My good friend (and former VCU IV student) Tim is one of my most frequent commenters/occasional sparring partners here on my blog. He's my vocal Catholic--and I'm grateful for the perspective he brings to these posts.
Last week as I was flailing around about communion, he sent me a great prayer that I've come back to several times over the past several days. It's rich with complexity and simplicity and truth. I thought I'd share it with you...enjoy:
Stay with me Lord, it is necessary to have you present so that I do not forget you. You know how easily I abandon you.
Stay with me Lord, because I am weak and I need your strength that I may not fall so often.
Stay with me Lord, because you are my life, and without I am without fervor.
Stay with me Lord, because you are my light, and without you I am in darkness.
Stay with me Lord to show me your will.
Stay with me Lord so that I hear your voice and follow you.
Stay with me Lord, because I desire to love you very much and be always in your company.
Stay with me Lord, if you wish me to be faithful to you.
Stay with me Lord, as poor as my soul is I wish it to be a place of consolation for you, a nest of love.
Stay with me Jesus, because it is getting late, and the day is coming to a close and life passes. Death, judgment and eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength so that I do not stop along the way, and for that I need you. It is getting late and death approaches. I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. Oh, how I need you, my Jesus, in this night of exile.
Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers I need you.
Let me recognize you as your disciples did in the breaking of the bread, that the Eucharistic communion be the light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.
Stay with me Lord, because at the hour of my death I wish to remain united to you, if not by communion, at least by grace and love.
Stay with me Lord, because it is you alone I look for: your love, your grace, your will, your heart, your spirit, because I love you and ask no other reward but to love you more and more.
With a firm love I will love you with all my heart while on earth, and continue to love you perfectly during all eternity.
Amen.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
No comments:
Post a Comment