Читать книгу The Woman's Book of Prayer - Becca Anderson - Страница 23
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A Prayer for Women Leaders around the World
Praise to you, women leaders of the seven continents,
for your many works of justice.
Praise to you, women leaders of Asia,
for confronting trafficking of women.
Praise to you, women leaders of Africa,
for raising your voices to stop AIDS.
Praise to you, women leaders of Europe, for your peacekeeping.
Praise to you, women leaders of North America,
for confronting economic inequities and racism.
Praise to you, women leaders of South America,
for struggling against US domination of your land.
Praise to you, women leaders in Antarctica,
for your scientific research.
Praise to you, women leaders of Australia,
for supporting indigenous cultures.
—Diann Neu
74
If Not Now: A Prayer for Women
Who would have strength to stand, truth to power,
a tightrope walk against the wind, with no net below
except for the hand of God? Who would walk the road
less traveled, the one of
rocky crags and razor wire?
That curves into a perilous wood, and
still look up with hope? Who would sing the song
of dissonance when it is easier—far easier!—
to slip into the stream and be carried by its current?
Who would dare to demand justice,
show mercy, offer comfort, shout defiantly—
who would love in the face of hate?
Puah stood, and Shifra by her side, choosing life
and the cry of babes over one man’s harsh decree.
And Miriam, the one of timbrel and drum,
she danced across a river and sang a song
of freedom’s call. Who will stand now, if not for me?
Who will rise now and march now and sing a song
of freedom’s call now? Who, if not for me?
Once more, and yet again, if not now, when?
—Stacey Zisook Robinson
75
Freedom
So free am I, so gloriously free
Free from three petty things—
From mortar, from pestle, and from my twisted lord,
Freed from rebirth and death I am,
And all that has held me down is hurled away.
—Mutta, Sixth Century Buddhist Poet
76
Women of Colour
our backs
tell stories
no books have
the spine to
carry
—rupi kaur
77
Not Only Our Daughters
God of Our Mothers and Fathers: We pray for a world where not only our daughters can go to school but where all daughters can get an education. And we pray for a world where not only our daughters have the right to determine what happens to their bodies but where all daughters have self-determination. We pray for a world where not only our daughters are protected from harassment and violence but where no one’s daughter is subjected to these things. And we pray for a world where not only our daughters are brought up to believe that they can pursue any career they wish but where all daughters are taught to believe this. We pray for a world where not only our daughters can dress according to their standard of what is appropriate but where everyone’s daughter can do so. And we pray for a world where not only our daughters can have the basic freedom to drive a car and travel independently but where these things are recognized as fundamental rights for all human beings. We pray for a world where not only our daughters will be valued for logic more than looks, but where everyone’s daughter will be valued this way. And we pray for a world where not only our daughters but everyone’s daughter will have the right to vote and the chance to serve in public office. We pray for a world where not only our daughters but all daughters will have an equal voice, earn equal pay, and experience equal rights. And we pray that not only our daughters but everyone’s daughter will be treated with dignity, civility, and respect. May this be our blessing, their blessing, and everyone’s blessing. As men and women together let us say: Amen.
—Rabbi Wirschafter
78
The Wisdom of Deep Listening
Our Aboriginal culture has taught us to be still and to wait.
We do not try to hurry things up.
We let them follow their natural course—like the seasons.
We watch the moon in each of its phases.
We wait for the rain to fill our rivers and water the thirsty earth…
We wait on God, too.
His time is the right time.
We wait for him to make his Word clear to us.
We don’t worry.
We know that in time and in the spirit of dadirri
(that deep listening and quiet stillness)
his way will be clear.
—Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann,
Aboriginal Artist & Teacher
79
Plea for Intercession
O St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong,
so prompt before the Throne of God,
I place in you all my interests and desires.
O St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession
and obtain for me from your Divine Son
all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, Our Lord;
so that having engaged here below your Heavenly power
I may offer my Thanksgiving and Homage
to the most Loving of Fathers.
O St. Joseph, I never weary [of] contemplating you
and Jesus asleep in your arms.
I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart.
Press him in my name and kiss His fine Head for me,
and ask Him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath.
St. Joseph, Patron of departing souls,
pray for us.
Amen.
—Prayer to St. Joseph, 100 AD
80
Love and Friendship toward All Beings
O Lord! Make myself such that I may have love for all beings,
Joy in the meritorious, unstinted sympathy for the distressed,
And tolerance towards the perversely inclined.
O Lord! May my soul always find fulfillment, in friendship and love towards all beings,
In all the virtuous, in compassion toward all suffering creatures,
And in remaining neutral towards those hostile to me.
This is my prayer.
—Ancient Jain Blessing
81
Universal World Entreaty
Beloved, Inmost Heart of every heart,
do not Let our human hearts be broken
by our merely mortal suffering here—
but Make our mortal human hearts break Free
to an unconditional love of You,
that we may Thus love all living beings
with Love’s own True, and Truly broken, Heart.
—Ruchira Avatar
82
Prayer to Start the Day
O Infinite God, of life, goodness, and generous
love, I dedicate my heart, my life, to you.
Help me to cherish all human life
and do the good you want me to do.
Make me a loving example of your generous love
and a blessing to everyone I see.
May your goodness be fully in us, and in all that we
think and say and do.
—Unknown
83
May I Be a Living Sign of Your Generous Love
O God, may I find and praise your goodness
dwelling within every human being.
May I be a living sign of your generous love
and help everyone to live more intimately with you.
May we respect the evolving nature of all creation
and grow to our fullness of life with you.
Guide our search into our entire human nature, and
into all creation, to know what you want us to do.
—Unity Petition
84
Deeds, Words, and Wishes
O Goddess,
In my deeds,
In my words,
In my wishes,
In my reason,
And in the fulfilling of my desires,
In my sleep,
In my dreams,
In my repose,
In my thoughts,
In my heart and spirit always,
May the blessed Maiden
And the Silver Bough of Faerie dwell,
Oh, in my heart and spirit always,
May the loving Maiden
And the tinkling Silver Bough of Faerie dwell.
—Ancient Irish Prayer
85
Let There Be No Injustice in Our World
O God, we pray for all those in our world
who are suffering from injustice:
For those who are discriminated against
because of their race, color, or religion;
For those imprisoned
for working for the relief of oppression;
For those who are hounded
for speaking the inconvenient truth;
For those tempted to violence
as a cry against overwhelming hardship;
For those deprived of reasonable health and education;
For those suffering from hunger and famine;
For those too weak to help themselves
who have no one else to help them;
For the unemployed who cry out
for work but do not find it.
We pray for anyone of our acquaintance
who is personally affected by injustice.
Forgive us, Lord, if we unwittingly share in the conditions
or in a system that perpetuates injustice.
Show us how we can serve your children
and make your love practical by washing their feet.
—Mother Teresa
86
Our Children Are Our Future and Hold All Our Hopes
O God! Educate these children.
These children are the plants of Thine orchard,
the flowers of Thy meadow,
the roses of Thy garden.
Let Thy rain fall upon them;
let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love.
Let Thy breeze refresh them in order
that they may be trained, grow, and develop,
and appear in the utmost beauty.
Thou art the Giver.
Thou art the Compassionate.
—Baha’i Blessing
87
Compassion for All including Ourselves
O Breathing Life, your Name shines everywhere!
Release a space to plant your Presence here.
Envision your “I Can” now.
Embody your desire in every light and form.
Grow through us this moment’s bread and wisdom.
Untie the knots of failure binding us,
as we release the strands we hold of others’ faults.
Help us not forget our Source,
Yet free us from not being in the Present.
From you arises every Vision, Power, and Song
from gathering to gathering.
Amen.
May our future actions grow from here!
—Crane Dance Collective
88
The Lord’s Prayer, from the Original Aramaic
My Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee.
Thou and Thou alone knowest my needs.
Thou lovest me more than I am able to love Thee.
O Father, grant unto me, Thy servant, all which I cannot ask.
For a cross I dare not ask, nor for consolation;
I dare only to stand in Thy presence.
My heart is open to Thee.
Thou seest my needs of which I myself am unaware.
Behold and lift me up!
In Thy presence I stand,
awed and silenced by Thy will and Thy judgments,
into which my mind cannot penetrate.
To Thee I offer myself as a sacrifice.
No other desire is mine but to fulfill Thy will.
Teach me how to pray.
Do Thyself pray within me.
Amen.
—Jesus Christ
89
May This Beautiful World Never End
אלי, אלי, שלא יגמר לעולם
החול והים
רשרוש של המים
ברק השמים
תפילת האדם
____________________________
My God, My God, I pray that these things never end,
The sand and the sea,
The rustle of the waters,
Lightning of the Heavens,
The prayer of Man.
—Hannah Szenes (a.k.a. Hannah Senesh), World War II Resistance hero
90
Take from My Heart All Anxiety
My God, I am yours for time and eternity.
Teach me to cast myself entirely
into the arms of your loving Providence
with a lively, unlimited confidence in your compassionate,
tender pity.
Grant, O most merciful Redeemer,
That whatever you ordain or permit may be acceptable to me.
Take from my heart all painful anxiety;
let nothing sadden me but sin,
nothing delight me but the hope
of coming to the possession of You
my God and my all,
in your everlasting kingdom.
Amen.
—Suscipe of Catherine McAuley, 1778–1841
