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By Mary Breiner

It is very hard for me to choose my favorite three prayers.  There are so many wonderful ones out there, and prayer is such a big part of my life.  However, in the spirit of the exercise, I will try.

1. The “Our Father”.  This prayer pretty much covers it all, and since we've all said it from birth, I won't quote it here.  A lot of folks who have had “difficult” fathers have problems with a father imaged God.  Though I did for some time, I finally decided that I like the idea of someday having that wonderful loving father I always wanted.  And, of course, Jesus himself gave us this one, so what's not to like?

2. St. Francis of Assisi's “Canticle of Creation”.  This one because of my love of nature and all God's creatures and creation.  This one also touches the Native American part of me:

O Most High, Almighty, Good Lord God, to thee belong praise, glory, honor and all blessings.

Praised be my Lord God, with all his creatures, and especially our brother sun, who brings us the day and who brings us the light: fair is he, and he shines with a very great splendor. O Lord, he signifies us to thee!

Praised be my Lord for our sister the moon, and for the stars, which he has set clear and lovely in the heavens.

Praised be my Lord for our brother the wind, and for air and clouds, calms and all weather, by which thou upholdest life and all creatures.

Praised be my Lord for our sister water, who is very serviceable to us, and humble and precious and clean.

Praised be my Lord for our brother fire, through whom thou givest us light in the darkness; and he is bright and pleasant and very mighty and strong.

Praised be my Lord for our mother the earth, which doth sustain us and keep us, and brings forth diverse fruits and flowers of many colors, and grass.

Praised be my Lord for all those who pardon one another for love's sake, and who endure weakness and tribulation: blessed are they who peacefully shall endure, for thou, O Most High, wilt give them a crown.

Praised be my Lord for our sister, the death of the body, from which no man escapes.  Woe to him who dies in mortal sin.  Blessed are those who die in thy most holy will, for the second death shall have no power to do them harm.

Praise ye and bless the Lord, and give thanks to him and serve him with great humility.

3. My final choice is a Native American prayer.  I love many of them, but most are too long to print here.  I particularly like the Peace Pipe Prayer, with it's prayers to the four directions and their representative colors (North – White; East – Red; South – Yellow; West – Black), as well as to Mother Earth (green), Father Sky (blue), and finally, to Wakan Tanka, the Great (Holy) Spirit, Creator of all.  I love how so many of these prayers say, “Mitakuye Oyasin” --We are all related and they end with “Hecitu yelo”, meaning “Amen”, (hay chee too yaylo – It is very much so).  I finally chose one from author Kenneth Meadows' book, “Earth Medicine.”  It is entitled, “The Spirit of the Redman”, where I take “Redman” to be the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of the Redman

I am not separate from My Creation

Anymore than your thoughts

Are separate from you.

I am not the Reality behind the world

But the Reality that is in it.

For I am in the world with you

In all your life

Wherever you are

Wherever you go

Wherever you look.

You can see Me in the Moon

And in the Stars

That bring forth light

Out of the darkness.

You can feel Me in the breeze

That kisses your cheek.

You can hear Me in the flowing waters

That refresh and renew.

The tiny seed that grows to a mighty oak

Contains My power

And the bud that blossoms forth in flower

Enfolds My fragrance.

I am with you now

In the ever-changing Present

That is true Eternity.

Closer than the breath

That brings your body life,

Closer than the thought

That springs within the mind

That ignorant men call finite.

Closer than the beat

That keeps your heart in tune.

For I am to be found Nowhere

But where you are.

For I am the One that is All

And can be seen in all.

Anywhere. Everywhere.

And I am the All that is One

In everyone.

So find Me now,

Touch Me now,

And love Me now,

Wherever you are.

Then you will Walk the Earth in Beauty.

HECITU YELO!

I hope you enjoy these. Perhaps, sometime in the future, I will share more of my Native American prayer heritage, and how well it fits with my Catholic one!  Until then, “Mitakuye Oyasin!”

Mary Breiner

Born November of 1960. (I am of Cherokee and Lakota descent) Raised in Kentucky, mostly eastern central. Married in 1983, one son now 23 years old (he is a recent college graduate). I became fully disabled in 1998 due to spinal disease and damage and disease of the central nervous system. I'm confined to a wheelchair now. I became a Catholic while in college in 1981 (feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe).

I spent 25 years in my local parish's CCD program (1982-2007) before retiring as C.R.E. I continue to be involved in my parish as a lector, RCIA leader, and Formation Committee member.

I enjoy painting (water color, acrylic, and oils). I also enjoy many arts and crafts, such as making jewelry and rosaries; Native American dream catchers and mandelas, any many others.

Comments

• Thanks for sharing these Mary. That last one is beautiful!

  Posted on Sep 7th, 2010 at 2:00 PM by Rich Vosler

• Thank you, Mary! The Indian prayer I've never heard before, it is quite beautiful! I very grateful you decided to post it!

  Posted on Sep 8th, 2010 at 2:21 PM by Sheila Zito