Newsbrief: Prayer

A number of people have asked me about the poem that Al Beasley used as the Opening Prayer this past Sunday.


So I thought this might be a nice space to share it with you!


The poem is titled “Prayer” and was written by Spanish poet Gloria Fuertes, translated by John Haines.

Here is the full text:

You are here on earth, our Father,
For I see you in the pine needle, in the blue torso of the worker,
In the small girl who embroiders, with bent shoulder,
mixing the thread on her finger.
Our Father here on earth, in the furrow, in the orchard, in the mine,
In the seaport, in the movie house, in the wine,
in the house of the doctor.
Our Father, here on earth,
Where you have your glory and your hell,
And your limbo in the cafes, where the rich have their cool drink.
Our Father, who sits in school, you are in the groceryman,
And in the man who is hungry, and in the poet---
But never in the usurer.
Our Father, here on earth, reading on the bench in the Prado,
You are the old man feeding breadcrumbs to the birds on the walk.
Our Father, here on earth, in the kiss, in the grain of wheat,
In the hearts of all who are good.
Father who can live anywhere, God who moves into any loneliness, you who quiet our anguish here on earth,
Our Father, yes we see you, and those of us who will see you soon, wherever you are, or there in Heaven.

Yours in the journey, Rev. Brian