God Bless the World

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God Bless the World, Hearts on Fire Praying With the Jesuits, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I don’t often consider the entire world as I read the news of the day. There seems always to be enough to think about either close to home or in some far away land that is struggling at present. Today I am grateful for the sunshine and the springtime beauty outside my window but reading a message from my cousin in Australia jarred me into the reality of distress the world over. It wasn’t enough to find the political chaos in the USA. In jumping to Australia with the horror of being overrun with mice, especially in New South Wales, I had the sense of being in an airplane, looking out the window and imagining what was happening in all the places over which I flew – including the waters, large and small, I might add…so it is clearly a day for this prayer from the book, Hearts on Fire: Praying with Jesuits, entitled “God Bless the World.”

Mighty God, Father of all, Compassionate God, Mother of all, bless every person I have met, every face I have seen, every voice I have heard, especially those most dear; bless every city, town, and street that I have known, bless every sight I have seen, every sound I have heard, every object I have touched. In some mysterious way these have all fashioned my life; all that I am, I have received. Great God, bless the world. (p. 152—John J. Morris, SJ)

Plain Language

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friend, Hearts on Fire Praying With the Jesuits, Jesus, loving gesture, powerful, prayer, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, welcome

Sometimes we think it’s necessary to find beautiful words as our prayer, searching for just the right ones to catch God’s attention. I was reminded this morning by a simple prayer in the Jesuit prayer book, Hearts on Fire, that a simple statement is just fine because God hears all our prayers that are spoken with a sincere heart. Here is what Joseph Tetlow, SJ offered this morning.

Lord Jesus, from the start you invite ordinary people to come to where you live. When they come, you welcome them and call them to labor and rejoice with you. You are the most beautiful among all [men] and I hardly believe you want me for your friend. You are powerful, Lord. Draw me more and more into your friendship and lead me along the way you took with friends. (p.82)

Come to think of it, if even this seems too much sometimes, just a bow or an opening of our hands – or your own choice of a loving gesture – would surely be enough for Christ.

Seeing As God Sees

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different, familiar, fit, Hearts on Fire Praying With the Jesuits, looking, Pedro Arrupe SJ, recharged, see, stranger, teach, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

We have a “full house” for this weekend’s workshop at our small retreat center (which is also our home). It’s always nice to welcome people who are familiar to us, those who come every year to get “recharged” spiritually. It’s so easy to be comfortable with people we know, isn’t it? It’s those who come for the first time that present a challenge. Of course the assumption is that if people are coming for a spiritual purpose they will be easy to assimilate into the energy of the place. Occasionally, however, we are blessed to welcome someone who is “different.” It could be personality quirks or cultural differences – anything that makes us (actually, I should say “me”) hold back until I can assess the “fit” of this new person who is not known to us. I thought of this because of opening to a prayer in a little book – a lovely gift to me – called Hearts on Fire; Praying with Jesuits that caused me to pause this morning. It began:

Teach me your way of looking at people: as you glanced at Peter after his denial, as you penetrated the heart of the rich young man and the hearts of your disciples. I would like to meet you as you really are, since your image changes those with whom you come into contact.

I’m on my way to help prepare breakfast for the group this morning. It will be easy with these familiar faces to greet them as Christ would and for this I will be thankful. But there will be others…as I live through the week to come. I will try to remember the words of Pedro Arrupe, S.J. – the author of this prayer – which I hope will help me to see with eyes wide open to acceptance and love.