In a few days I will be celebrating four years of sharing my thoughts. It’s been quite a journey and like most journeys I have meandered around and at times thought of getting rid of this thing. Sometimes I’m embarrassed when reading my own thoughts. At other times it’s been interesting to see the growth of my writing and to reflect on how much this experience has helped me to become a more reflective person and a better writer. I’m thankful too for the occasional readers who comment on my writing. One of the first pieces I shared was not mine at all but a prayer I read on a card at Mt. Irenaeus on one of my many visits there. The community at Mount Irenaeus continues to animate my life. It has been nearly ten years since I first visited the Mountain and in that time much has happened. I share this prayer that comes from a Franciscan publication because it continues to touch my heart.
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain to joy.
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
Amen.
From “Troubadour: A Missionary Magazine”, UK Spring 2005