1974: The back page of the last edition
of The Whole Earth Catalogue, which was a sort of hippie bible,
advocating a return to a simpler life style.

Stay hungry. Stay foolish.

Dear Lord, God of the humble, God of the foolish,
God of jesters, God of the hungry,
God of all in need,
Let me heed the admonition from the back page
of the last edition of The Whole Earth Catalogue.

Let me stay hungry always for justice and peace,
for equality, for wisdom, for grace, for goodness,
and for the joys of heaven.

Let me hunger for purity, self-improvement,
sensitivity, graciousness and charity,
and peace throughout the whole earth.

Keep me from gluttony and obesity.

Please keep me foolish like Saint Francis of Assisi
who has been called a "fool for God."
Let me choose simplicity over sophistication.
Francis gave up his cloak and his comfort
for a stranger.

Please let me not be inordinately attached
to worldly goods and distractions.
Let my fool's heart be simple, open, humble, kind,
and devoted to Your love and Your service
and to the people of God and to all humanity.

Let me hunger for justice, for equality,
for food for the world, for a life of sanctity
and service to the world.

Let privilege and sophistication
not blind me to the nobility and worth
of the least of Your creatures
and every last person on planet earth.

Let me see Your face in the hungriest
and the most foolish among us.

All this I pray to you, my Lord,

Amen

 

(c) 2011 Donn B. Murphy