Becoming Who You Are by James Martin, SJ which deals with the work of Thomas Merton and the concept of the True Self; it's a short book, but a good one if you're into the more psychological side of spiritual growth....
....and The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. I am enthralled, I am captivated----I am halfway through the book. I barely managed to put it down to come check something on the computer (and post this review). It's a glorious exposition of grace and the nature of a truly loving God.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Novena, part deux
Day Six: January 17
For all those who cover not only the inauguration but the government for radio, television, newspaper, blogs: may each media member strive to report fairly, to emphasize the positive while neither hiding the negative nor particularly seeking out the negative for sensationalism and scandalmongering. May they seek the truth, and to educate the people to the truth, while providing honest hope where it is to be found. May they take the time to find and to remind us about what is right in our country and among our people with even half the energy they expend to spread despair and panic with Chicken Little-ism. May they resist the corporate conglomerates' attempts to bias the news in any way; may they be open to God's call as a prophet to our society.
Lord, Hear Our Prayer.
Day Seven: January 18
For those who serve their country in the military: May they feel your presence, Lord, and receive strength from you to do what they have to do. May they also feel the loving arms of your Mother, Mary, and remember always that force is something thatshould be applied only in time of true need and no more than necessary. Let them be gentle when they can, and see you in the people they help.
For those who make the decisions about the military: Let them remember that our young men and young women are a precious resource, not to be squandered without need; let them remember also that the use of military force is meant to be a last resort, never a "just because we can." Let them see us as others see us occasionally, and remind them that what they hold is not just power, but vast responsibility. Let your hand be on their shoulders and your voice in their ears when they make such decisions.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
Day Eight: January 19
For the family of our new president:
All the assorted relatives by blood and by marriage. May they find it a blessing rather than a curse in their lives. May they find a ministry in being supportive of the First Family, and may they find you a source of all strength in resisting those who would nudge them into exploiting their connections. May they draw closer to each other in your love.
For Michelle, Malia and Sasha: give them the strength to deal with the restrictions on their lives, the regimentation, the mass of people who so often stand between them and the husband and father they love. Let them draw closer together and cherish the time that they are all together as a family. Let them find you in the dark moments and the bright moments, and know that their Heavenly Father holds them all in his hands.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
Day Nine: January 20
For our new President, Barack:
Lord, be with him always. The weight on his shoulders is more than a man can take; he needs you to carry much of that burden.
Give him all the gifts of your Holy Spirit:
Knowledge: for the job that he has been given requires that he knows much and learns far more. He must also know what he does not know, that he may find advisors to help him.
Understanding: for to know is not enough; he must understand the meaning of what he knows. He must comprehend what his advisors tell him.
Judgment: for he must take all that he knows and all that he is given and discern what is true, what is good, what is valuable. And he must be able to judge who is the best advisor in any situation.
Wisdom: for everything above is meaningless without wisdom to pull it together; wisdom to find what out of an overwhelming flood of information is truly important.
Courage: not only physical courage, for the job is dangerous no matter how many try to protect him, but intellectual courage, to be able to reject the "nice-sounding" solution that does not stand up to logic, and even harder, moral courage, that rejects the easy or convenient and holds out for the right, though all around him fight against it.
Piety: let him return the thanks and obedience to you which is your due, and let him remember that you are always watching what he does, for good or ill.
Fear (Awe) of the Lord: let him realize that this is his Sanity Clause: for he will spend the next years surrounded by those who will flatter him that he is the most powerful man on earth, that he holds the power of a god, that he *is* a god. Let him remember always that you are to him as he is to a single ant. Sustain his understanding of his place in the universe and his sense of balance. Protect him from the terrible temptations of ego that go with this job.
Love him, Lord Jesus. He needs to feel your love.
Comfort him, Blessed Mother. He needs your consolation.
Strengthen him, Breath of God. For the strength that he needs far exceeds the strength of the natural man.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
For all those who cover not only the inauguration but the government for radio, television, newspaper, blogs: may each media member strive to report fairly, to emphasize the positive while neither hiding the negative nor particularly seeking out the negative for sensationalism and scandalmongering. May they seek the truth, and to educate the people to the truth, while providing honest hope where it is to be found. May they take the time to find and to remind us about what is right in our country and among our people with even half the energy they expend to spread despair and panic with Chicken Little-ism. May they resist the corporate conglomerates' attempts to bias the news in any way; may they be open to God's call as a prophet to our society.
Lord, Hear Our Prayer.
Day Seven: January 18
For those who serve their country in the military: May they feel your presence, Lord, and receive strength from you to do what they have to do. May they also feel the loving arms of your Mother, Mary, and remember always that force is something thatshould be applied only in time of true need and no more than necessary. Let them be gentle when they can, and see you in the people they help.
For those who make the decisions about the military: Let them remember that our young men and young women are a precious resource, not to be squandered without need; let them remember also that the use of military force is meant to be a last resort, never a "just because we can." Let them see us as others see us occasionally, and remind them that what they hold is not just power, but vast responsibility. Let your hand be on their shoulders and your voice in their ears when they make such decisions.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
Day Eight: January 19
For the family of our new president:
All the assorted relatives by blood and by marriage. May they find it a blessing rather than a curse in their lives. May they find a ministry in being supportive of the First Family, and may they find you a source of all strength in resisting those who would nudge them into exploiting their connections. May they draw closer to each other in your love.
For Michelle, Malia and Sasha: give them the strength to deal with the restrictions on their lives, the regimentation, the mass of people who so often stand between them and the husband and father they love. Let them draw closer together and cherish the time that they are all together as a family. Let them find you in the dark moments and the bright moments, and know that their Heavenly Father holds them all in his hands.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
Day Nine: January 20
For our new President, Barack:
Lord, be with him always. The weight on his shoulders is more than a man can take; he needs you to carry much of that burden.
Give him all the gifts of your Holy Spirit:
Knowledge: for the job that he has been given requires that he knows much and learns far more. He must also know what he does not know, that he may find advisors to help him.
Understanding: for to know is not enough; he must understand the meaning of what he knows. He must comprehend what his advisors tell him.
Judgment: for he must take all that he knows and all that he is given and discern what is true, what is good, what is valuable. And he must be able to judge who is the best advisor in any situation.
Wisdom: for everything above is meaningless without wisdom to pull it together; wisdom to find what out of an overwhelming flood of information is truly important.
Courage: not only physical courage, for the job is dangerous no matter how many try to protect him, but intellectual courage, to be able to reject the "nice-sounding" solution that does not stand up to logic, and even harder, moral courage, that rejects the easy or convenient and holds out for the right, though all around him fight against it.
Piety: let him return the thanks and obedience to you which is your due, and let him remember that you are always watching what he does, for good or ill.
Fear (Awe) of the Lord: let him realize that this is his Sanity Clause: for he will spend the next years surrounded by those who will flatter him that he is the most powerful man on earth, that he holds the power of a god, that he *is* a god. Let him remember always that you are to him as he is to a single ant. Sustain his understanding of his place in the universe and his sense of balance. Protect him from the terrible temptations of ego that go with this job.
Love him, Lord Jesus. He needs to feel your love.
Comfort him, Blessed Mother. He needs your consolation.
Strengthen him, Breath of God. For the strength that he needs far exceeds the strength of the natural man.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Novena for the New President (part one)
Originally (and still) posted in my other blog, I'm copying it here as this seems the more appropriate site:
Day One: The Novena for the New President
Today, January 12, Day One.
That all those who participate in decisions about our economic future understand that at this time, even more than at other times, what counts is what is best for ALL of us----it is the common American who is far more vulnerable in tough times than the powerful, and it is the common American, not the wealthy lobbyist, that our representatives are elected to consider and protect. Let them be aware of the magnitude of their responsibility, and alive to it.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Day Two: January 13
That those whose mission it is to protect the President and his family may know God, and find strength in God. For the long hours and difficult assignments; for the strains that mission cause with friends and family; to face the dangers that they must face every day. May they know Your strength and support in their lives, and may they feel the loving arms of Mother Mary consoling them when the nights are especially long cold and dark.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
Day Three: January 14
For the "keepers" and "minders" whose job it is to schedule the President and his family: may they find peace in the midst of chaos, serenity in the height of pressure. May they find time for God in their day, and may they be open to His direction in maintaining balance. May they feel called to make sure that the President hears always from more than the rich and the powerful, from more than the sycophant and supplicant. May they find the time and means to schedule the prophets and poets as well as the boon-seekers and the powerbrokers.
Lord, hear our Prayer.
Day Four: January 15
For all those who will be appointed to positions, whether in the Cabinet, or the Judiciary, or at lower levels in various agencies: may God's hand be in the choosing, and in the approving, and in the hearts of those appointed. May they understand well the arena in which they work; may they seek to understand it better; may their attention and intention be focused on the work that needs to be done rather than political expediency, favors, or building a lucrative personal future. May they attain wisdom and balance, and hear when God speaks to them.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
Day Five: January 16
For all those whose work in government does not depend on who's in office, or on being appointed: May those who labor in the civil service never forget the meaning of the word service. Not that they should deal with individuals in a servile fashion, but that they remember that it is their country that they serve, and that to do so is a privilege which must not be abused. May they see Jesus in each of the citizens they interact with each day, and be moved to a gentle touch even when the message they must convey seems harsh.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
Day One: The Novena for the New President
Today, January 12, Day One.
That all those who participate in decisions about our economic future understand that at this time, even more than at other times, what counts is what is best for ALL of us----it is the common American who is far more vulnerable in tough times than the powerful, and it is the common American, not the wealthy lobbyist, that our representatives are elected to consider and protect. Let them be aware of the magnitude of their responsibility, and alive to it.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Day Two: January 13
That those whose mission it is to protect the President and his family may know God, and find strength in God. For the long hours and difficult assignments; for the strains that mission cause with friends and family; to face the dangers that they must face every day. May they know Your strength and support in their lives, and may they feel the loving arms of Mother Mary consoling them when the nights are especially long cold and dark.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
Day Three: January 14
For the "keepers" and "minders" whose job it is to schedule the President and his family: may they find peace in the midst of chaos, serenity in the height of pressure. May they find time for God in their day, and may they be open to His direction in maintaining balance. May they feel called to make sure that the President hears always from more than the rich and the powerful, from more than the sycophant and supplicant. May they find the time and means to schedule the prophets and poets as well as the boon-seekers and the powerbrokers.
Lord, hear our Prayer.
Day Four: January 15
For all those who will be appointed to positions, whether in the Cabinet, or the Judiciary, or at lower levels in various agencies: may God's hand be in the choosing, and in the approving, and in the hearts of those appointed. May they understand well the arena in which they work; may they seek to understand it better; may their attention and intention be focused on the work that needs to be done rather than political expediency, favors, or building a lucrative personal future. May they attain wisdom and balance, and hear when God speaks to them.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
Day Five: January 16
For all those whose work in government does not depend on who's in office, or on being appointed: May those who labor in the civil service never forget the meaning of the word service. Not that they should deal with individuals in a servile fashion, but that they remember that it is their country that they serve, and that to do so is a privilege which must not be abused. May they see Jesus in each of the citizens they interact with each day, and be moved to a gentle touch even when the message they must convey seems harsh.
Lord, Hear our Prayer.
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