We Stand Before You

We stand before you, Lord,

out of breath

out of courage

out of hope.

Constantly pulled between

the infinity  of our desires

and the limits of our means,

jostled, torn, irritated, exhausted.

We stand before you, Lord,

finally still, finally available.

Here is our fear of error

in our choice of commitments.

Here is our fear of not doing enough.

Here is the cross of our limitations.

Grant us to do what we should do,

without wanting to do too much, without wanting to do everything,

calmly, simply,

humble in our search

and in our willingness to serve,

Above all help us to find you

at the heart of our commitments,

for the unity of our action,

is you, Lord, a sole love.

You are the source, you toward whom everything converges.

We stand before you, Lord, to « re-gather » ourselves.

              Michel Quoist, Priest and writer (1921-1997)