Catholic Meditations

Lord, when I least expect it,
you breathe hope into my heart,
like sight restored
to a man lost in blindness' night,
like the mystery of an empty tomb
and a gentle word to a grieving woman.
How often, in my grief,
and in my sorrow,
and in my feeling lost,
I turn around and see you there smiling.
O Master of all my tomorrows,
O Keeper of my today,
O Light Eternal,
You are my hope,
and I can only, amazingly, thank you.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Jesus' Love, Praise and Thanksgiving

In principio erat Verbum,
et Verbum erat apud Deum,
et Deus erat Verbum.

In the beginning,
In that place before time was,
In that place before space was,
In that place before place was,
In that place was the Word.
Verbum.
With God,
Loving God,
Was God.
Verbum.

In principio creavit Deus cælum et terram.
Terra autem erat inanis et vacua, et tenebræ erant super faciem abyssi:
et spiritus Dei ferebatur super aquas

Before the Breath of God hovered above the waters,
Before the Spirit of God danced above the waters,
Verbum erat,
The Word was,
Before the gift of physical light,
In ipso vita erat,
et vita erat lux hominum,
The Word was the light,
With God,
Loving God,
Was God.

Et Verbum caro factum est,
et habitavit in nobis:
et vidimus gloriam ejus,
gloriam quasi unigeniti a Patre
plenum gratiæ et veritatis.

The Sole Begotton,
The Light of Men,
He who through all things were made,
Came,
and tented among us
to touch us with his glory.

Verbum,
Lux,
Jesus.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Loving God, Praise and Thanksgiving, scripture

O Lord, the touch of your Spirit
Fills my heart this day with song -
But I lift my heart in thankfulness,
A joy to know I belong
To you, my Lord and Master,
Who walks with me the whole day long.

O Lord, the touch of your Spirit,
A song of hope in the night,
A promise that there will be morning,
A knowledge that there will be light
Touches my soul with a soaring,
A foretaste of Heaven's delight.

O Lord, the touch of your Spirit
Reminds me of one darkest day
When you gave all in love's longing
Each trembling step of the way
To arise from the darkness with promise,
A love gift still precious today.

Best Bridegroom of all, my dear Master,
Who brings hope with a lover's delight,
Who whispers the words full of gladness
That shatters the terrors of night -
O keep me forever in your hands,
Forever in your loving sight.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Loving God, Praise and Thanksgiving

Let me fly unto you, O Lord of my life
When the darkness is heavy with sorrow and strife,
Your light will cut through the dark like a knife,
O Lord, let me fly to your cross!

Let me hear your soft voice in my heart in the night,
O Lord, let it buoy me on the the light
Wherever I go, let me keep you in sight,
O Lord, keep me close to your cross!

A tool made for torture becomes love's bright shield
Transforming the weak into God's own ripe field,
Redeeming my soul if I answer and yield,
O Lord, through the gift of your cross!

Let me think of you often by night or by day,
Of that horrid hard Friday where Love had its way,
O fill my heart ever so that I long to say,
O Lord, keep me here at your cross!

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Loving God, Need for God, Passion of Christ, Praise and Thanksgiving

In hac fide, in hac spe, in hac caritáte:

In this faith, a faith whose seeds you planted in my heart, O loving Lord,
let me take my stand forever,
let it shape my life, day by day, in darkness or light,
until at last I stand where that faith is sight,
stripped of all my night.

In this hope, a hope you breathe into hot fire by the touch of your Spirit, O Lord,
let me take my comfort forever,
let it breathe your peace into my steps, day by day, in darkness or light,
until at last I stand, where my hope is proved real,
pure joy in your sight.

In this love, a love you offered by your death, hard and hot, O Lord of my life,
let me take my shelter forever,
let me, so well loved, share that love, day by day, in darkness or light
Until at last I stand, where my love is fulfilled,
dressed in your wedding robe of sparkling white.

In hac fide, in hac spe, in hac caritáte, vívere et mori státuo! Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Hope, Loving God, Praise and Thanksgiving

You call me Lord, to come to you,
You tell me in your arms to cast
All my weariness in a life that's hard,
To find the true peace that will last.

Here I hand you all the burden
All the fears that burn within,
Here I give you all my sadness,
A life that's marked with my own sin

In your eyes I see your welcome,
in your touch, I find my rest
healing in the sound of your voice,
In your presence I am blessed.

In your rest, I find my hope.
In your peace, tomorrow's way
and in the joy you whisper in my heart
You are the dawning of my day.

You are the one good thing I need,
And when all other pleasant things fall
Friends turn away, and things wear out,
You will still be there, my all in all.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Jesus' Love, Praise and Thanksgiving

Abba, Father, hear me call You --
What a gift given by Your Son,
To call You, O most holy One,
And know You are my parent, too.

You, who breathed upon the water
At the dawning of all things,
You, the source from which all springs,
Let me call you Abba, Father.

Let Your name be ever holy
In our hearts and in our minds,
Yours the love that heals and finds
Place to care for weak and lowly.

Abba, Father, hear my prayer,
Shape me in Your loving hand,
Lover of my soul, I stand
Before You thankful for Your care.

Grateful, let my song arise,
Abba, Father, for your love
That lets my heart soar above --
Keep me ever in Your eyes.

Susan E. Stone, 2007

Labels: Loving God, Praise and Thanksgiving

O Lord of my life in the night and the day,
My shelter, my home when all else seems to stray,
Your words are my compass, your love is my guide,
O keep me, dear Master, there safe by your side.

In this world of darkness where promises fail,
There is no sure shore, no firm-footed trail
That leads one to peace or into the light
Except through your love which shines there so bright.

O help me to walk in the way where you lead,
My Shepherd, my Guide who provides all I need,
O Comfort of lost ones, o Bright Morning Star,
My peace is with you, my hope where you are.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Discipleship, Praise and Thanksgiving

O in the morning as I rise up,
another day before me,
may my heart rise ever, ever up,
up to You, Lord of me.

Be my vision and my strong rock,
my rest and my way,
May my words be words of yours alone
as I walk, as I stay.

Your heart's the sheltering place,
all peace comes from You,
the rest for all the weary
ever springing anew.

O loving Lord,
You break the bonds of night
with Your loving word
that shines with Heaven's most excellent light.
Be our vision and our strong rock,
today and tonight.

(Inspired by the melody of Carolan's Ramble to Cashel)

Labels: Praise and Thanksgiving

Thou,
like a breath of wind, unseen but not unfelt,
whose presence breathes across the waters of my heart,
Breathing life into each breath I take,
surrounding me in my every move,
sharing in my every joy,
feeling the anguish of my every pain,
Thou.
O Lord, Giver of life,
Comforter, Quickener, Spirit, Breath,
Direct my feet in the way they should go,
Fill my heart with that love I should have,
Teach me that trust that will let me always walk in the light,
Even through the grief,
Even through the pain
Even through the loss that comes merely with living.
And let me rest in the knowledge that you are here with me,
day by day,
giving me the words when I know not what to say,
giving me the hope to walk another step,
giving me the joy that comes unbidden
from the fountains of Heaven.
Thou,
O Lord,
O Spirit,
O God,
Glory to you!

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Discipleship, Loving God, Praise and Thanksgiving

Joy unlooked for is a gift you bring,
O Beloved Master,
like a promise of light
whispered in the depths of a grieving heart
lost in remorse for its sin,
a gift that will bloom like the fairest rose
held in the hand a lover,
this joy you give us,
undying even in the midst of our pain and sorrow
Love’s gift,
unearned,
offered freely by the most generous of hearts.

Thus is the joy you plant within our hearts, Beloved Master,
a gift like a glowing gem,
a pearl filled with the promise of heaven,
in purity, perfection,
a taste of that perfect joy we shall know
when walking those streets
where you are the king enthroned.

Be enthroned in my heart,
O Master, O King, O most perfect Beloved,
You who bought that pearl so dearly,
giving your all so that you might offer all
the joy that comes from walking with you
hand in hand,
from darkness into the light.

O Beloved Lord,
O Master,
O Jesus,
here at your feet,
in the perfect joy that only you can provide,
may I find my true home forever.

Susan E Stone, 2006

Labels: Jesus' Love, Praise and Thanksgiving

O Lord of my life and Lord of my peace,
whose love is a fountain that never will cease,
and there in those waters my soul finds release,
O Jesus my Lord, all glory to thee!

O Lord of my life, and Lord of my pain,
when the darkness is deep and my tears fall like rain,
your hand reaches out and heals me again,
O Jesus my Lord, all glory to thee!

O Lord of my life, and Lord of my hope,
When I tumble and fall on life's slippery slope
Your arms wrap me around me like the strongest of rope,
O Jesus my Lord, all glory to thee!

O Lord of my life, and Lord of my day
O be with me Lord each step of the way
Until I reach that home where I long to stay,
O Jesus my Lord, all glory to thee!

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Praise and Thanksgiving, Song

O Lord,
it is so easy to identify with you in your passion,
where pain and grief and death
come together in that great sacrifice
you offered to bring us home to you.
How well I know the touch
of pain, and tears and fear.

But yet, how hard it is to grasp that miracle
come Easter morning, and like Mary Magdalene,
so often I wander the garden confused and in tears,
searching for you, Lord of my heart,
You, who through your death and resurrection
have been transformed into who you really are,
filled, not emptied,
full God and fully man.
It is an amazing thing.
one I cannot truly grasp.

Like the apostles and disciples,
we can only catch fleeting touches of you,
for your glory is more than this mortal flesh can bear for long,
a moment upon Mt. Tabor,
a breaking of the bread at Emmaus,
morning by the Sea of Gallilee.

O Lord, firstfruits of all those who bear mortal flesh,
O Lord, God who breathed upon the waters when time began,
O Lord, Bridegroom preparing the home for his bride,
Help me see you Lord,
in the glory of the sunrise,
in the voice of the hungry child,
in the touch of loving concern,
in the gathering of your saints,
in the Bread of Life,
in the touch of your hand on my life,
in that whisper of hope that will not go away..

O Lord, like Mary in the garden,
may I hear your voice and know,
in amazement and joy who it is who calls my name,
and like her, look up and see your smiling face.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Easter, Praise and Thanksgiving

O Living Flame of Love,
O Heart of Mercy beating,
O Bridegroom,
O Lover beyond my understanding,
holding me now in the palm of your hand,
the light of your love overwhelming.

No words to speak
in the embrace of the Beloved,
but such desire to be his,
as he would have me,
in the dazzling white
he would dress me in,
in the purity of heart
he would bring me to,
in the excellence he sees,
with his eyes,
a form I cannot yet fathom.

O Beloved Master,
walk always with me.
Teach me your ways,
that I might delight you
with my hunger to please you.
Feed me with your love
that I might feed others,
Robe me with your light
that I might learn to see
as you would have me see,
transform me
breath by breath
step by step,
for without you,
there is nothing else that really matters.

O Living Flame of Love,
O Heart of Mercy beating,
O Bridegroom,
O Lover beyond my understanding,
O God,
Be thou my vision,
this day, and always,
Amen.


Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Jesus' Love, Loving God, Praise and Thanksgiving

O Lord,
In a world that rushes by us, so changeable,
filled with some moments of happiness
that we would cling to forever,
but which slip past our fingers,
filled with horror, sadness
grief,
dark moments,
These too pass in that ever-flowing stream of time.
Our mighty works crumble.
The words we've spoken echo away.
Nothing permanent,
nothing certain
except that we were born,
we will live,
we will die.

And yet, when we look back
and see all is darkness,
a light comes shining like a beacon
to pierce the darkness
and meaninglessness of all our griefs, and tears, and pain,
a fire sparked by a love we do not deserve,
a light kindled with hope we do not merit,
a beacon fueled by a perfect sacrifice.

O Light,
who emptied yourself out to dwell among us,
O Word
who came to teach us the things that matter,
O Son
who came giving the message of hope to a sin-weary world,
O Christ
lifted high between Heaven and earth,
You are the beacon that pierces the meaninglessness of the night,
the shelter against the winds of change,
the entryway to that permanence
that can only come from one
not bound by time or space or the limits of this universe,
and in your hands only
can I find the rest that really matters.


O God the Father
who loves us,
O God the Son
who gave all for us,
O God the Spirit
breathing life into us,
in gratitude I say
Alleluia!

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Holy Trinity, Jesus' Love, Praise and Thanksgiving

Tune

Come listen to the Lord
Feed on His holy word,
Jesus, love's light that burns hot like a flame.
He breaks the bonds of sin
For those who enter in,
And gives His peace to those who call His name.

His is the hand that frees,
Heart that loves, eye that sees,
He is the Life and the Truth and the Way.
Look where He's leading you,
Guiding you, saving you,
Look to his cross that burns brighter than day.

He is the entry way
To new life, hope of day.
His is the gateway to Heaven's hope bright.
His is the open hand,
Solid rock, never sand,
Jesus the beacon that shatters the night.

His is the hand that frees,
Heart that loves, eye that sees,
He is the Life and the Truth and the Way.
Look where he's leading you,
Guiding you, saving you,
Look to His cross that burns brighter than day.

Come listen to His voice,
Taste His truth and rejoice.
Feed on His word and let Him heal your soul.
Jesus is calling you
To a life clean and new.
His loving hand will make your spirit whole.

His is the hand that frees,
Heart that loves, eye that sees,
He is the Life and the Truth and the Way.
Look where He's leading you,
Guiding you, saving you,
Look to his cross that burns brighter than day.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: Jesus' Love, Praise and Thanksgiving, Song

There in the Valley of the Shadow of Death,
Where God takes us to learn about who gives us breath
Each step that we take may seem heavy with threat
As we face then the truths we would rather forget.

It does not matter if we laugh or weep,
Be in pain or shock or fear or sleep,
Eternity hovers but a moment away
To walk with us into that unending day.

We think that so often we stand in the sun,
Yet through that dark valley our footsteps did run.
Someone was there one moment and not the next,
This frailty of mankind is an ancient text.

Yet Valley of the Shadow, when I'm in your way,
I chose not fear you by night or by day,
Ambush or pain or dark uncertainty
Shall not hide the gift of light by which I see.

My Shepherd he leads me by day and by night
Through the darkness of death to his glorious sight -
In his hand is the peace that makes no worldly sense
When the shadows of midnight grow dark and dense.

If trembling I wait there between death and life,
Doubled over in pain cutting hard like a knife,
He still is my comfort and lets my heart see
I am in his hands whatever will be.

Valley of the Shadow, you are but a gate,
Doorway to tomorrow, all humankind's fate.
My final hope lies beyond your shadowed door,
Where I will dwell in my Lord's house forever more.

Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: In the Valley of the Shadow, Praise and Thanksgiving, Trust

O Valley of the Shadow of Death
where we face the ultimate reality
of how frail our life is,
how near eternity is
at any minute,
coming in pain or shock or fear or sleep,
suddenly there one moment
and not the next,
we think so often we stand in the sun
when we are walking down your narrow path.

O Valley of the Shadow of Death,
in your dark paths,
I shall not fear --
neither ambush,
nor pain,
nor uncertainty,
for the light hidden in you is so bright
there are no words.
He is with me,
My shepherd,
my Lord,
my God
even as I lay trembling
waiting to know if my tomorrow will come.
In his hand is the peace
that makes no sense,
but is sense indeed,
and when the pain and confusion come,
and I do not know what is next,
he comforts me.

Valley of the Shadow of Death,
Gateway into tomorrow,
Doorway,
I will not fear you,
for you open to me my final hope.
May I dwell in the house of my Lord forever,
Amen.


Susan E. Stone, 2006

Labels: In the Valley of the Shadow, Praise and Thanksgiving, Trust

How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
publishing the glad tidings of peace,
announcing the word of salvation,
who says to Zion,
Your God reigns!

Gospel,
Godspell,
God's story,
Love's story,
how the rejected Lover
reclaimed his bride,
how the willful child
found a loving Father
in spite of his actions
how the contrite found hope,
how the sinful, redemption,
the brokenhearted, healing.

See how the guardians
in their watchtowers
call out the news -
joy unbounded
in the songs that angels sang
to the outcasts with their flocks,
to the poorest of the poor,
how God himself
came to rescue them,
be one with them,
sleeping in a stable,
refusing the palace.

The Lord,
the Lover,
the King,
baring his arms in the glory of his might,
the amazement of his birth,
the wonder of his death,
the splendor of his ressurection,
and to all the ends of the earth,
he proclaims his salvation

O sing forth,
this story of Love,
how the Lover stretched out his arms,
embracing the world,
crucifex,
down to the darkness of death,
shattering its gates
to bring forth
unutterable joy.



Susan E. Stone, 2005

Labels: Jesus' Love, Praise and Thanksgiving

Meditation on Mark 2, 13-17

Thank you, Lord,
for being willing to be seen
in the company of sinners,
who you change in the transforming fire of your love
into the children of God.

You did not think it wrong
to call on the soul-sick,
nor break bread with those thought unworthy,
letting us know
God is God of the hurting
and weary
and angry
and needy,
not just the God of the few and the pure.

Teach us to open our arms wide
like you do
to pour out this great gift of love,
your salvation,
your care
upon all the sin-sick and weary
so that they too may know
the transforming fire of your touch.

Amen.


Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Praise and Thanksgiving, scripture

Prayer of Thanks

O Lord!

I praise your name,
you who knowing us for what we are,
you who knowing how much we fail,
how much we hate,
how willing we are to hurt,
still chose to be Emmanuel,
God with us,
who chose to dress yourself in human flesh.

O Lord,
you who knows the taste of dust in the heat of summer,
the feeling of loss at the passing of a parent,
the grief of those you love,
the bitterness of betrayal,
the horrors of torture,
hunger,
how the cold of winter creeps into your flesh,
rejection.

You know, you experienced,
yet you still chose to die
that we might live.

We will never be worthy
of what you have given,
but thank you for loving us enough
that you gave it any way.

Amen.

Susan E. Stone, 2004

Labels: Praise and Thanksgiving

Praise

Dear God,
O the glory in your goodness,
You who touch my heart with that indescrible joy
that comes unbidden,
even when times seem tough
and joy seems unreasonable.

Dear God,
O the glory in your loving kindness,
how out of ash and flood and pain,
you bring together
love and healing and hope and peace of mind,
not because we deserve it,
but because of your tender care.

Dear God,
O the glory in your steadfast care,
how much you were willing to sacrifice
to bring us under your wings.

Let me lift up my hands in praise and thanksgiving,
for who is like you, O my Lord?

Susan E. Stone, 2003

Labels: Praise and Thanksgiving