in your presence – principles day 14

In case anyone wonders, I’ve been reading e e cummings, and this is in part a tribute. The unorthodox typography is based on his – see, for instance, “i carry your heart with me(i carry it in”. This is also inspired by the Third Order booklet of reflections on the Principles, which points out how for Francis the Lord’s Prayer was the starting point and model for our prayer. I’m aware that I have left out ‘Forgive us our sins …’ but hey, fourteen lines is not much to fit in the Our Father and the Prodigal Son.

Principles Day Fourteen – The First Way of Service: Prayer

Tertiaries seek to live in an atmosphere of praise and prayer. We aim to be constantly aware of God’s presence, so that we may indeed pray without ceasing. Our ever-deepening devotion to the indwelling Christ is a source of strength and joy. It is Christ’s love that inspires us to service, and strengthens us for sacrifice.

our father(/mother,gazing down the road)

in(and running out from)heaven,hallowed

be your(blessed and cursed and trampled)name

your kingdom(of foot-washing,robe/ring-giving)come

your will(to bring us prodigal home)be done

on earth( ’s far fields,feeding with the swine)

as in(our angry brother ’s fields,your)heaven 

give us(not pods,not slaughtered calves)today

our daily bread(of life,hand-made,earth-given)

and lead(oh lead)us,(lead us not astray)

not into(sick,grasping)temptation

but deliver us(mother,birth us into light)

from evil( ’s twisted,tangling desecration)

(oh mother/father,kiss us into sight)