Prayer For a Lonely Day
Image
"Anything that is incomplete (For example: a shoe without a shoestring, an envelope with an address and no stamp, a blouse without a button, a cup with nothing in it)
"As you begin your prayer, look at the incomplete object. Let it be a sign of how you feel in your loneliness: incomplete, needy, empty, longing for a sense of wholeness in the love of another. You may want to write down your feelings as you look at the object. Continue your prayer time by reading the scripture passages below very slowly and reflectively. Choose one of the three passages and take some time to let the lines and words soak into your lonely spirit.
Scripture
"Father of orphans, defender of widows, such is God in his holy dwelling; God gives the lonely a permanent home. (Ps 68:5-6)
"Listen, the time will come, in fact it has already come, when you will be scattered, each going his own way and leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but be brave; I have conquered the world. (Jn 16:32-33)
"Then Jesus came with them to a small estate called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Stay here while I go over there to pray.' He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him. And sadness came over him, and great distress. Then he said to them, 'My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here and keep awake with me.' And going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed. 'My father,' he said, 'if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it.' He came back to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, 'So you had not the strength to keep awake with me one hour?' (Mt 26:36-41)
Listen to the song
"Jesus the Lord" Roc O'Connor, S.J. (Lord of Light album)
"Unite with Jesus in his loneliness in the Garden. Place yourself there with him. Ask him to tell you about his loneliness. Be still and listen. Then speak to Jesus about your loneliness. Tell him what it feels like. Invite him to be with you in your lonely moments.
"Unite with all the lonely ones of the world. Ask God to bring a gentle presence of love and companionship to the following:
• those who have recently experienced the death of a loved one
• those who do not believe that anyone loves them or that they are loveable
• the orphaned, homeless, widows and widowers, the aged, and those who lie in loneliness in hospitals throughout the world
• those who cannot sleep at night, who lie awake for hours in their loneliness, fears, anxieties, or sadness
• those who feel that they stand alone in misunderstanding, rejection, abandonment, or betrayal
• those who feel alone in their dreams of a world at peace and a world alive with gospel values
Closing Prayer
"Thank you, God of the lonely, for the call to wrestle with loneliness. Help me to not run from it or to give in to it by buying things, withdrawing from others or compensating by eating or drinking too much. I pray that I can be with this feeling of ache and longing for companionship and happiness. God, you have said that you will give the lonely a home. Well, I need a home so much now, a sense of belonging and of being loved, of having a home in the heart of another. Please help me to be aware of how much you love me and how strongly you are a companion to me at all times. Come, visit me with your peace and your love. Come, make your home in me and I will make mine in you. Help me to reach out to others and to go forth from here with hope in my heart."
