A New Year's Prayer

In May I Have this Dance?, Joyce Rupp, the prolific and profound Catholic writer and teacher, shares a New Year's Prayer which contains the response: "God, surprise us again." This devotional request opens our hearts and minds to the essentials.

"Response: God, surprise us again.
When we miss the beauty and the joy of earth's goodness. . .
When we grow too accustomed to life's busyness. . .
When the goodness of others gets lost in the rush. . .
When our frailty outruns our strength. . .
When the hope in our heart fades away. . .
When the call to serve others loses its flavor. . .
When we search for the way home to you. . .
When loneliness pursues us. . .
When it seems the darkness will never give way to the light. . .
When the ache of the world wears our compassion thin. . .
When the troubles of others seem more than we can carry. . .
When even you seem far away from us. . .
Response: Walk closely with us, God.
As we strive to live our lives well. . .
As we enjoy the treasures we've found in the field of faith. . .
As we continue to surrender ourselves to you. . .
As we journey into the unknown territory of a new year. . .
As we hurt in the process of loving our enemies. . .
As we learn to accept our weaknesses and our strengths. . .
As we open our hearts to the messengers you send to us. . .
As we stay faithful to our relationship with you. . .
As we give ourselves to the poor and the powerless. . .
As we keep searching for the truth. . .
As we try to live in the heart of the scriptures. . .
As we accept your constant love for us. . ."

Great Spirit of Surprise

"O Great Spirit of Surprise,
dazzle us with a day full of amazing embraces,
capricious, uncalculated caring,
great hearts, kind souls, and doers of good deeds."
Molly Fumia in A Forgiving Heart by Lyn Klug, editor