The Valley of Vision

The following prayer is taken from the book The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett

The Valley of Vision

Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision, 
    where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights; 
    hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory. 
Let me learn by paradox 
   that the way down is the way up, 
   that to be low is to be high,
   that the broken heart is the healed heart,
   that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
   that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
   that to have nothing is to possess all, 
   that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, 
   that to give is to receive, 
   that the valley is the place of vision. 
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
   and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;
Let me find Thy light in my darkness, 
   Thy life in my death, 
   Thy joy in my sorrow, 
   Thy grace in my sin,
   Thy riches in my poverty, 
   Thy glory in my valley.

A Prayer of Surrender

“Father, I abandon myself into your hands.
Do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I will thank you.
I am ready for all; I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me, as in all your creatures.
And I’ll ask nothing else, my Lord.” ~ ~ ~ Charles de Foucauld

A Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas

"O Lord my God,

bestow upon me understanding to know You, 

zeal to seek You, 

wisdom to find You, 

a life that is pleasing to You, 

unshakable perseverance, 

and a hope that will one day take hold of You." ~ ~ ~ St. Thomas Aquinas

Columbanus wrote . . .

Irish monk Columbanus wrote, “Blessed is the time of waiting, when we stay awake for the Lord, the Creator of the universe, who fills all things and transcends all things. How I wish he would awaken me, his humble servant, from the sleep of slothfulness, even though I am of little worth. How I wish he would enkindle me with that fire of divine love. The flames of his love burn beyond the stars; the longing for his overwhelming delights and the divine fire ever burns within me!” - from Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals

True Repentance

True repentance isn't hanging on to one's present way of life and the world with one hand and reaching toward God with the other; it is letting go of the world and that way of life that one may fully and completely embrace God only. This type of repentance isn't a one-time act, but a daily, continual, deliberate, and life-long practice.

What is Prayer?

What is a Monk?

"A monk is he who directs his gaze towards God alone, and who, being at peace with God, becomes a source of peace for others." -  St. Theodore the Studite

The Purpose of Prayer

I took the liberty and combined four consecutive tweets (from Twitter) from Brian Zahnd on the subject of prayer. It reads as follows:

“We are endlessly tempted to place prayer in the uniquely modern category of self-help. But true prayer is no such thing. Prayer is not a ‘technique‘ for making our lives ‘better‘ as understood by the assumed cultural values of consumerist America. As long as we control the agenda, prayer will be seen as a means of manipulating omnipotence—which is a fair description of idolatry. The primary purpose of prayer is not to get God to do what we think God ought to do, but to be properly formed.” ~ ~ ~ Brian Zahnd

Offertory Prayer for Pentecost Sunday

Lord,

on this Pentecost Sunday,

      we celebrate the Gift of Your Spirit.

Immerse us once again in Your River of Living Water.

Like a Might Wind, blow afresh in our lives.

Send the Fire of Your Holy Spirit

      and rekindle our zeal for You.

Now as we bring our gifts and offerings,

      may we always be reminded to offer to You

           the first and finest,

           the choicest things of our lives

           and not merely the leftovers.

Receive, bless, and multiple our gifts

      that others here and abroad

           may hear of Your great love.

We ask this in the name of Jesus,

      our Baptizer in the Holy Spirit. Amen

A Prayer from Saint Augustine

Breathe in me O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen.
~ ~ ~ Saint Augustine

A Truthful Life

"Help me, Lord, to live a truthful life,

a life in which I am guided

not by popularity, public opinion,

current fashion, or convenient formulations,

but by a knowledge that comes from knowing you."

~ ~ ~ Henri Nouwen, Show Me The Way

A Prayer of Abandonment

Father,

I abandon myself into your hands;

do with me what you will.

Whatever you may do, I thank you;

I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me,

and in all your creatures.

I wish no more than this,

O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul;

I offer it to you with all the love

of my heart,

for I love you, Lord,

and so need to give myself,

to surrender myself into your hands,

without reserve

and with boundless confidence.

For you are my Father.

- Charles de Foucald