Prayer of the Week

The Heart of Compassion

By Joyce Rupp

Compassionate God,

your generous presence

is always attuned to hurting ones.

Your listening ear is bent

toward the cries of the wounded.

Your heart of love

fills with tears for the suffering.

Turn my inward eye to see

that I am not alone.

I am part of all of life.

Each one's joy and sorrow

is my joy and sorrow,

and mine is theirs.

May I draw strength

from this inner communion.

May it daily recommit me

to be a compassionate presence

for all who struggle with life's pain.

– From Your Sorrow Is My Sorrow:
Hope and Strength in Times of Suffering
by Joyce Rupp (Crossroad, 1999)

Related Off-site Links:
Hurricane Sandy Aftermath 'Unthinkable,' Death Toll Climbs as Millions Left Without Power – Fox News Latino (October 30, 2012).
Hurricane Sandy a Storm 'Many Have Feared for a Long Time' – Mark Pattison (Catholic News Service via The National Catholic Reporter, October 30, 2012).

See also the previous Wild Reed post:
• Superstorm Sandy: A 'Wake-Up Call' on Climate Change

Image: Associated Press.