Daily Prayers for May 25
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Guide My Feet”
Guide us, Lord, to walk : in courage, wisdom, and love.
Psalm 119:44 – 48
I shall continue to keep your law : I shall keep it for ever and ever.
I will walk at liberty : because I study your commandments.
I will tell of your decrees before kings : and will not be ashamed.
I delight in your commandments : which I have always loved.
I will lift up my hands to your commandments : and I will meditate on your statutes.
Guide us, Lord, to walk : in courage, wisdom, and love.
Numbers 27:12 – 23 Luke 9:51 – 62
Guide us, Lord, to walk : in courage, wisdom, and love.
Ammon Hennacy, a Catholic Worker, said, “Love without courage and wisdom is sentimentality, as with the ordinary church member. Courage without love and wisdom is foolhardiness, as with the ordinary soldier. Wisdom without love and courage is cowardice, as with the ordinary intellectual.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, you give life to our understanding of love, courage, and wisdom. Today there are so many paths we might follow. Help us discern the direction to set our own faces so that we might meet you at the cross in our willingness to deny ourselves for your kingdom, and at the empty tomb in our living the resurrection life. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Prayer Beads
Many different religions use beads as a tool for prayer, and Catholics have a rosary. Consider creating a chain of beads that you can use as a physical tool as you pray throughout the day. Prayer beads aren’t magic, but they can help cure some minor cases of ADD (attention deficit disorder). For instance, create a chain of different-sized beads (or different-colored or different-textured beads) for various prayers. You might have a large bead for the Lord’s Prayer. You might have seven rough beads for praying against the seven deadly sins — pride, envy, lust, anger, gluttony, greed, and sloth — and you might have nine little ones for the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians, so that you can rest on each one and pray that it would take root and grow like a seed inside of you — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.
Daily Prayers for May 24
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Sing, O Sky (Gaao Re)”
Alabare! Alabare! : Alabare a mi Senor!
Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all you nations : laud him, all you -peoples.
For his loving-kindness toward us is great : and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever. Hallelujah!
Alabare! Alabare! : Alabare a mi Senor!
Numbers 24:12 – 25 Luke 9:37 – 50
Alabare! Alabare! : Alabare a mi Senor!
Ambrose, a fourth-century bishop of Milan, said, “Yes, a psalm is a blessing on the lips of the -people, a hymn in praise of God, the assembly’s homage, a general acclamation, a word that speaks for all, the voice of the church, a confession of faith in song. It is the voice of complete assent, the joy of freedom, a cry of happiness, the echo of gladness. It soothes the temper, distracts from care, lightens the burden of sorrow. Day begins to the music
of a psalm. Day closes to the echo of a psalm.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Let the moments and the hours of this day reverberate with sounds of our singing, with the words of the psalm, and with the praises we offer to you, O Lord. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for May 23
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Holy, Holy, Holy”
With the saints around your throne : we praise you for your glory.
Psalm 111:1 – 2, 9 – 10
Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart : in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the deeds of the Lord! : they are studied by all who delight in them.
He sent redemption to his -people; he commanded his covenant for ever : holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom : those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise endures for ever.
With the saints around your throne : we praise you for your glory.
Numbers 24:1 – 13 Luke 9:28 – 36
With the saints around your throne : we praise you for your glory.
Now we hear the “Dance Hymn” from a manuscript titled Acts of John: “Grace leads the dance, I will make music. You shall all dance in a ring. I will lament, you shall all beat your breasts. I will flee, and I will stay. I will adorn, and I will be adorned. I will be united, and I will unite. I have no house, and I have houses. I have no home, and I have homes. I have no temple, and I have temples. I am a lamp to you who perceive me. I am a door to you who knock at me. I am a way to you, a traveler. Join yourself now to my dancing.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Protect us, Lord, from being so offended by your revelations that we curse your prophets. Guard us from being so foolishly blinded by your majesty that we lose any sense of how to speak as your witness. Rather, help our lips praise you for your glory. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for May 22
In 1838, four thousand Cherokee died in the forced removal that the Cherokee called Nunna dual Isunyi — “the Trail Where They Cried.” The removal of the Cherokee -people resulted from the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which was violently implemented by Andrew Jackson. In 1831 the Choctaw were the first to be uprooted, followed by the Seminole in 1832, the Creek in 1834, the Chickasaw in 1837, and finally the Cherokee in 1838. By 1837, forty-six thousand Native Americans had been removed from their homes.
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “Were You There?”
O Lord, have mercy : have mercy on us.
Psalm 109:20 – 25
But you, O Lord my God, oh, deal with me according to your name : for your tender mercy’s sake, deliver me.
For I am poor and needy : and my heart is wounded within me.
I have faded away like a shadow when it lengthens : I am shaken off like a locust.
My knees are weak through fasting : and my flesh is wasted and gaunt.
I have become a reproach to them : they see and shake their heads.
Help me, O Lord my God : save me for your mercy’s sake.
O Lord, have mercy : have mercy on us.
Numbers 23:11 – 26 Luke 9:18 – 27
O Lord, have mercy : have mercy on us.
Native theologian Randy Woodley has asked, “When will the American church awake from her slumber? If they want Native Americans to heal, if they want them to finally meet -Jesus, then let them begin by speaking truth as -Jesus did and say the only words Indians want to hear: ‘We stole your land.’ Our First Nations -people have heard the Gospel over and over again, but rarely have they seen anyone truly live it.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Teach us, Lord, to deny ourselves for the sake of your kingdom. Help us distinguish self-righteous suffering from the suffering that comes from bearing our crosses as we follow you. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for May 21
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Glory, Glory, Hallelujah”
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name : make known his deeds among the -peoples.
Psalm 105:24, 42 – 45
The Lord made his -people exceedingly fruitful : he made them stronger than their enemies;
for God remembered his holy word : and Abraham his servant.
So he led forth his -people with gladness : his chosen with shouts of joy.
He gave his -people the lands of the nations : and they took the fruit of others’ toil,
that they might keep his statutes : and observe his laws. Hallelujah!
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name : make known his deeds among the -peoples.
Numbers 22:41 – 23:12 Luke 9:1 – 17
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name : make known his deeds among the -peoples.
Evelyn Underhill wrote, “Adoration, as it more deeply possesses us, inevitably leads on to self-offering. Charity is the live wire along which the power of God, indwelling our finite spirits, can and does act on other souls and other things, rescuing, healing, giving support and light. Such secret intercessory prayer ought to penetrate and accompany all our active work. It is the supreme expression of the spiritual life on earth. It moves from God to others through us, because we have ceased to be self-centered units, but are woven into the great fabric of praying souls, the ‘mystical body’ through which the work of Christ on earth goes on being done.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Lord, give us true words to pray for one another. Burden our hearts with shared sorrows, and delight our spirits with mutual joy. Let genuine love provoke in us words of blessing and inform our intercessions. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for May 20
In 1976, Indonesia annexed East Timor after the sudden withdrawal of the Portuguese. It is estimated that two hundred thousand Timorese died under the brutal and violent Indonesian rule. After years of violence between separatist guerillas and pro-Indonesian paramilitary forces, East Timor gained its independence on May 20, 2002. Today East Timor is one of the world’s poorest countries.
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “What Wondrous Love”
Find us in your love, O Lord : and lead us in your path.
Psalm 103:1 – 5
Bless the Lord, O my soul : and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul : and forget not all his benefits.
He forgives all your sins : and heals all your infirmities;
he redeems your life from the grave : and crowns you with mercy and loving-kindness;
he satisfies you with good things : and your youth is renewed like an eagle’s.
Find us in your love, O Lord : and lead us in your path.
Numbers 22:21 – 38 Luke 8:40 – 56
Find us in your love, O Lord : and lead us in your path.
Twentieth-century Presbyterian theologian and writer Frederick Buechner has written, “Who knows how the awareness of God’s love first hits -people? Every person has his own tale to tell, including the person who would not believe in God if you paid him. Some moment happens in your life that makes you say Yes right up to the roots of your hair, that makes it worth having been born just to have happen. Laughing with somebody till the tears run down your cheeks. Waking up to the first snow. Being in bed with somebody you love. Whether you thank God for such a moment or thank your lucky stars, it is a moment that is trying to open up your whole life. If you try to turn your back on such a moment and hurry along to Business as Usual, it may lose you the whole ball game. If you throw your arms around such a moment and hug it like crazy, it may save your soul. How about the person you know who as far as you can possibly tell has never had such a moment? Maybe for that person the moment that has to happen is you.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Give us grace to be present to those moments, Lord, when your love is real enough to taste. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for May 19
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Vamos Todos al Banquete”
God is good all the time : all the time, God is good.
Psalm 95:1 – 5
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving : and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God : and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the caverns of the earth : and the heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it : and his hands have molded the dry land.
God is good all the time : all the time, God is good.
Numbers 22:1 – 21 Luke 8:26 – 39
God is good all the time : all the time, God is good.
Paulo Freire wrote in his Pedagogy of the Oppressed, “To speak a true word is to transform the world.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
More often than not, Lord, we are afraid of truth. It threatens the identities we have created for ourselves and the ways we are comfortable perceiving others. Give us ears to hear your truth as blessing and mouths to celebrate your truth as gift. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for May 18
Origen of Alexandria (c. 185 – c. 254)
The oldest of seven children, Origen was born in Alexandria, and witnessed at a very young age the public death of his father, who was martyred during the persecutions in 202. While still in his teens, Origen became a teacher, philosopher, and student of Scripture — and a prolific writer, all the while practicing a strict discipline of prayer, fasting, celibacy, and poverty. Though his self-denial was extreme to the point of abuse and some of his teachings were ultimately considered heresy, Origen is still considered one of the greatest early interpreters of Scripture and Christian doctrine. By helping Christians find meaning in the riches of Scripture, he taught a love for truth, sanctity, and God above all else.
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us sing to the Lord : let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.
Song “Magnificat”
Steep us in your story, Lord : that we may live its truth today.
Psalm 92:1 – 4
It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord : and to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to tell of your loving-kindness early in the morning : and of your faithfulness in the night season;
on the psaltery, and on the lyre : and to the melody of the harp.
For you have made me glad by your acts, O Lord : and I shout for joy because of the works of your hands.
Steep us in your story, Lord : that we may live its truth today.
Numbers 21:4 – 9, 21 – 35 Luke 8:16 – 25
Steep us in your story, Lord : that we may live its truth today.
Origen of Alexandria wrote, “I do not call the Law an ‘Old Testament’ if I understand it in the Spirit. The Law becomes an ‘Old Testament’ only for those who wish to understand it carnally, but for those who understand it and apply it in the Spirit and in the Gospel sense, the Law is ever new and the two Testaments are a new Testament for us, not because of their date in time but because of the newness of the meaning. For those who do not respect the covenant of love, even the Gospels are ‘old.’ ”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Help us, Lord, to see in your Scripture the good news that never grows old. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for May 17
On May 17, 1968, the Catonsville Nine, which included two Catholic priests, went into the Selective Ser-vice offices in Catonsville, Maryland, and burned several hundred draft records in a direct action against the Vietnam War. They were arrested, tried, and found guilty of destroying government property. After the nine were sentenced, one of the priests, Dan Berrigan, asked the judge if the Lord’s Prayer could be recited. All in the courtroom, including the judge and prosecuting attorneys, rose and joined in the prayer.
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “Freedom Train”
We who believe in freedom : cannot rest until it comes.
Psalm 86:6 – 10
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer : and attend to the voice of my supplications.
In the time of my trouble I will call upon you : for you will answer me.
Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord : nor anything like your works.
All nations you have made will come and worship you, O Lord : and glorify your name.
For you are great; you do wondrous things : and you alone are God.
We who believe in freedom : cannot rest until it comes.
Numbers 20:14 – 29 Luke 8:1 – 15
We who believe in freedom : cannot rest until it comes.
Dan Berrigan has said, “If you’re going to follow -Jesus, well, he got killed. That’s just part of the job description: making trouble for peace.”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Today we pray for courage to dig ourselves deeper into the good soil, so that your word may take root in us and bring forth fruit that nourishes those who hunger for freedom. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
Daily Prayers for May 16
On May 16, 1792, Denmark decided that it was immoral to participate in the trading of human beings and became the first European country to ban the transportation of slaves from their country.
It is also worth noting that this day marks the martyrdom of Dirk Willems. Willems is one of the most celebrated martyrs in the Anabaptist tradition (which includes Mennonites, Brethren, and Amish). He was born in the Netherlands and lived during a tumultuous time in Christendom. He is most famous for escaping from prison and turning around to rescue one of his pursuers, who had fallen through the thin ice of a frozen pond while chasing him. He was burned at the stake on May 16, 1569.
O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you
as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee : let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Song “O Mary, Don’t You Weep”
Restore us, O God of hosts : show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Psalm 80:4 – 7
O Lord God of hosts : how long will you be angered despite the prayers of your -people?
You have fed them with the bread of tears : you have given them bowls of tears to drink.
You have made us the derision of our neighbors : and our enemies laugh us to scorn.
Restore us, O God of hosts : show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Restore us, O God of hosts : show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Numbers 20:1 – 13 Luke 7:36 – 50
Restore us, O God of hosts : show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Clare of Assisi, a friend of St. Francis in the twelfth century, said, “Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory! Place your heart in the figure of the divine substance! And transform your whole being into the image of the Godhead itself through contemplation!”
Prayers for Others
Our Father
Merciful God, nothing can separate us from you. When the distance between you and us seems unbearable, help us to move closer to you, knowing that by your mercy you are never beyond our reach. Amen.
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you : wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness : protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing : at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing : once again into our doors.
