Prayer Time by Peter Menkin

Thursday, September 21, 2006human, individual and universal, yearns for the peace
and forgiveness that is part of the Christ one gets to
Exploring prayer time, a short poem aboutknow.
approaching the Lord...We want to grasp this eternity, what is there for us
Today I visited Grace Cathedral in San Francisco forwe do grasp through humility and the gift of grace
Evening Prayer. On Thursdays, like today's Eveningthat there is an essential part that is reached. So I
Prayer, the time is a choral Prayer time. Two friendshave written about some of the matter of
went with me, and as usual everyone who has goneexperiencing belief and faith in the Lord Jesus and in
with me has enjoyed the prayer experience, andthe continuing love and faithfulness of God the
certainly the music of the choral group.Father in this poem, making that word "self" broader
In this short poem posted today, the reader will findand hopefully a more imaginative self.
one sense of prayer, for here I outline the selfPrayer Time...by Peter Menkin
approaching the Lord. It is a known issue forThe afternoon comes,
Christians that we are thankful for Christ's life, for hisEach day prayer time:
redeeming mankind. At some point, this becomesBeing with You.
personal to the extent that the inner man, the self,Quiet,
the part of a man or woman who has an essence,Silence my thoughts.
still an observing self made stronger throughIn the presence of God,
succumbing to the knowledge that the persecutedIn Christ,
Christ, the Christ of the Cross is able to evoke for usIn the Spirit
the sense of self that we are sinners. We prayMy self approaches,
through God's grace. In prayer one is received.My self it waits,
The part of the identity of a man or woman that isTo just be.