men and women on the street, at outreach, breakfast, in the medical clinic.  This one reminds me that showing up, being with, may be the most important thing I ever do.

 

I get it.  And I don’t.  I am grateful for continued days to learn to be, to listen.  I will continue to learn to “get it.”

 

And I count on this one who has promised to keep “showing up” with me.

THIS IS MY PRAYER

Who am I

Lord

To think

I know when

Another is

Grandiose

Delusional

Or based in reality

 

And whose

Reality

Mine

Theirs

Yours

 

I am

Reminded

That we need

All of us

Everyone

Need

Someone to listen

To abide

To be with

 

Allow me to

Be with

As you are

With me

 

Grant it

Please

                                                                                                4/22/2010

THIS IS MY PRAYER

For job

For work

For income

 

Gracious one

You have promised

 To supply

Our need

 

Today

I listened to a man

One of yours

Concerned about

Unemployment

Income

 

“What does this

Look like?

Do you think

They will

Give it to me?”

 

 

The birds of

The air

The lilies

Are so

Well arrayed

 

Remember us

Also

In our time of need

                                    

                                                                                          4/22/2010                             For F

THIS IS MY PRAYER

‘I

I am angry

America is

Angry

 

It must STOP

And I will

Be in the middle’

 

Holy One

God of all mercy

Thou who art

Just

Help us to know

Your way

Your heart

When to fight

And when to stop

Fighting

 

You have said

There is a time

For everything

 

Teach us the ways of

Justice and mercy

 

Righteousness and peace

Have kissed

 

When do we beat our

Swords into

Plowshares

      4/22/2010     For TW

THIS IS MY PRAYER

Stalled

I know sometimes

I make excuses

 

Missed my appointment

I know I need to

Take care of myself

 

But I am

Confident

In what

My Father

Has said

 

Loving and

Compassionate

God

 

None of us

Know

Without you

 

Teach us

To listen

To see

To love

One another

To love you

 

You are greater

Than all we know

Give us grace

To not know

 

4/15/2010                                                     For TW

THIS IS MY PRAYER

 

Today

You came

And I listened

 

I said

I would pray

For you

 

Is that what you want?

 

Crack is easier

And harder

 

To drink

Until it all gets foggy

 

What do you want?

 

Thou who art

And who art

Goodness

Come

 

Meet me

And these

Here

In this

Our place of

Need

It is the only place

 

Have mercy

Kyrie eleison

THIS IS MY PRAYER

I know I am

Dragging

Feeling down

 

The day feels heavy

My leg feels

Heavy

 

Tomorrow

I go to clinic

 

I don’t know

 

This cyst

This life

Is it Lymphoma?

 

It is hard

To not know

 

It seems easier

To worry about her

About them

 

On the street

Doing what they do

No safe place

To be

 

No safe place

For me

 

FATHER

Hear me