A Prayer for the Middle-East

 A Prayer for Peace in a Troubled Land

As offered by one who walks the earth with sand-worn feet, and lifts his eyes to the eternal heavens—
a philosopher of old, a child of the Creator,
bearing wisdom carved by time and fire.

---

O Eternal One,
Maker of the heavens, the stars, and the deep-rooted earth,
Father of Abraham, of Ishmael and Isaac,
of those who call Your name in Hebrew, in Arabic, in silence—

Stretch forth Your hand upon this land
where brother turns against brother,
and the children of promise bleed into the soil of inheritance.

O Lord of Time, who sees the end from the beginning,
teach us again the wisdom of peace.
Let not the cries of the innocent rise to You unanswered.
Let not vengeance pass from father to son
like the shadow of a great mountain that never lifts.

You who breathe life into dust,
breathe gentleness into hearts hardened by generations of sorrow.
Break the bow, shatter the spear,
undo the clever machinery of war.

O God who numbers the hairs of each head,
let no life be counted lightly.
Pour the oil of healing upon Iran and Israel,
these children of Your covenant,
that they may yet sit beneath their own vines and fig trees,
and none shall make them afraid.

Make prophets of their poets,
make builders of their young,
and may Your justice—firm and radiant—walk hand in hand with mercy.

We ask not for triumph of one over the other,
but for the triumph of love over hatred,
of hope over despair,
of Your peace over our pride.

Amen.

Caprice

St. Benedict encouraged us today to curb our own caprice.  We are reminded that...

The phrase “curb our own caprice” calls us to recognize and restrain the impulsive, self-serving tendencies within ourselves—especially those rooted in fleeting desires, whims, or moods. Let’s unpack it more deeply:

1. Caprice: What It Is

The word caprice refers to sudden, unpredictable changes in mood or behavior—an inclination to act on impulse rather than principle or reason. It’s when we:

• make decisions based on fleeting emotions rather than long-term wisdom,

• pursue gratification even when it’s harmful or misaligned with our values,

• or change course erratically, driven by ego or boredom rather than clarity.

Examples of caprice might include:

• abandoning a responsibility for the sake of convenience,

• undermining a relationship because of pride or anger,

• or pursuing novelty over the steady disciplines of love, faith, or service.

2. Curb: The Intentional Restraint

To curb something is not to destroy it but to contain, channel, or discipline it. Curbing our own caprice means:

• pausing before acting, especially when emotions are high,

• weighing consequences with maturity rather than indulging desires,

• and choosing the harder right over the easier wrong.

It’s an act of interior strength—like bridling a spirited horse, not to break it, but to make it purposeful.

3. Spiritual and Moral Dimensions

In religious or moral traditions, curbing caprice often speaks to the path of wisdom, humility, and self-mastery. For instance:

• In Stoicism, it’s the practice of aligning with reason over emotion.

• In Christian spirituality, it’s an act of surrendering the ego to God’s will, putting love above self-gratification.

• In monastic tradition, it’s the daily discipline of stability and obedience, even when the heart is restless or discontent.

4. Why It Matters

Curbing our own caprice matters because:

• Freedom without form becomes chaos—we may think we’re acting freely, but we’re often enslaved to impulse.

• Character is forged not by how we act when it’s easy, but how we choose when it’s hard.

• Communities thrive when individuals choose commitment over caprice, fidelity over fickleness.

Amen and Amen

We are called....

Today, Sister Joan reminds us that we are called to lead, "...we are to birth souls of steel and light...".  We talked recently about random act of kindness, today Sister Joan reminds us that we are to 

...love indiscriminately...to call the the community to the height and depth

and breadth of the spiritual life; to rejoin in our own weaknesses in order

to deal more tenderly with the weaknesses of others; to attend more to the

spiritual than the physical aspects of community life; and to save our own

souls in the process....

 

O God of Unmeasured Mercy, teach us to love without condition or caution—

to open our arms wide, as Christ opened His on the cross, embracing others 

not for what they are or are not, but simply because they are Yours. 

Remind us that silence nourishes, humility strengthens, and the unseen work

of grace shapes the soul more than any labor of the hand.

Let us rejoice in our weaknesses, where Your strength is made perfect.  Teach 

us to cradle the flaws of others tenderly, as we have learned to cradle our own.

Draw our hearts beyond shared meals to the deeper communion of spirit;

prayers said for one another in secret; forgiveness offered before it is asked;

and compassion rising from an understanding heart.

And in all things, may we remember that to love well is to follow You.

Amen.

Once Again

O Eternal One, Light Beyond All Lamps,

The Breath Behind All Prayers

You have spoken across the sands of time 

to Abraham beneath the stars,

to Moses through the fire,

to Mary on angel's wing,

to Muhammad in the hush of a cave. 

 

From the sea of creation flowed the Torah, Gospel, and Qur'an.

Though each stream carved its own bed through time,

all are filled with longing for You, the One from which we all came.

 

Draw us now, O Holy Mystery,

not into sameness but into shared reverence.

Let the Jew embrace the Muslim,

the Christian bless the Sufi,

the doubter walk beside the faithful.

 

Tear down the walls we have built in fear.

Scatter our pride like chaff in the wind.

Teach us that we might see and say:

"I see the Light in you, though you walk a different road."

 

Like the moon’s reflection in many cups,

we each hold only part of Your glory.

Let Your Spirit within us—even now 

crying, longing for the creator—help us understand, remember, 

and imagine that life of perfect unity at the moment of creation.

 

Bring us home, O Lord of Light,

to the shore where no name is needed,

and no lamp is required—

for You will be the sea, the sky, the dawn.

And we, will be One again with you.

 

Amen 

 

A Prayer for Transformation

Inspired by Sister Joan's story of the Hasidim and the disciple...

        A Prayer for Transformation

        O Holy One,
        You who breathed the world into being and whispered wisdom onto the scrolls of old,
        I have walked the paths of your Word,
        I have traced the letters, studied the laws, read the stories with my eyes and lips—
        But now, with trembling heart, I ask:
        Let these sacred words walk through me.

        Let them not remain bound in parchment or memory,
        but arise, living and active, in my bones and breath.
        Let them enter where no scholar’s hand can reach—
        into my intentions, my silences, my shadowed places.

        Unfold within me the compassion of Abraham,
        the courage of Moses,
        the holy yearning of the psalmist.
        Let justice roll through me like a river,
        and justice and mercy dwell within my soul.

        Break open my pride,

        humble me,
        dissolve my illusion of mastery,
        and write your truth upon the tablets of my heart.

        I do not ask for knowledge without love,
        nor wisdom without transformation.
        I long to be read by your Word,
        to be written anew by your Spirit,
        to become, not just a student of your word—
        but its living echo in your world.

        Amen.

The Prolog to the Rule

Dear Friend,

 I was reminded this morning of His Grace to be found in a close reading and reflection on the Prolog to the Rule of Benedict and most particularly, in the words of Sr. Joan Chittister's commentary.  And so I include it here, should you not yet possess it, the Prolog from Sr. Joan's commentary.  I invite you to read it in its entirety, meditatively, and reflectively.  It is rich with His word and truth of practicing His way.

Secondly, if you do not already have a copy of Sr. Joan's Commentary on the Rule of Benedict, I encourage you to seek one out and add it to your library.  It is organized so that you might easily ready it through, 3-times a year.  You will find that it indeed offers insight for the ages.

Love

Peace Prayer 2025

 

The Drazuk Series

To acquire wisdom

Have you every thought about taking care of yourself as an opportunity to acquire wisdom?  What an interesting idea!

Quoting the rabbi, Sr. Joan reminds us today that every day we have gives us another chance to become the real person we are meant to be.

Chapter 36 is devoted to care of the sick.  By now, we have learned that Sr. Joan's commentary on the Rule of Benedict is itself so very rich in wisdom.  Sr. Joan stressing that...

...every bit of kindness, every tender touch we lay upon another in life can heal what might otherwise have died, certainly in them, perhaps even in ourselves.

Most importantly, Sr. Joan asks us just how much of own precious time 

do we spend on those with little time left? 

 

Between the two you will forget to sin

Sr. Joan reminds us that humble work is as sacred and sanctifying as prayer.  Today I am blessed to live in a world surrounded by people devoted to taking care of me.  They open my eyes every day to the sacred.

We are all called to work and pray.  The Sayings of the Jewish Fathers reminds us that 

It is wise to work as well as to study the Torah:

between the two you will forget to sin.

Many of us are beginning to be called to read the scriptures of our faith every day and to serve others.  The Jewish Fathers remind us that if we do both, we are beginning to walk and live the way.  Amen