Morning Prayer

Lord,
you come each day to meet me
exactly where I am,
in my anxiety,
in my pain,
in my brokenness,
in my confusion,
in my bewilderment,
in my helplessness,
in my sorrow,
in my fear,
in my turmoil,
in my humanity.

Lord,
you crouch down right beside me
and sit with me
just where I am.
You welcome me,
you accept me,
you embrace me,
you love me
just the way I am.
You bring to me
love, reassurance
and peace.

Lord,
stay with me today
so that I may have the courage
to embrace today
and all that it may bring.
Remind me at all times
that with you by my side
I have nothing to fear.

© Claire Murray

Believe!

At the Christmas Vigil Mass tonight
I sense My God whisper in my ear,
“Claire, believe!

“Believe in the young virgin
who gives birth!
Believe that this tiny, helpless baby
is my precious son!
Believe that I love you so much
that I sent my only son into your world
in poverty and vulnerability
to save you!

“Believe that through this tiny Baby Jesus
your deepest wounds can be healed!
Believe that through the grace
of this tiny Christ child
you will be able to forgive
even the greatest wrongs
done against you!

“Believe in the impossible
and in the improbable!
Believe in this Baby Jesus!”

And as I leave the Christmas Vigil Mass
I have a sense
that My God is right by my side,
desperately keen to help me
in all aspects of my life
if only I will give Him the chance …
… if only I will believe.

© Claire Murray

When Heaven and Earth Meet

This evening I attended our parish carol service
and it was such a privilege to be there.

After we all sang Silent Night
I glanced up at the altar
and spied a miniature Mary and Joseph
kneeling and smiling shyly
on the altar steps.

In that instant
I was filled with a conviction
that these tiny children
were teaching me a vital lesson –
that Christmas is a time
for love, understanding,
peace and goodwill.

Troubles that had had been disturbing me
for some weeks
suddenly seemed trivial,
frivolous.
I felt a weight lift off my shoulders
and I experienced the welcome sense of coming home
after spending some time in a dark place
that had been alien to me.

The Holy Spirit proclaimed
the true message of Christmas
through the Primary One children
of Ballymacward Primary School
and I’m convinced that
in that grace-filled moment
heaven and earth met.

© Claire Murray

Eyes of Love

Lord,
When people I care about
fall out with each other
I often seem to find myself
caught in the middle,
able to see the rights and wrongs,
the blindness and the hurt
on each side.
I find myself wishing
that these people,
who feel so annoyed with each other
and so hurt,
could only get along.

Is that what it’s like for you, Lord?
You look at us through eyes of love
and in your eyes each one of us is a work of art,
a treasure,
someone to be cherished
and deeply loved.
But we so often fail to see each other
through eyes of love
and we often find ourselves
at loggerheads.
Do you feel overwhelmed with sadness
when we fall out among ourselves
yet again?

Lord,
help me not to despair
in my role as peace-maker.
Help me to deal with the stress,
help me not to give up
and help me to remember
to look at each person
through eyes of love.

© Claire Murray