A Lenten prayer

Sharon Jose

Lord
Bring me patience in times of need.
When all I feel is anger
At cruelty, lies, corruption and falsehood,
When fear strikes hard in my heart,
When others pierce me with their spears,
When I am unable to see,
When I use the eyes you gave me
In hurtful ways,
When I use the tongue you gave me
In spiteful ways,
When I use the ears you gave me
To pass on messages of fear,
When I use the nose you gave me
In nondescript ways,
When I use the feeling you gave me
In harmful ways.

Lord,
I ask you to change my ways
Through loving words and actions,
So as not to change myself from whom I am
But to unchain my heart
And to open my mind
To find the Other inside of me.
I only ask this of you
In your living name, O Lord.

Amen