At
Tara today in this fateful hour
I place all heaven with its power,
And the sun with its brightness,
And the snow with its whiteness,
And fire with all the strength it has,
And lightning with its rapid wrath,
And the winds with their swiftness along the path,
And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the Earth with its starkness;
All these I place
By God's almighty help and grace,
Between myself and the powers of Darkness.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven,
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today,
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
Be praised, my God, by butterfly and dragonfly wings exercising
for their first flight.
Be praised by lightning and thunder causing spring showers.
Be praised by the silent voice of grass growing and trees budding.
Be praised by all the colorful flower trumpets of spring.
Be praised by downy feathers freshly dried on newly hatched
ducklings and chicks.
Be praised by the songs of birds, crickets, and frogs.
Be praised, my God, by all your creation which tells of new life.
Be a gardener.
Dig a ditch,
toil and sweat,
and turn the earth upside down
and seek the deepness
and water the plants in time.
Continue this labor
and make sweet floods to run
and noble and abundant fruits
to spring.
Take this food and drink
and carry it to God
as your true worship.
To greet thee is
greeting all human hearts
To whom thou hast opened God's treasure troves
Of joy and salvation, of hope and peace.
Thou art more fair than Eve in her beauty,
More beautiful than star-like Esther,
More valiant then Judith, the brave,
For thou were with God in the beginning
of His ways,
Before he made the mountains and the sea,
Delight of the Triune ever plating before Him,
First-born of all His beloved creatures,
Sweet like the dawn and mild like the dusk;
Thy name is written into the sky
A sign that shall nevermore be erased.
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-Anonymous, The Christian Family and Our Missions. May 1950.
Blessed are you, Creator of the Universe
who out of darkness brought forth light
and who rule the universe by your word.
Send far away from us
the darkness of error and evil
and direct us to the knowledge of your name's glory.
Blessed are you, Creator of the Universe,
who brought forth from nothing everything
and renew unceasingly days and seasons.
Be merciful with us in your great power
and multiply in us the grace of your kindness.
Blessed are you, Creator of the Universe,
who created human beings with amazing perfection
and who want your image and likeness to shine in them.
Accept us all under your shining gaze
and grant that we may live up to your aim of love.
Blessed are you, Creator of the Universe,
who sustain all beings in time and space and penetrate
everything with your overpowering presence.
Fulfill the innermost desires of your heart
and guide in peace
the destiny of all human beings.
Blessed are you, Creator of the Universe,
who communicate your energy to all created beings
and direct humankind in your path.
Make us your co-workers in the harmony of the world,
and help us to fulfill in history
the mystery of your creation. Amen.
From Prayers of Blessing and Praise for All Occasions, copyright 1987, Hugo Schlesinger and Humberto Porto.
Lord, give us light and strength to know your will,
to make it our own, and to live it in our lives.
You desire justice for all:
Enable us to uphold the rights of others;
do not allow us to be misled by ignorance
or corrupted by fear or favor.
Guide us by your wisdom, support us by your power,
for you are God, sharing the glory of Father and Son.
Help us to be good stewards of the treasures of your creation:
living persons, animals, and plants,
the lands and the seas.
As we gather in your name may we temper justice with love,
so that all our decisions may be pleasing to you,
and earn the reward promised to good and faithful servants.
You live and reign with the Father and the Son, one God,
for ever and ever. Amen.
O God, by whose laws the poles revolve, the stars follow their courses, the sun rules the day and the moon presides over the night; and all the world maintains, as far as this world of sense allows, the wondrous stability of things by means of the orders and recurrences of seasons: through the days by the changing of light and darkness, through the months by the moon's progressions and declines, through the years by the successions of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, through the cycles by the completion of the sun's course, through the great eras of time by the return of the stars to their starting points.
A Mary Garden PrayerSt. Francis, apostle of the love of God in every creature,
St. Paul, teacher of the place of all Creation in the Divine Plan of Redemption,
St. Patrick, sanctifier of nature everywhere as wellspring of God's power,
St. Colomban, ever alert to find God in the woods and fields,
St. Fiacre, opener of the world to the outpouring of Divine healing love through garden herbs and flowers,
St. Rose of Lima, to whom the boy Jesus and his Mother were present in the garden,
St. Isidore, assisted by Mary's angels in plowing the soil to feed the hungry,
St. Phocas, digger of earth in the hope of the Resurrection,
St. Dorothy, bestower on earth of heavenly flowers and fruits,
St. Bernard, searcher of flowers for likenesses of Jesus and Mary,
St. Anselm, theologian of Our Lady's Queenship of redeemed nature,
St. Francis de Sales, quickener of spiritual life and growth through the discernment of their mirroring in nature's unfolding,
St. John of the Cross, poet of the spiritual countryside of the soul's mystical journey of love,
St. Louis de Montfort, nurtured in the spiritual paradise of Mary,
St. Theresa, showerer on earth of roses of heavenly love and grace,
St. Dominic, missionary of the power of the Rosary,
St. John Eudes, drawn by union with the light Christ into the Heaven of the Trinity,
St. John Chrysostom, beholder of resplendent earth as the radiance of God's face,
St. Athanasius, dweller in heaven on earth,
St. Bonaventure, proclaimer of the fullness of Mary's blessed and immaculate magnification of God's creating, saving and renewing power.
St. Joseph, patron of all who labor for the building of God's Kingdom,
St. John, prophet of the descent of the Heavenly Jerusalem, and of
Blessed and Glorious Mary, Ever Virgin, our Mother Mystical Rose, Mediatrix of all Grace, and Queen of Heaven and Earth, in the union of her Immaculate, Sorrowful and Glorified Heart with the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
- From Mary's Gardens web site.
Painting: Stephen Lochner, Madonna in a Rose Garden, c.1440
I see His Blood upon the rose
And in the stars the glory of His eyes,
His Body gleams amid eternal snows,
His tears fall from the skies.
I see His Face in every flower;
The thunder and the singing of the birds
Are but His voice -- and carven by His power,
Rocks are His written words.All pathways by His feet are worn,
His strong Heart stirs the ever-beating sea;
His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn,
His Cross is every tree.-From The Mystical Rose Catholic Page
Good and gracious God, we stand in awe of your power to create a magnificent world for us to enjoy during our lifetime. Help us to see it anew as the wonder that it is. Open our eyes and enlighten our minds to understand the power we hold and responsibility we have to keep it as a gift that we only borrow for our lifetime, to return to you and the generations to follow. Send you Holy Spirit to be here as we reflect in our hearts and minds on your call to us as human beings and Christians to keep this treasure, your earth, safe from harm. Amen.
Thank you, God, for this Garden of Eden called the world that you have created for us. Give us eyes to see and honor its beauty. Give us the sense of responsibility to preserve and protect this gift you have graciously given us. Help us to be responsible to see that our children's children will find it a place of beauty, comfort, and sustenance. We ask these things through Christ, our Lord, Amen.
We live in your world, O God, and for this, we praise and thank you. Among your treasures we creatures have fashioned many things to make our lives easier, healthier, and freer. But we have also created more things than we need, more than we can ever use. When these things distract us from our purpose in this life, we are misusing the world you have created. When these things prevent others from having their basic needs met, your creation is corrupted. Help us to keep our eyes open to this temptation of consumerism. Help us to be followers of Jesus who are focused on the important and simple things in life -- Christians who care for others and are willing to share our riches with those who have unmet needs. Give us the courage to go against our culture when it confuses wants and needs. Remind us that when the journey of life in this world is complete, we take with us only what we have built inside ourselves: treasures of the heart, love and generosity, friendship and concern, caring and sharing. We pray for these things in Jesus' name. Amen.
--Catholic Wisdom Leader's Guide
Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
enlighten our minds to perceive
the mysteries of the universe in relation to eternity.
Spirit of right judgment and courage,
guide us and make us firm in our baptismal decision
to follow Jesus' way of love.
Spirit of knowledge and reverence,
help us to see the lasting value of justice and mercy
in our everyday dealings with one another.
May we respect life as we work to solve problems
of family and nation, economy and ecology.
Spirit of God,
spark our faith, hope and love
into new action each day.
Fill our lives with wonder and awe in your presence
which penetrates all creation.
© 2000-2001 Disciples Now Ministries, Inc
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The Fruits of the Earth
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For seasonable weather, and for an abundance of the fruits of the earth, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy. Source: Book of Common Prayer 1979 |
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A Prayer for the Earth
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For the good earth which God has given us, and for the wisdom and will to
conserve it, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
Source: Book of Common Prayer 1979 |
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For Fruitful Seasons
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Almighty God, Lord of heaven and earth: We humbly pray that thy gracious
providence may give and preserve to our use the harvests of the land and
of the seas, and may prosper all who labor to gather them, that we, who
constantly receive good things from thy hand, may always give thee thanks;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with thee and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Source: Book of Common Prayer 1979 |
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Prayer for Autumn Days
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God of the seasons, there is a time for everything; there is a time for
dying and a time for rising. We need courage to enter into the
transformation process.
God of autumn, the trees are saying goodbye to their green, letting go of what has been. We, too, have our moments of surrender, with all their insecurity and risk. Help us to let go when we need to do so. God of fallen leaves lying in colored patterns on the ground, our lives have their own patterns. As we see the patterns of our own growth, may we learn from them. God of misty days and harvest moon nights, there is always the dimension of mystery and wonder in our lives. We always need to recognize your power-filled presence. May we gain strength from this. God of harvest wagons and fields of ripened grain, many gifts of growth lie within the season of our surrender. We must wait for harvest in faith and hope. Grant us patience when we do not see the blessings. God of geese going south for another season, your wisdom enables us to know what needs to be left behind and what needs to be carried into the future. We yearn for insight and vision. God of flowers touched with frost and windows wearing white designs, may your love keep our hearts from growing cold in the empty seasons. God of life, you believe in us, you enrich us, you entrust us with the freedom to choose life. For all this, we are grateful. Author Unknown |
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Thank You for This Earth
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O God,
We thank you for this earth, our home; for the wide sky and the blessed sun, for the ocean and streams, for the towering hills and the whispering wind, for the trees and green grass. We thank you for our senses by which we hear the songs of birds, and see the splendor of fields of golden wheat, and taste autumn's fruit, rejoice in the feel of snow, and smell the breath of spring flowers. Grant us a heart opened wide to all this beauty; and save us from being so blind that we pass unseeing when even the common thorn bush is aflame with your glory. For each new dawn is filled with infinite possibilities for new beginnings and new discoveries. Life is constantly changing and renewing itself. In this new day of new beginnings with God, all things are possible. We are restored and renewed in a joyous awakening to the wonder that our lives are and, yet, can be. Amen. Source: Appleseeds.org |
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Child's Prayer
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Dear Father, hear and bless
Thy beasts and singing birds: And guard with tenderness Small things that have no words. Source: Traditional |
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For Stewardship of Creation
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O merciful Creator, thy hand is open wide to satisfy the needs of every
living creature: Make us, we beseech thee, ever thankful for thy loving
providence; and grant that we, remembering the account that we must one
day give, may be faithful stewards of thy good gifts; through Jesus Christ
our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for
ever and ever. Amen.
Source: Book of Common Prayer 1979 |
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Prayer for Hurricane Season
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O God, Master of this passing world, hear the humble voices of your
children. The Sea of Galilee obeyed your order and returned to its former
quietude; you are still the Master of land and sea. We live in the shadow
of a danger over which we have no control. The Gulf, like a provoked and
angry giant, can awake from its seeming lethargy, overstep its
conventional boundaries, invade our land and spread chaos and disaster.
During this hurricane season, we turn to You, O loving Father. Spare us
from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid and whose wounds
seem to refuse to heal with the passing of time. O Virgin, Star of the
Sea, Our Beloved Mother, we ask you to plead with your Son in our behalf,
so that spared from the calamities common to this area and animated with a
true spirit of gratitude, we will walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son
to reach the heavenly Jerusalem where a storm-less eternity awaits us.
Amen.
Source: Rosary Creations |
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Copyright © 2000-2005 Bill Jacobs. All Rights Reserved.