Dear Jesus,
When I look at my life,
I come to appreciate that I am incomplete.
I see faults, failings, limitations and mistakes.
Growth and maturity have occurred
but are not yet fully realized.
Life is a process.
This journey takes on meaning
in St Augustine’s “… our hearts are restless
until they rest in Thee.”
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
Much of the time we are not aware
of the burdens that people bear in their lives.
Give us a listening ear and an understanding heart.
May we approach others with kindness and compassion.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
I am grateful for all the people
who are willing to help others.
Sometimes I need to listen to others advice
but I’m slow to follow.
Help me to be more attentive.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
We know of Your love and the call to imitate it.
We are also aware of our limitations and faults.
Our response is gradual, step by step,
forward and then back a bit.
Your understanding, compassion and mercy
give us hope as we continue the journey.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
Remembering the lives of saints
helps secure our faith.
Recalling the good people who touched our lives,
the saints with a small s, brings that relationship
to a closer and more intimate tie.
We truly need one another.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
Some people may irritate us more than others.
Being tired or anxious can also
make us susceptible to irritation.
May the healing balm of Your love bring patience,
understanding and forgiveness.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
I’m grateful for a relatively quiet day
when the daily routine is simple with no surprises
and no great difficulties.
A chance for reflection and prayer
comes and ends in a thank you.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
Help us engender and support the faith
that others experience.
Kind words and actions can stifle the chaos
and indifference that mark our world.
Courage and compassion offer hope.
The memory of your life, death and resurrection
is the source of energy for true living.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
Help me to appreciate the contributions of people
who differ from me whether it be by
age, sex, background, culture, work, or religion.
We are all your people, each with their own gifts.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
Please bring healing and strength to all those
forced to leave their home country due to war or persecution.
Call others to come to their aid and show compassion.
Bring peace and justice.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for the events of this past day.
The important ones were responses to others' needs.
Help me to be more sensitive to the situations
of others and to help as I can.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
I need time to be quietly in your presence,
to slough off the daily trivia, to find myself,
to be open, to be accepting, to be welcoming.
In the silence comes the music.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
Sometimes things just don’t go right.
Faulty appliances, mistakes, misunderstandings
and other irritants make me feel anxious and uncertain.
Lord calm me down.
Let me understand the truly important
and put aside the trivial.
Open my heart to cherish your love.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey
Dear Jesus,
I thank You for all the people who have touched my life.
This gratitude goes beyond relationships or categories.
Some encounters were brief and fleeting
yet still meaningful and touching.
Longer-lasting ones may have been more complex and nuanced.
As I bring them to mind, joy and sensitivity emerge and blossom.
Amen.
— By Columban Fr. John Comiskey