Week of January 28, 2002
Pastor Tracie

Looking over the readings for the coming Sunday (February 3), I noticed that the Beatitudes are part of the Gospel passage. The following prayer/devotion is based on the Beatitudes and helps me to center on their meaning in our world today. This is from a book called "Seasons of the Heart" by Macrina Wiederker.

The Prayer of the Beatitudes

O Christ of the poor in Spirit
They have no light of their own
no wealth of their own
Yet because of your glory
shining within them
they will be known in the Kingdom of God.
O Christ of the Poor in Spirit
Create in my crowded heart
a space for God.
 
O Christ of those who mourn
A holy sorrow washes my soul
as the ache of others' pain
threads its way through my being.
Sharing their sorrow
without trying to take it away
brings healing and comfort.
O Christ of those who mourn
Create in me a new courage
to sit beside the sorrowing.
 
O Christ of the lowly ones
Possessing no power
save a truth deep within,
God's poor little ones linger long
over that truth.
They receive rather than take.
O Christ of the lowly ones
Create in me a gentle, open spirit.
 
O Christ of those who hunger for justice
What is this gnawing in the center of their being?
Hunger-pains, refusing to be satisfied
with anything less than God.
In the deep caverns of their souls
lives a blazing zeal
that burns for righteousness.
O Christ, sun of justice
Burn your way into my soul with the terrible gift
of this same blazing zeal.
 
O Christ of the merciful
Who are these people
wearing robes of your mercy?
Have you returned again
in the person of their flesh?
Your loves shines out in them
like a full moon.
O Christ of the merciful
Dress me in the warm robes of your mercy.
 
O Christ of the pure in heart
Who are these fearless ones
seeing with their hearts
calling me to connect
with my own God-like heart?
In the center of my being
dwells a heart that is one,
a stranger to division.
Forever it whispers,
I am already within you.
Believe in me! Believe in me!
O Christ of the pure of heart
Create in me a deep faith
in an undivided heart.
 
O Christ of the peacemakers
Who are these dreaming dreams
carrying torches
building bridges
They walk in peace
out where the wild things are
They pitch their tents in fields of violence
And all of this
because they are at peace
within themselves
O Christ of the peacemakers
Create in me a peaceful heart
that cannot stay at home.
 
O Christ of the persecuted
Twisted, broken,
bent upon the cross
they proclaimed all the truth they knew.
They died of truth, and
the kingdom of heaven became theirs.
O Christ of the persecuted
Create in me a willingness
to die for the truth.
Amen.

Contributed by Pastor Tracie
Published Monday January 28, 2002
Week 9 of Liturgical Year A