TOWN SQUARE TRAGEDIES

An old legend tells of a village whose inhabitants decided to bring all their woes to the town square and exchange them. On the day appointed, they did indeed pile all their various millstone-like misfortunes together for redistribution.

Then the Mayor called them family-by-family
and person-by-person, one-by-one, to make their new selections from the heap of woe in front of them.

When evening came and all had made their choices,
no woe remained unclaimed: all had returned to their homes, and the square was empty.

In the days that followed, it was discovered
that everyone had chosen to retrieve their own troubles, and life went on as it had before.

Dear God,

Let me graciously accept the problems, worries, aches and pains, difficulties and tragedies which, in Shakespeare's elegant language,
"flesh is heir to."

Let me not complain, no matter what comes
my way, but help me to accept all with patient calm,
in the assurance that You are, as You have promised, always with me, and that I will never be given
a burden which we, You and I together,
cannot handle.

Give me fortitude, I pray you, to deal calmly
with whatever set-backs, losses, illnesses
and other challenges I must face.

Let me never be jealous of the life of another,
which may seem to be less troubled than my own.
Let me wish ill to no person, but wish all well.

Help me to keep constantly in mind that with You, anything is possible, and without You, all is lost. Please stay ever at my side, and hold my hand
in Yours, as I travel the remainder of my earthly journey from the town square, burdened
with my humanity, toward freedom
in Your heavenly kingdom.

Let me pray fervently, generously and continuously for all those who are challenged, and suffering
under burdens which they fear they cannot endure.

I pray, Lord,

for those who are hungry
for those who are homeless
for those just diagnosed with incurable illness
for those struggling in poverty
for those fighting addictions
for those supporting others financially, emotionally
for those who have lost a husband, wife or partner
For those who have lost a child
for those who have lost employment
for those losing their hearing or eyesight
for those neglected by their families
for those who have been unfaithful
for those estranged from their spouses
for those challenged my mental illness
for those living in the midst of war and strife
for those who have suffered injuries in battle
for those born without all their limbs and fingers
for those steeped in hopeless despair
for those who seek but cannot find a life mate
for those with lacking funds to exist in dignity
for those undergoing surgery this hour
for those who will have serious accidents this night
for those estranged from their children
for those estranged from their parents or siblings for those suffering from deep depression
for those who have never known or believed in You
for those who believed, but have lost their faith.

For all others for whom I should pray, dear God,
I pray now. May we all be reconciled to You,
and one day be with You in paradise.

Please accept me as Yours, now and forever,

Amen

 

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