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
