PRAYER

“Tender Loving Teacher” - A Voice of the Faithful Mission Prayer for Pope Benedict
by Jack Rakosky

This prayer is a paraphrase of the prologue to the Rule of Saint Benedict appropriate for the mission of Voice of the Faithful. It is also appropriate to the desire of Pope Benedict in his inaugural homily “to listen, together with the whole Church, to the word and the will of the Lord, to be guided by Him, so that He himself will lead the Church at this hour of our history.”

Tender Loving Teacher,
open our ears, our hearts and our minds
as we pray with and for your servant Benedict,
that in all the good works that we undertake
we may be faithful children of God.

Let us exert ourselves now! Scripture speaks to our hearts!
Now is the hour to rise from sleep!
Our eyes open wide to the light from heaven!
Our ears are attentive to the word of God!
Today the Voice of God speaks again and again in our lives!
Let us not harden our hearts to God and the voices of one another.

Today we hear the Voice of the Spirit,
singing in all the gatherings of the People of God.
Let us as children of the Light, run to the Voice of God.
Let us quickly leave the darkness of sin and death behind us.
We seek harmony among the children of God and everlasting life.
Let us cease speaking evil of one another, and follow the path of peace.

Your eyes are upon us! Your ears are attentive to us!
Before we can utter our deepest concerns and anxieties,You will say:
“Ecce, adsum. Behold, I am present!”

---

Phoenix

This poem by Christine Schenk, CSJ was published in the special Poetry section of National Catholic Reporter in 2002.

Paraclete,
consuming grace,
purify
deep soul’d disgrace.

From the ashes
of our shame
forge new hearts
thine own to claim.

Come Spirit
make us new,
bring your peace
’ midst
searing pain.

Drop down thy dew,
thy gentle reign
and
come again.