A Prayer For The Day aka Saint R. Joseph's Prayer

not a poem, just a prayer...

Heavenly Father,
As I go about the day you have given me,
Let me remember that
All that I am,
And all that I have,
And all that I know,
And all who fill my day,
Are not burdens, or challenges, or chores, to be endured,
But are your gifts to me.

Teach me, O Lord, that everyone I meet today
Has been put in my path for a reason.
Remind me, O Lord, to look for your face in the faces of others;
To listen for your voice in their voices,
For you work through people
And as I interact with them,
I am interacting with you.

Remove selfishness and resentment from my heart,
Remove pride and disdain from my thoughts,
For when I despise anyone or anything, O God,
I am really despising you,
For you are the Author of all things
And all people are made in your image.
Who am I to despise what you have redeemed?
And how can I despise them, O Lord,
Without despising you who made them,
Without despising the saving Blood of your Son that redeemed them,
And without despising your love and your grace that sustains them?

Heavenly Father,
I trust you to meet all my needs today,
And the only thing I ask from you this day, O Lord,
Is to let me be the answer to somebody’s prayer;
Let me be the miracle that someone is waiting for;
Let your will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven, through me.
Let your Kingdom be established on the earth
By being established in me.
Remind me that unless I forgive,
I can never hope to be forgiven.
Let me experience you today
In the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of your Son,
And teach me to seek protection in your will.

O Lord,
Let all who see me today, see you through me.
Let all who meet me today, meet you through me.
Let all who hear me today, hear you through me.
Let my hands become your hands, O Lord;
Let my eyes become your eyes;
Let my voice become your voice;
Let my words become your words;
Let my actions become your actions.
Let me be blessed by being a blessing to others.
For your Son has taught us, Father,
That we are not judged by the bad things we have done,
But by the good we refuse to do;
We are not condemned by our many sins,
As much as we are condemned by our inaction and apathy.
Inspire me with such love for you, O God,
Inspire me with such love for your Son,
That I am compelled to act
On behalf of those you made in your image�"
For whom your Son redeemed on His cross
And raised to new life at His resurrection.

Always keep me mindful, O Lord,
That it is only by serving others
That I can ever hope to serve you;
Through Jesus Christ my Lord
Amen.