A Psalm of New Wineskins

Comfortable and well-worn are my daily paths
whose edges have grown gray
with constant use.

My daily speech is a collection of old words
worn down at the heels
by repeated use.

Anthanan@dreamstimeAnthanan@dreamstimeMy language and deeds, addicted to habit,
prefer the taste of old wine,
the feel of weathered skin.

Come and awaken me, Sprit of the new.

Come and refresh me, Creator of green life.

Come and inspire me, Risen Son,
you who make all things new:
I am too young to be dead,
to be stagnant in spirit.

High are the walls that guard the old,
the tried and secure ways of yesterday
that protect me from the dreaded plague,
the feared heresy of change.

For all change is a danger to the trusted order,
the threadbare traditions that are maintained
by the narrow ruts of rituals.

Yet how can an everlastingly new covenant
retain its freshness and vitality
without injections of the new,
the daring, the untried?

Come, O you who are ever-new,
wrap my heart in new skin,
ever flexible to be reformed by your Spirit.

Set my feet to fresh paths this day:
inspire me to speak original and life-giving words
and to creatively give shape to the new.

Come and teach me how to dance with delight
whenever you send a new melody my way.

From Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim by Ed Hays

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prayer action suggestion:
Experiment with change. Be stretched to new skin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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precisely the psalm of our

precisely the psalm of our Church at this present juncture, to avoid rupture, to rise, to converge, to bring new life in Jesus Christ, the Risen Son, the new skin.

magnificent .. .it was

magnificent .. .it was written for me, I believe

Once again Fr. Ed Hays has

Once again Fr. Ed Hays has touched the marrow of our spiritual beings. How difficult it is to shed what is comfortable yet how necessary for growth.

I pray that the hand that had

I pray that the hand that had made me may help me.

"Come, O you who are ever-new,
wrap my heart in new skin,
ever flexible to be reformed by your Spirit."

St. Ephrem's homilies were in

St. Ephrem's homilies were in verse. Poems like this make me wish that sometimes they still were.

How beautifully refresing.

How beautifully refresing. Your message gives me a new freshness to my day.

Any chance of getting this

Any chance of getting this over to Rome?

Beautiful, this psalm touched

Beautiful, this psalm touched my heart. Thank you Fr. Hayes, I will share this, treasure it, read and re-read it, and pray along with Jack M and so many others that Rome "gets" it.

I think also if Rome doesn't "get" it, these corrupt structures will collapse of their own ineptitude. Just when, who knows? Who could have predicted the fall of the Berlin Wall even 3 years before it happened?

I plan to use this poem as a

I plan to use this poem as a basis for our Advent Contemplative Prayer Group. Much to consider. Thank you!

What can I say about this

What can I say about this one,whether it's a prayer or an inspirational thoughts,you decide yourself.residential mailboxes for sale

How this strikes to the core

How this strikes to the core of the bland response I sometimes bring to life. Thank you for putting to words that feeling...that notice that something is lacking, and turn toward the Spirit for answer and direction.

hello dear, Beautiful, this

hello dear,
Beautiful, this psalm touched my heart really thank you

This is a beautiful prayer.

This is a beautiful prayer. Thank you for sharing.
Edu Backlinks

I hope these sessions will

I hope these sessions will give something good... sometimes I think there's too much talk and not enough actions...

Beautiful, this psalm touched

Beautiful, this psalm touched my heart really thank you

I just found this blog and

I just found this blog and have high hopes for it to continue. Keep up the great work, its hard to find good ones. I have added to my favorites. Thank You.

It was certainly well

It was certainly well written! I'm an essay writer and I was stuck in some kind of writers block until I read what you have written and I was totally inspired by what you have written. Thanks for that and kudos!

Dezvoltare Personala is my

Dezvoltare Personala is my name and I want to congratulate you for this beautiful poem.

Keep up the good work,
Dezvoltare Personala

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