Two Bedtime Prayers

Dear Lord, I will lay me down in peace and take my rest, for it is thou, Lord, only, that makest me dwell in safety. Amen.

Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit, for thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, thou God of truth. Amen.
(from Traditional St.Augustine Prayer Book).

For The Souls of the Faithful Departed

O Dearest Jesus, whose loving Heart was ever touched by the sorrows of others,have mercy upon the souls of the faithful departed, and grant them a place of refreshing, light and peace whence pain and sorrow and sighing are driven away; and in thy goodness and mercy pardon every sin committed by them in thought,word and deed; thou who art the Resurrection and the Life,and who livest and reignest,world without end. Amen.
(from Traditional St.Augustine's Prayer Book).

On Race and Things

The present Attorney General raised a furor when he labeled millions of decent Godly Americans as cowards for being,in his opinion,reluctant to discuss matters of race. Strange words coming from a man who is the first black Attorney General and was appointed by a President, who is referred to as being the first black President, but is actually the son of a white mother and African father.Strange words coming from an Attorney General, who when employed under President Clinton, lobbied long, hard and successfully to have 16 foreign terrorist murderers pardoned.His sense of morality is obviously a subjective matter to him.
Sadly,this Attorney General belongs to a group of people whose existence depends on denying the facts in order to maintain their self-serving belief that they are victims.
The reality is,is that this country for 45 years has passed legislation year after year to make amends for the gross injustices done to black people.Has this Attorney General chosen to ignore that the current President wouldn't have been elected if white people hadn't voted for him? Truth be known,this person chooses willfully to ignore this fact and others.
No change comes in how we perceive others of different race,culture and nationality until we enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ and our hearts and minds are changed. No amount of rulings and laws can bring about such a change.
May God in His mercy save this country.

God Be In My Head

God be in my head, and in my understanding;
God be in my eyes, and in my looking;
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking;
God be in my heart, and in my thinking;
God be at my end, and at my departing.
(from the Sarum Primer).

For Those Gone Astray

Show me Thy mercy, O Lord, for I am a sheep that is gone astray. O Good Shepherd, seek me out and bring me home again to Thy fold. Deal favourably with me according to Thy good pleasure, that I may dwell in Thine house all the days of my life and praise Thee for ever and ever with them that are there. Amen.
(by Saint Jerome).

Some Things To Consider

"To hope is to risk frustration. Therefore, make up your mind to risk frustration."

"Do not be one of those who, rather than risk failure, never attempt anything."

"It is not that someone else is preventing you from living happily; you yourself do not know what you want. Rather than admit this, you pretend that someone is keeping you from exercising your liberty. Who is this? It is you yourself ?"
(from New Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton).

In Time of War

O God of Love,O King of peace,
Make wars throughout the world to cease;
The wrath of sinful man restrain,
Give peace,O God, give peace again.

Remember,Lord,Thy works of old,
The wonders that our fathers told,
Remember not our sins dark stain,
Give peace, O God,give peace again.

Whom shall we trust but Thee,O Lord?
Where rest but on Thy faithful Word?
None ever call'd on Thee in vain,
Give peace,O God,give peace again.

Where Saints and Angels dwell above,
All hearts are knit in holy love;
O bind us in that heavenly chain,
Give peace,O God,give peace again.
(from Hymns Ancient and Modern).