Day 17
When Steve was teaching ‘Spiritual Formation’ to our older daughters and a few of their friends, he read to them from a book we love called, Prayers from the Ark by Carmen Bernos De Gasztold. It is a collection of prayers/poems written with the voice of the particular animal. It is not a sentimental book, but insightful and beautiful. Carmen was a Benedictine nun in France during WWII. She wrote these poems as prayers after difficult work days. The poems were written in French and later translated by Rumer Godden, a British novelist who spent time with Carmen as she translated.
We read from this collection over and over. I have added some more prayers that the children have identified with at one time or another.
The Prayer of the Ox
Dear God, give me time.
Men are always so driven!
Make them understand I can never hurry.
Give me time to eat.
Give me time to plod.
Give me time to sleep.
Give me time to think.
Amen.
Prayer of the Donkey
O God, who made me to
Trudge along the road
Always,
To carry heavy loads always
And to be beaten
always!
Give me great courage and gentleness.
One day let somebody understand me –
that I may no longer want to weep
because I can never say what
I mean
And they make fun of me.
Let me find a juicy thistle –
And make them give me time to pick it.
And Lord, one day, let me find again
My little brother at the Christmas crib.
Amen
The Prayer of the Elephant
Dear God,
It is I, the elephant.
Your creature,
Who is talking to you.
I am so embarrassed by my great self,
And truly it is not my fault
If I spoil your jungle with my big feet,
Let me be careful and behave wisely,
Always keeping my dignity and poise;
Give me such philosophic thoughts
That I can rejoice everywhere I go
In the lovable oddity of things.
Amen.
The Prayer of the Lark
I am here! O my God.
I am here, I am here!
You draw me away from earth,
And I climb to You
In a passion of shrilling,
To the dot in heaven
Where for an instant, You crucify me.
When will You keep me forever?
Must You always let me fall
Back to the furrow’s dip,
A poor bird of clay?
Oh, at least
Let my exultant nothingness
Soar to the glory of Your mercy,
In the same hope,
Until death.
Amen.