A PRAYER AND A POEM FOR THE ROAD

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May I love this day and all that it brings
The dust, stones or mud beneath my feet
The air I breathe, food I eat, water I drink
May I open my heart to mysteries along the way
Greet fellow pilgrims with welcome and grace
Move lightly and simply through the day

May I give thanks for the Earth, our fragile home
For all my relations who have gone before me
And for all who will follow ... I am not alone

May the spirit and blessing of the One who is love -
Holy One among us, all around us, and within us -
Be with me today, and surround me with love

*

Diane Ransom

A prayer she composed for a pilgrimage in Spain

to the shrine in Compostela on the ancient

Camino de Santiago.

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We are pilgrims on a journey,
We are travelers on the road;
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.

I will weep when you are weeping;
When you laugh I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
'Til we've seen this journey through.

*
Richard Gillard

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A PRAYER FROM THE MONK MERTON

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My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,

And the fact that I think I am following

your will does not mean that I am

actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please

you does in fact please you.

And I hope that I have that desire in all

that I am doing.

And I know that if I do this, you

will lead me by the right road

though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always

though I may seem to be lost

and in the shadow of death, I will

not fear, for you are ever with me

and you will never leave me

to face my perils alone.

thomas merton