When I was in college, my Philosophy professor, Dr. Leo Garcia, liked to say this version of Sir Francis Drake's prayer to start our day. It didn't leave that much of an impression at first, but after several sessions, it grew on me.

Last night, a friend of mine got drunk and had a lot to say about me. About how I've lived, and how I've still not fully realized who I could truly be, even if I profess living a life where I truly am happy. That I can still go so much further, be it in my career, in my health, in my relationship with God and even in my relationships with people I love dearly.

Here I was, saying I was really happy with how things are going. Like I just finished a tall house of cards, or a castle of sand, and somebody came by and kicked it all into air.

And then tells me to build my house with bricks, and blocks, my castles on rock and stone.

I post this prayer, as a sort of way of saying "Thanks" to God, for this not-so-pleasant reminder that my life's work remains undone. I still find the task of rebuilding Raph quite daunting. Still, I should do it.


Disturb us, O Lord

when we are too well-pleased with ourselves
when our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little, because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, O Lord

when with the abundance of things we possess,
we have lost our thirst for the water of life
when, having fallen in love with time,
we have ceased to dream of eternity
and in our efforts to build a new earth,
we have allowed our vision of Heaven to grow dim.

Stir us, O Lord

to dare more boldly, to venture into wider seas
where storms show Thy mastery,
where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.

In the name of Him who pushed back the horizons of our hopes
and invited the brave to follow.
Amen.