The Prayer of Blind Bartimaeus

 Oh God, I cry out loud and shout to you.

I have borne the brunt of society's insults long enough.

Everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong.

My tears seem to have no end.

Have mercy Oh Lord and show yourself strong for my enemies seem to have triumphed long enough.

Do not forsake your servant for I have no one but you.

Show yourself strong and glorify yourself.

Hear my cry for your own name's sake.

Amen

Angela Azumah Alu, Legon

Image from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/147422587780496341/

Meditations on the readings for Sunday 9th September 2018

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

Reading 1, Isaiah 35:4-7, Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
Reading 2, James 2:1-5, Gospel, Mark 7:31-37

Oh God, you say I should not be frightened or fearful and that you are strong to save.

But how do I continue in courage when everything seems against me and I do not know which way to turn?

I cannot seem to hear or speak and I cannot move.

I am closed off and can do nothing.

I trust in your word and I believe all your promises are true.

Yet your blessings seem to have come on everyone but me and my heart is full of grief .

Your word says that you make the blind see and the deaf hear. You make the lame leap for joy and the mute speak. You cause rivers to flow in the desert. 

Come down in the desert of my life and save me.

I seem as one who is dead and can do nothing right.

Save me from this prison and bring me back to life.

Rescue me from the shackles of the enemy.

Open my ears to hear and my mouth to speak.

Open my eyes to see the wonders you have made and loose my limbs to jump for joy at your goodness.

Angela Azumah Alu, 09/09/2018

Image from: https://sacredheartmessenger.com/tag/jesus-the-healer/

Reflections on the healing of the Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:1-20)

Save Lord!

There are times when I get into situations that seem to have no solution.

I feel trapped; and there seems to be no way out.

I feel chained and my loved ones seem unable to help no matter how much they try.

Day and night, I cry out and it almost seems as if there will be no end to this suffering.

Oh God, when will you hear and answer?

There are times when I seem to have prayed about a situation for a loved one.

And yet there seems to be no resolution.

Day and night, I weep over my loved one and almost wonder if God has heard or will ever answer.

Tears are my bed and disgrace seems almost certain.

Oh God, when will you hear and answer?

There are times when an issue seems to persist in my family.

There seems to be a pattern; and though we have prayed, there seems to be no solution.

Day and night, we cry out to the Lord as a family and yet He seems not to hear.

We wonder if we would ever be delivered as a family.

Oh God, when will you hear and answer?

There are times when a circumstance seems endemic in our community.

And we are almost certain that the Lord has forgotten us.

Because He seems not to care though we call out day and night.

He seems deaf to our plea and our community is just in trouble.

Oh God, when will you hear and answer?

Then the Lord Jesus Christ came out of the boat.

He came to meet us in our circumstance, situation; whatever you will call it.

He met the needs and desires of our hearts; He spoke the words and the healing was done.

Then his message was: Go home to your friends,  and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.

He sent us out to be evangelists for Him.

Angela Azumah Alu,

29/1/18

Image from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOL0vOEF4Rg