REFLECTIONS, POEMS & PRAYERS
A Blessing For The Storm
May Jesus be with you in the storm
not in your boat
but may you be in his boat
A Blessing For The Storm
May the Lord bless you and keep you
May Jesus be with you in the storm
not in your boat
but may you be in his boat
Whether sleeping or awake
Trusting or frightened
Joyful or sorrowing
May you know his presence.
May you hear him speaking to the wind and the waves
Speaking peace and calm wherever you may be
May you know how cherished you are
beloved daughter, beloved son
You are not alone
You are held in his sustaining love
© Dale Gish 2020. All Rights Reserved.
A Coronavirus Prayer
Every time I hear the word ventilator
I will weep with you,
Weary from sorrow,
Heart strained by love
A Coronavirus Prayer
-Written while praying for Ellen who is hospitalized in New York City with COVID-19, and reflecting on John 11
Looking at the world through eyes of compassion
Heart open wide to embrace what is broken
Seeing the beauty, tragedy, hope
Your beloved one is sick
Eyes welling up with tears
streaming down
growing puffy and red
How many days with the fever?
Chest tight, dry cough, struggle to breathe?
Weak, oxygen low
It’s time to admit
To the hospital
To the fear
To the loneliness
To the helplessness
To the desperate need for you
Yes, you wept
Wept with your friends
“See how you love her”
“See how you love him”
Every time I hear the word ventilator
I will weep with you
Weary from sorrow
Heart strained by love
This will be my prayer
Sharing your heart
Tender compassion
© Dale Gish 2020. All Rights Reserved.
This prayer was inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. If you are interested in praying the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius with me starting in September, please contact me.
Rogier van der Weyden -Descent From The Cross
Forgiven
My heart leaps for joy. Miraculous mercy, gratuitous grace, fantastic freedom
I want to forgive everyone. Blessing springs up everywhere.
Lord, I come to you in need of mercy
Your forgiveness
My sin is heavy upon me
A weight I cannot bear
But you see through my sin
and look at me with great compassion and love
And now you speak words of forgiveness to me
Words that release me, unbind me
My heart leaps for joy
Miraculous mercy
Gratuitous grace
Fantastic freedom
I want to forgive everyone
Blessing springs up everywhere
You overwhelm me with your love
There is nothing I can say or do except to love you.
© Dale Gish 2020. All Rights Reserved.
This prayer was inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. If you are interested in praying the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius with me starting in September, please contact me.
Prayer: Spirit of God Come Upon Me
Spirit of God, come upon me
Breath of God, anoint me for good news
That I may join with you
In my poverty
Spirit of God
Come upon me
Breath of God
Anoint me for good news
That I may join with you
In my poverty
As you
Bless the poor
Free the prisoners
Make blind eyes see
Release the burdens of the oppressed
And manifest the jubilee of your kingdom
I can only go where you lead me
Your humble vessel
Filled with your love
Only sustained by you
© Dale Gish 2020. All Rights Reserved.
With Great Delight, Holy Spirit
With great delight, you race through my body
Muscle by muscle, cell by cell
Flutter through heart, sparkle eyes
Captivate ears, filling to fullness
Dancing pinwheels of delight in my soul
With Great Delight
Before I say come, you are already there
But you welcome my invitation
With great anticipation, you flow into me
Into your dwelling place, wonderfully made
The home you designed when you knit me together
When you formed me in my mother’s womb
With great delight, you race through my body
Muscle by muscle, cell by cell
Flutter through heart, sparkle eyes
Captivate ears, filling to fullness
Dancing pinwheels of delight in my soul
Holy fire, igniting love
Blazing embers, dancing flames
Holding hardened places close with gentle comfort
Flow living water, becoming desert streams
Hope springing up, fresh new shoots, rising in my soul
Holy Spirit you find such delight
rejoicing, celebrating, leaping for joy within me
Yes, Spirit
I will join you in this celebration
© Dale Gish 2019. All Rights Reserved.
Prayerful Thoughts from the Ignatian Exercises Part 2
I’ve continued reflecting on the themes and prayers of the Ignatian exercises. There are so many memorable thoughts, so I decided to share some. May God continue to use them.
I’ve continued reflecting on the themes and prayers of the Ignatian exercises. There are so many memorable thoughts, so I decided to share some. May God continue to use them.
© Dale Gish 2019. All Rights Reserved.
These thoughts were inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. If you are interested in praying the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius with me starting in September 2021, please contact me. You can also read more here, or see specifics for the coming year on my flyer.
Poem: God of the Gorge
God of the gorge
Broken rock, wind stripped tree
God of the Gorge
God of the gorge
Broken rock, wind stripped tree
Crashing water, twisting, descending
God of power
Elemental raging
What is flesh to you?
A home, a dwelling
Joy and laughter
Mother, brother, wedding feast
God of the gorge
broken body, whipped, stripped
Descending to darkness
In the lifting up
Rise again, alive again
Come again
Make all joy complete
© Dale Gish 2019. All Rights Reserved.
Prayerful Thoughts from the Ignatian Exercises Part 1
Prayerful thought from the Exercises:
Lord, you have given me everything. All of me is yours.
I’ve been reflecting recently on the themes and prayers of the Ignatian exercises. There are so many memorable thoughts, so I decided to share some.
© Dale Gish 2019. All Rights Reserved.
These thoughts were inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. If you are interested in praying the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius with me starting in September, please contact me.
A Prayer of Adoration
Your love humbled itself, became one of us, and dwelled among us,
Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, Messiah, Lord and Savior
And we know love because of this, that you loved us and gave your life for us.
In love, the Father raised you up, firstborn of the dead.
“Your love, O Lord reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness stretches to the skies.”
You created everything in love. Oh the wonder and beauty that you have made.
Your love humbled itself, became one of us, and dwelled among us,
Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, Messiah, Lord and Savior
And we know love because of this, that you loved us and gave your life for us.
In love, the Father raised you up, firstborn of the dead.
You sent your Spirit, to dwell in your people.
We rejoice in the goodness of your salvation.
You are our good and present Lord, leading us in all your ways,
Offering us the fullness of joy.
Oh Lord, we rejoice in you. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We love you and give ourselves to you.
Amen
© Dale Gish 2019. All Rights Reserved.
Poem: Everything and Nothing
His presence changes everything, and nothing.
But you are held by God, enfolded in the arms of love.
Everything and Nothing
When you hear the Lord say "Do not be afraid for I am with you."
Cling to him as your refuge
When the Lord speaks your name
Let the words sink deep into your soul
When the Lord says you are precious, without price, and so deeply beloved
There find your rest
His presence changes everything
And nothing
But you are held by God
Enfolded in the arms of love
© Dale Gish 2019. All Rights Reserved.
This prayer was inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola. If you are interested in praying the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius with me starting in September, please contact me.