Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 5/19

May 19, 1973

Fifty years ago today, May 19, 1973, I was ordained a priest by Cardinal Humberto Medeiros. There’s no other way I would rather have spent my life than serving in this ministry! I wrote today’s Pause for Prayer 14 years ago, not as a statement about who should be ordained but simply as a prayer for those who have been ordained. I’d be grateful if you’d pray these words with me, for me, for my classmates and for all priests, especially those who have served you…

A Prayer for Priests

Gracious God, loving Father,
font of every gift and good,
make of priests for us, we pray:

   men of faith, men of love,

   humble servants of your Word,

   prophets of your Spirit’s grace…

   men of hope, men of peace,

   strong defenders of the truth,

   heralds of your gospel’s joy…

   men of prayer, men of praise,

    stewards of our sacred rites,

    the scriptures and tradition…

men of changelessness and change,

dreaming of what yet might be,

following where your Spirit leads…

   men of strength and tenderness,

   comfort for the sick and weary,

   shepherds leading home the lost…

men of wisdom, men of counsel,

lights along the darkened path,

teaching by their words and deeds…

   men of mercy, kind and patient,

   understanding and consoling

   of the grieving and abused…

   men of justice and compassion,

   reconciling and forgiving,

    offering healing in your name…

men of sacrifice and honor,

set apart to do your will,

single minded in your service…

   men of holiness and joy,

    anointed by your grace

    and ordained to humbly serve…

Make them one with us in faith, O God

in your Spirit’s sweet communion

and in Jesus, your Beloved,

in whose holy name we pray…

Amen.

Will you let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant too.

We are
pilgrims on the journey
We are travelers on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

I will hold
the Christ-light for you
In the nighttime of your fear
I will hold my hand out to you
Speak the peace you long to hear.

I will weep
when you are weeping
When you laugh, I’ll laugh with you
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we’ve seen this journey through.

When we sing
to God in heaven
We shall find such harmony
Born to all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony.

Will you let
me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant too.

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