A Hymn to God t…

John Donne, by Isaac Oliver (died 1622). National Portrait Gallery, London  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A Hymn to God the Father

Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,
Which was my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run,
And do run still, though still I do deplore?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done,
For I have more.

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have won
Others to sin, and made my sin their door?
Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun
A year or two, but wallow’d in, a score?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done,
For I have more.

I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun
My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;
But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son
Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;
And, having done that, thou hast done;
I fear no more.

by John Donne, the English poet, satirist, lawyer and priest

A BIRTHDAY PRAY…

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A BIRTHDAY PRAYER

O God, I thank You for giving me another year of life.
I thank You for all the people who have remembered me today, and who have sent me cards and letters, good wishes and presents.
I thank You for everything which I have been abled by You to do and to be in the past year.
I thank You for all the experiences of the past year;
For times of success which will always be happy memories;
For times of failure which reminded me of my own weakness and of my need of You;
For times of joy when the sun was shining;
For times of sorrow which drove me to You.
Forgive me
For the hours I have wasted;
For the chances I failed to take;
For the opportunities I missed in the past year.
Forgive me for not making of life all that I might have made of it and could have made of it; and help me in the days which lie ahead to make this the best year yet, and in it to bring credit to myself, happiness to my loved ones, and joy to You.
This I ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

– From Prayers for Special Occasions, Fr William Barclay

PRAYER TO ST PE…

PRAYER TO ST PEREGRINE*

“O glorious St Peregrine, apostle of Our Lady of Sorrows, you who had such great faith that she obtained for you all that you asked of God, you who were so profoundly humble that until commanded by your superiors refused Holy Orders, you whose patience was so perfect, that when you begged Jesus Crucified the cure of cancer, your cancer, you asked that the suffering remain; through the ineffable joys that you now experience as a reward for your virtue and your submission to the will of God, imprint deep in our hearts and souls these same dispositions of faith, humility and submission to the Divine Will, so that we may obtain from the omnipotent God the favours we ask.

(pause here and silently recall the favours you are asking through the intercession of St Peregrine)

To whom shall we go if not to you, who bore in your own flesh this disease, you who were cured by Our Lord himself? The example of your life and your virtue will lead us to Our Lady, who is our life, our sweetness and our hope, and thus we shall obtain all we ask, through Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”
* the patron saint of the Catholic church for cancer victims

[from a booklet published in 1954 in honour of the Septenary of the saint bearing the Imprimatur of the Archbishop of Chicago]

 

 

Interior of Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica & National Shrine, Chicago, Illinois. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

IN PRAYER

A light in the dark. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Don’t let my light go out.

That plea haunting at night

When she felt her prana slack, her chi fade

When alone with no one about

 

Don’t let my light go out:

She whispered in the dark

Examined the babble of scribes

The words she now began to doubt

 

Don’t let my light go out!

Not now, not with a life half-lived

Her life-force as yet unspent;

Angry at last she began to shout

 

Curses at the images

 

©Millicent Danker

3 August 2013

ASK AND YOU SHA…

Bread (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE

And Jesus said to his disciples, “Suppose one of you should go to a friend’s house at midnight and say, ‘Friend, let me borrow three loaves of bread. A friend of mine who is on a trip has just come to my house and I don’t have any food for him!’. And suppose your friend should answer from inside, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’

“Well, what then? I tell you that even if he will not get up and give you the bread because you are his friend, yet he will get up and give you everything you need because you are not ashamed to keep on asking.

“And so I say to you: Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For those who ask will receive, and those who seek will find and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks.

“Would any of you who are fathers give your son a snake when he asks for fish? Or would you give him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? As bad as you are, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more, then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
– The Gospel of Luke, 11:5-13
(Good News Bible)

RIGHT WITH GOD…

St. Paul’s, London. One of Sir Christopher Wren’s Masterpieces. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RIGHT WITH GOD
“Now that we have been put right with God through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He has brought us by faith into this experience of God’s grace, in which we now live. And so we boast of the hope we have of sharing God’s glory! We also boast of our troubles, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance brings God’s approval, and his approval creates hope. This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God’s gift to us.”
– Paul’s Letter to the Romans 5: 1-5
(Good News Bible)

A THING OF FAITH

The Hajj (Photo credit: Al Jazeera English)

That elusive thing keeping us going
That lubricator of motivation
That gives life its meaning
That precious ingredient amply
Bestowed on some, and not all
That seed needing nurturing
To produce belief in the greater god;
The feeling that no matter how
Bad a life, its maker understands
Forgives and loves:
That balm of peace.
That ointment of comfort.
That destroyer of fear.
That redeeming grace.

©Millicent Danker
24 July 2013

A PRAYER FOR HE…

Lords Prayer in Aramaic(Syriac) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A PRAYER FOR HEALING

“Lord, look upon me with eyes of mercy. May your healing hand rest upon me. May your lifegiving powers flow into every cell of my body and into the depths of my soul, cleansing, purifying, restoring me to wholeness and strength for service in your Kingdom. Amen.”
– Catholic Online

REFLECTIONS ON …

Albrecht Dürer, Study of Praying Hands, 1508 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

REFLECTIONS ON GRATITUDE

“Then Jesus took the loaves and gave thanks to God and passed them out to the people.” (John 6:11)

“No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

“Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” (Hebrews 13:15)

“Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6,7)

“Don’t be weary in prayer, keep at it. Watch for God’s answers and remember to be thankful when they come.” (Colossians 4:2)

“Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me.'” (John: 11:41)

“Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever and forever, praising your greatness from generation to generation.” (Psalm 79:13)

“And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evensong.” (1 Chronicles 23:30)

“We are praying that you will be … always thankful to the Father who has made us fit to share all the wonderful things that belong to those who live in the kingdom of light.” (Paul writing to the church – Colossians 1: 11,12)

“Thank the Lord for all the glorious things he does; proclaim them to the nations.” (Psalm 105:1)

“The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice to give praise and thanks to the Lord.” (II Chronicles 5:13)

“Always give thanks to our God and father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20)

“I will give you thanks in the great assembly: among throngs of people I will praise you.” (Psalm 26:18)

“Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done.” (Colossians 2:7)

15 July 2013

LOVING YOU

 Cottage Garden with Summer Flowers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thank you O my God for colours

Thank you for the eyes that see them

For the hands that can make them

For the breeze that touches my ears that feel

For the light which removes the shadows from my heart

For the heat of your sun radiating my face

For the energy of my walk

And for the quiet moments.

© Millicent Danker

6 July 2013