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Old English Nun's Prayer


osapientia

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Found this hanging on the wall in the guest house at St Scholastica's in Petersham, MA. I think it's lovely and thought I'd share it. Pax!

Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but thou knowest Lord that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing and love of rehearing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others’ pains, but help me to endure them with patience.

I dare not ask for improved memory but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memory of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a Saint – some of them are so hard to live with – but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people. And give me, oh Lord, the grace to tell them so.

Amen


An Old English Nun’s Prayer Author Unknown

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puellapaschalis

[quote name='osapientia' post='1731951' date='Dec 19 2008, 06:31 PM']With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but thou knowest Lord that I want a few friends at the end.[/quote]

:lol_pound:

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[quote name='osapientia' post='1731951' date='Dec 19 2008, 11:31 AM']Found this hanging on the wall in the guest house at St Scholastica's in Petersham, MA. I think it's lovely and thought I'd share it. Pax!

Lord, thou knowest better than I know myself that I am growing older and will someday be old. Keep me from the fatal habit of thinking I must say something on every subject and on every occasion.

Release me from craving to straighten out everybody’s affairs. Make me thoughtful but not moody, helpful but not bossy. With my vast store of wisdom it seems a pity not to use it all, but thou knowest Lord that I want a few friends at the end.

Keep my mind free from the recital of endless details; give me wings to get to the point. Seal my lips on my aches and pains. They are increasing and love of rehearing them is becoming sweeter as the years go by. I dare not ask for grace enough to enjoy the tales of others’ pains, but help me to endure them with patience.

I dare not ask for improved memory but for a growing humility and a lessening cocksureness when my memory seems to clash with the memory of others. Teach me the glorious lesson that occasionally I may be mistaken.

Keep me reasonably sweet; I do not want to be a Saint – some of them are so hard to live with – but a sour old person is one of the crowning works of the devil. Give me the ability to see good things in unexpected places and talents in unexpected people. And give me, oh Lord, the grace to tell them so.

Amen


An Old English Nun’s Prayer Author Unknown[/quote]


LOL! :lol_pound: I need this prayer!

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I do not want to be a Saint – some of them are so hard to live with –



How can someone say to God they do not want to be a saint? I'm just confused over it but then again, I'm easliy confused about many confusing things.



Other than that, love it. Thanks for posting.

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[quote name='Didacus' post='1731988' date='Dec 19 2008, 01:48 PM']I do not want to be a Saint – some of them are so hard to live with –



How can someone say to God they do not want to be a saint? I'm just confused over it but then again, I'm easliy confused about many confusing things.



Other than that, love it. Thanks for posting.[/quote]

For me, I change the capital S to a small one...I guess she (I?) don't want to be a "saint" in the sense of being perfectionistic I've no idea if the writer means the same thing or not. I'd like to be a Saint...but maybe not a saint. Or is that just too much hair splitting??

I guess it could be a similar sentiment to that of St. Teresa of Avila who told mothers not to send her their (alreday) "holy" daughters......"I'll make them nuns" she said. Well maybe the writer wouldn't mind if God made her a Saint but didn't want others or herself to turn her into one prematruely.

I think there's a good reason our Holy Mother Church doesn't name someone a Saint until after their bodily death.

Edited by osapientia
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[quote name='osapientia' post='1732057' date='Dec 19 2008, 03:56 PM']For me, I change the capital S to a small one...I guess she (I?) don't want to be a "saint" in the sense of being perfectionistic I've no idea if the writer means the same thing or not. I'd like to be a Saint...but maybe not a saint. Or is that just too much hair splitting??

I guess it could be a similar sentiment to that of St. Teresa of Avila who told mothers not to send them their "holy" daughters......"I'll make them nuns, she said". Well maybe the writer wouldn't mind if God made her a saint but didn't want others or herself to turn her into one prematruely.[/quote]


You're right, we should look more to the intent of the writer rather than the litterary meaning. I suppose that is a bit too much hairsplitting.

I think I want to be a Saint myself - just not right now.
:weep:
[font="Trebuchet MS"][size=1]I'm only human.[/size][/font]

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[quote name='Didacus' post='1732058' date='Dec 19 2008, 04:00 PM']You're right, we should look more to the intent of the writer rather than the litterary meaning. I suppose that is a bit too much hairsplitting.

I think I want to be a Saint myself - just not right now.
:weep:
[font="Trebuchet MS"][size=1]I'm only human.[/size][/font][/quote]

I think the "right now" is the key. Keep on hoping, you just might be a Saint one day. The Little Flower sure wasn't shy about it. I'm pretty sure she's not the author of that prayer. :lol_roll:

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[quote name='osapientia' post='1732060' date='Dec 19 2008, 04:03 PM']I think the "right now" is the key. Keep on hoping, you just might be a Saint one day. The Little Flower sure wasn't shy about it. I'm pretty sure she's not the author of that prayer. :lol_roll:[/quote]
:D



:saint:

oops...

no yet.



Purgatory can't be a bad place to be right?
:detective:

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[quote name='Didacus' post='1732064' date='Dec 19 2008, 04:10 PM']Purgatory can't be a bad place to be right?
:detective:[/quote]

"We must not make purgatory into a flaming concentration camp on the brink of
hell-or even a 'hell for a short time.' It is blasphemous to think of it as a
place where a petty God exacts the last pound-or ounce-of flesh.... St.Catherine of Genoa, a mystic of the 15th century, wrote that the 'fire' of
purgatory is God's love 'burning' the soul so that, at last, the soul is wholly aflame. It is the pain of wanting to be made totally worthy of One who is seen
as infinitely lovable, the pain of desire for union that is now absolutely assured, but not yet fully tasted"

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[quote name='Didacus' post='1732101' date='Dec 19 2008, 04:36 PM']Osa,

That's awesome!

Thanks for posting.

What's the meaning (if any) behind your screen-name anyways?[/quote]

Puellapaschalis is correct.....the name comes from the first of the O Antiphons....Dec 17th, O Wisdom. :huh:

Edited by osapientia
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The comment about saints being difficult to live with is not unique to this prayer. Saints are, by definition, rather uncompromising individuals, who are going to live out on the extremes of life. Think about what it must have been like to have the room [i]next to[/i] Padre Pio, and hear him getting tossed about all night :lol:

This prayer is written in great humility, and with ample acknowledgement of human weaknesses. Not only does she recognize her own shortcomings (desire to share wisdom and complaints with everyone, and no real interest in hearing others complaints), but she recognizes that not everyone else wants to be put through the ordeal of having a very holy person around to compare themselves to and try to live up to...and put up with. She is not saying she doesn't want to go to heaven; to the contrary, she is not asking God to shower her with extrordinary graces in this life.

Personally, I might want to be a bit less timid in my prayers, and ask God to put me to all manner of tests if that brings me closer to Him. But I am not always thinking of the consequences to others when I think in those terms, so she probably has more real charity for her neighbor than I do. I am too young for this prayer, I think.

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[quote name='MithLuin' post='1733036' date='Dec 21 2008, 03:27 AM']I am too young for this prayer, I think.[/quote]

You may be too young for the prayer....that's your call...and if that's the case the rest of your post shows a wisdom beyond your years.

Pax

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