<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the name of the Father<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of the Son<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of the Holy Spirit<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Am\u00e9n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A simple prayer, the shortest one I know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I pray it when I\u00b4m tired or sad,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or desolate or all dried up<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of anything more to say to God,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Knowing with a deep longing<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That I still need Him in my life,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the desert of that moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Placing my hand on my forehead,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I paint the vertical beam of the cross<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drawing my hand down to my chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The horizontal beam I paint<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Across my shoulders left to right,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And I wear the invisible cross<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Upon my being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The simple sign of my faith<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I paint upon myself repeatedly<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As often as I need to feel blessed<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With this humble invitation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of the Holy Trinity into my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The name, remains a secret mystery<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Revealed to Moses as an<\/p>\n\n\n\n
unpronounceable<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jumble of consonants YHWH.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God, You are who You are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Father, that glowing presence<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of strength in me, who comes at night<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And directs my heart<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Powerful to do anything as He wills<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To take my hand and walk me<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the crest of his creation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And display the magnificence <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of all things visible and invisible<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the grandeur of the Universe<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And the smallness of my heart,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That perfect imperfection of His handiwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the throne He sits upon in Heaven<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That place of eternal life<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That hugs us as we sit in peace<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the presence of the Blessed Trinity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Son, the One and only Son<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of You the Father<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Begotten from Your being and of Your being<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And One with the substance of Your being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God from God, Light from Light,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u00b4s a lifetime\u00b4s story about Jesus the Son<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The miracle of his birth, death and resurrection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And He has come again, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Forever present in the living Eucharist, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Echoing the humility of his birth in a manger<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As He descends into a tiny crumb of bread <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Offered up on the altar<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each time the mass is celebrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I know that He is there in glory<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And His kingdom will have no end.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Holy Spirit, is the giver of my life, all life, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the breeze is blown into the body<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the second, minute, hour, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Designated by the Lord, My Father<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To the very moment of my birth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the name of the Father<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of the Son<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of the Holy Spirit<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the mystery of the Blessed Trinity<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That I paint across my chest<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each time I pray, that moment<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I admit I\u00b4m nothing without<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The presence of the Blessed Trinity<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I humbly invite the Father, Son and Holy Spirit<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Into my heart and soul<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To reside a while and stay with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Amen – The final affirmation<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And acceptance of the very symbol,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which represents my faith:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sign of the cross<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I paint across my chest<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the name of the Father<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of the Son<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And of the Holy Spirit<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Am\u00e9n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n