Image: George Mendoza
Good morning, good God!
This morning, Lord,
we offer you the prayers
groaning deep within our guts,
searching for a voice
searching for a voice
and longing for some words
to help them come to speech…
to help them come to speech…
We offer you the tired prayers
that haunt our hearts and souls
seeking respite in that harbor
where hope drops anchor,
seeking respite in that harbor
where hope drops anchor,
finds a berth
and puts in for the night…
and puts in for the night…
We offer you those prayers
perched on the tips of tongues
but for which we’ve found no words
but for which we’ve found no words
equal to the task
of speaking all our hearts contain
and long to share with you…
And we offer you our prayers, Lord,
the ones that we think foolish,
the pleas that we deem selfish
and the prayers we think too small
– or too large to dare to offer…
the pleas that we deem selfish
and the prayers we think too small
– or too large to dare to offer…
We offer you our secret prayers
embedded long ago, waiting still
to break the silence
that our doubt and fear impose…
embedded long ago, waiting still
to break the silence
that our doubt and fear impose…
We offer you the hushed prayers
that sleep within our souls,
waiting to be wakened
and shouted from our hearts and souls
in hope of reaching yours…
waiting to be wakened
and shouted from our hearts and souls
in hope of reaching yours…
When all we have to say is,
« Lord, we have no words to pray… »
help us trust you welcome such as this
« Lord, we have no words to pray… »
help us trust you welcome such as this
as prayer you take to heart…
Teach our hearts to speak to yours, Lord,
and help our hearts to know,
to grasp and come to understand
what your heart speaks to ours…
Encourage us to pray, Lord,
when we find the words to say
and teach us how to pray
– when we have none…
when we find the words to say
and teach us how to pray
– when we have none…
Amen.
