A Prayer

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those
who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1, NIV)


I FEAR YOUR JUDGMENT, LORD.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AT THE END OF TIME ALL THE FACES OF BROTHERS,
AND ESPECIALLY THOSE OF MY TOWN, MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MY
WORK, WILL BE LINED UP BEFORE ME,
AND IN YOUR MERCILESS LIGHT I SHALL RECOGNIZE IN THESE FACES
THE LINES THAT I HAVE CUT
THE MOUTHS THAT I HAVE TWISTED,
THE EYES THAT I HAVE DARKENED,
AND THOSE WHOSE LIGHT I HAVE EXTINGUISHED.
THEY WILL COME, THOSE THAT I HAVE KNOWN AND THOSE THAT I HAVE
NOT KNOWN, THOSE OF MY TIME AND ALL THOSE THAT HAVE
FOLLOWED, FASHIONED BY THE WORKSHOP OF THE WORLD.

AND I SHALL STAND STILL, TERRIFIED, SILENT.
IT IS THEN, O LORD, THAT YOU WILL SAY TO ME . . .

. . . 'IT WAS I' . . .

LORD, FORGIVE ME FOR THAT FACE WHICH HAS COMDEMNED ME,
LORD, THANK YOU FOR THAT FACE WHICH HAS AWAKENED ME.


[Poem "That face, Lord, Haunts Me" excerpt by Michael Quoist Prayers]