Prayer Life

Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Peter Ryan, University of Connecticut

The following entry won Most Creative Submission, in the Summer 2022 Clarifying Catholicism Theology Essay contest. To view other category winners, click here.

Lyrics:

Prayer Life

“I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”

Movement I

Verse 1

The luster of angels

The beauty in their eyes 

The trust of a mountain

The glory of the skies

You treasure gold

And silver, glimmers true

But I gave the greatest gift

To you

Verse 2

Unknown to princes

Unknown to kings

Unknown to all who think 

It is theirs that power brings

Unmatched, unguarded

Unfair to those who lack

I favor those who trust Me

I Am ever at their back

Prechorus

A gift of roses given back each day

I will never let my faithful turn and walk away

A gift give when you accept, you give right back to Me

A gift that always sets you free

Chorus

Offer up it all

And you won’t pay the price

The smallest price to pray

To repay a sacrifice

Offer up it all

You can’t comprehend

Treasures lie in store

In the end

Verse 3

A demand I will never make

I gave my life for Your sake

I only hope you won’t refuse

Because it’s up to you to choose

You do not waste your time

Humbly on your knee

Each word you speak will help you climb

Perseverance is your key

Prechorus

A gift of roses given back each day

I will never let my faithful turn and walk away

A gift I give when you accept, you give right back to Me

A gift that always sets you free

Chorus

Offer up it all

And you won’t pay the price

The smallest price to pray

To repay a sacrifice

Offer up it all

You can’t comprehend

Treasures lie in store

In the end

Movement II

Verse 1

I see you silently cry

Days fly past, years go by

You can’t help but wonder why

There are times you say that you just want to die

Verse 2

“How can I be a believer with this temptation?”

Assumptions you will make, but you don’t understand your situation

I’ve already carried you through every complication

You have never been alone even in your darkest desolation

Verse 3

You do not know the evil that you face

You do not know how small that it appears up against my grace

You do not know the love I offer you in My embrace

You do not know your value, you do not know your place

Verse 4

I cannot tell you just how much I wish for you to know

It doesn’t matter how hard you run, you won’t know where to go

You cannot run from Me, and if you truly understood

You’d never want to try, if you knew that I Am good

Verse 5

When I formed you in your mother’s womb, I made you as My own,

If you ever asked me for a loaf of bread, I’d never give to you a stone

I’d never hand to you a snake if you asked me for a fish

I made you new and looked at you, and told you, “make a wish!”

Verse 6

And still you do not trust my gifts, no matter how good they are

You prefer to hold them to your heart, as I gaze on from afar

The chance to let me hold your hand is one I freely give

In spite of all you’ve done to me, my heart burns to forgive

[Solo]

Movement III

[Instrumental]

Movement IV

The greatest gift I can give to you

Is the greatest gift you can give to me

You kneel before an altar 

I was nailed to a tree

I do not speak to guilt you

I wish for you to know

That all this time that you’ve suffered

I’ve offered you My control

My strength is yours, and my courage

Wisdom, purity, are your right

They are gifts for you to embrace

For I’m the one Who earned your place

Movement V

Verse 1

While in My hands, always, safely you’ll walk

For I Am with you here to stay

Away from Me, My child, you’ll fall again

For you do not know the way

Verse 2

I called you “child” for you are Mine alone

And I will never let you down

The road will end, and you’ll ascend to Me

I await you with My crown

Verse 3

You’ll walk with angels, up in paradise

My light in you shines brighter than the sun

For in My courts you will be known to all

As “Child of God”, My chosen one

Verse 4

So take My hand, my child, I’ll never let go

There’s no one else your soul can save

I love you so much more than you could believe

Your heart will never know the grave

Why don’t you trust Me?

Please just believe in Me!

You can trust Me

Please just believe in Me!

Movement VI

Give Me all your hurt, My love, and give Me all your fear

Receive My Eucharistic feast and know I’m always here

Partake in My body and My blood, and you will see

I’ll be one with you, My child, and you’ll be one with Me

This is My body, I give freely up for you

Offer yourself back to Me and you’ll see My words are true

Movement VII

Chorus

Offer up it all

And you won’t pay the price

The smallest price to pray

To repay a sacrifice

Offer up it all

You can’t comprehend

Treasures lie in store

In the end

Offer up it all

You don’t know what awaits

There’s nothing more the evil one

Fears and truly hates

A love he never knew

It cuts him like a knife

The second greatest gift I give to you

A prayer life

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