One Day at a Time

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lord,

May today there be peace within.

May I trust You that I am exactly where I are meant to be.

Help me not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May I use the gifts that you have given me,

And pass on the love that has been showered upon me.

May I be content knowing that I am a child of God.

May Your presence settle into my bones,

And allow my soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.

Amen

My Own Calcutta

 

 

Today I pray the words of Blessed Mother Teresa:

“Lord,

 I come to you today right  where I am.

This is my own Calcutta.

Lead me to the sick, the suffering and the lonely

right here where I am —

in my own home and in my own family,

in my workplace and in my school.

Open my eyes to see my own Calcutta.

Everywhere, wherever I go,

Help me to see the people who are unwanted, unloved, uncared for,

Those  rejected by society —

Those completely forgotten, completely left alone.”

– Blessed Mother Teresa  (paraphrased)

Experiencing Salvation Each Day

 

Ephesians 2:8-10

 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Gracious God,

Thank you for saving me.

Thank you for delivering me from death, spiritual slavery, bondage to the flesh, and eternal judgment.

Thank you for allowing me to begin to experience salvation in this life,

even as I await the complete salvation that is yet to come.

Thank you for healing my wounds, softening my heart, and reorienting my passions.

Lord, continue your gracious work in me, making me more and more like Christ.

Continue to transform my thinking and feeling, my speaking and acting.

May my life reflect the reality of your salvation each day.

To you be all the glory! 

Amen.

Taken from the Daily Relection by Mark D. Roberts – from “The High Calling”

This Day … Love

Dearest Father,

My rock, my shield, my strength, … my all.

This day I will strive to love You and serve You …

   … with all my heart,

   … with all my mind,

   … with all my soul,

   … with all my strength.

I pray that in my every thought, word and action

 You will see and feel my love for You.

 O Lord, my love is still so small

compared to Your tremendous love for me.

Yet, Lord, I hear You calling me to love completely.

I answer Your call, Lord.

Today … love.

Amen

Walk with Me

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) was born of Jewish parents  in Breslau, Germany in 1891.

Following the WWI she earned her doctorate in philosophy from the University of Freiburg.

Edith was searching for the truth and found it in the Catholic Church. She was baptized in the Church on New Years’ Day, 1922.

She entered the Discalced Carmelie Nuns’ cloistered community in 1933 and made her profession of vows at the age of 43, taking the name Sister Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.

On August 2, 1942, Edith was taken from her monastery and transported by cattle train to the death camp of Auschwitz. She died in the gas chambers at Auschwitz and was cremated at the age of 51 on August 9, 1942. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II at Cologne on May 1, 1987, and canonized in Rome twelve years later.

Today, on the anniversary of her death, I pray her prayer:

“O my God, 

fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve You.

Enkindle Your love in me

and then walk with me

along the next stretch of road before me.

I do not see very far ahead,

but when I have arrived

where the horizon now closes down,

a new prospect will open before me,

and I shall meet it with peace.”

Amen

“To Praise, To Bless, To Preach”

“To praise, to bless, to preach”  

—  the motto of the Dominican Order founded by St. Dominic.

In elementary school I was taught by Dominican sisters and I am thankful today for the faith foundation that I have that came through their ministry.

 In honor of  St. Dominic,  today, on his feast day, I pray one of his own prayers:

May God the Father who made us bless us.

May God the Son send his healing among us.

May God the Holy Spirit move within us and

give us eyes to see with, 

ears to hear with, 

and hands that your work might be done.

May we walk and preach the word of God to all.

May the angel of peace watch over us and

lead us at last by God’s grace to the Kingdom.

Amen.

Turning Toward Your Light

 

 

Dearest Father,

Be my light this day.

Shine down into my heart

And show me the path you have placed before me.

May my life be like the sunflower’s

As it keeps its face toward the sun even as the earth turns.

May my eyes, my hands, my words, … my total being

Stay focused on Your light each moment of this day.

And may my life bring Your light to those I meet.

I turn to You now as I start this day.

May You find me facing You still at the end of the day.

Amen

 

Today’s Blessing via Facebook

May the Strength of God pilot us. 
May the Power of God preserve us.
May the Wisdom of God instruct us.
May the Hand of God protect us.
May the Way of God direct us.
May the Shield of God defend us.
May the Host of God guard us.
Against the snares of the evil ones.
Against temptations of the world 

May Christ be with us!
May Christ be before us!
May Christ be in us,
Christ be over all!
May Thy Salvation, Lord,
Always be ours,
This day, O Lord, and evermore. Amen.

Prayer of St. Hilda of Whitby

 

The ruins of Whitby Abbey, founded by St. Hilda, a “double monastery” with women and men. Hilda made the abbey into a center of learning; kings and commoners alike visited her to get advice and spiritual wisdom.

Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. Psalm 43:3

Another gift from Bob Hostetler’s Prayer Blog (5/22/12):

 

May I be equal to Your hope of me. 
If I am weak,
I ask that You send only what I can bear. 
If I am strong,
may I shrink from no testing 
that shall yield increase of strength 
or win security for my spirit.
I trust in Thee, O Lord.
I say, ‘ Thou art my God.’ 
My times are in Thy hand, 
my times are in Thy hand.

St. Hilda

Wide Open Day

May today there be peace within. 

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. 

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. 

May you use those gifts that you have received,

and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God. 

May His presence settle into your bones,

and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love. 

It is there for each and every one of us.

From St. Therese of Liseuex