LENT WITH TALLIS’ CANON - DAY 12: The Concept Women Lesser Are,

                                            

Here is the Lent - Day 12 prayer verse

The concept women lesser are, 

than men has down the ages barred,

great wisdom,art and intellect 

had they been deemed an equal sex.

 

Refrain

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which can be found HERE

LENT WITH TALLIS’CANON - DAY 11: Food Waste is Something Many Can

                                           

Here is the Lent - Day 11 prayer verse

Food waste is something many can

reduce with just a simple plan

don’t over-order ‘ just in case’.

You’ll help Earth be a safer place

 

Refrain

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which can be found HERE

LENT WITH TALLIS’ CANON - DAY 10: Provoking Fear in Any Way

                                          

Here is the Lent - Day 10 prayer verse

Provoking fear in any way

lets evil have its dreadful sway.

It cannot lead to happiness.

It sours the mind, feeds gnawing stress

 

Refrain

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which can be found HERE

LENT WITH TALLIS’ CANON - DAY 9: Forgiving Others Can Be Hard

                                         

Here is the Lent - Day 9 prayer verse

Forgiving others can be hard,

and working out just where to start

is likely to need time in prayer

to bring sincerity to bear.

 

Refrain

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which can be found HERE

LENT WITH TALLIS’ CANON: DAY 8: I Can Be Pierced By Jealousy

                                        

Here is the Lent - Day 8 prayer verse

I can be pierced by jealousy,

arousing sentiments in me

that skew all reason. Help me then

come to my senses once again.

 

Refrain

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which can be found HERE

LENT WITH TALLIS’ CANON - DAY 7: The Offerings on Varied Screens

                                       

Here is the Lent - Day 7 prayer verse

The offerings on varied screens

can range from holy to obscene.

Poor viewing choice may us attract,

affect our thoughts and steer our acts

Refrain

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which can be found HERE

LENT WITH TALLIS’ CANON - DAY 6: injustice strikes through climate change.

                                      

Here is the Lent - Day 6 prayer verse

Weighing this up might feel quite strange:

injustice strikes through climate change.

So victims need much thought and prayer

with wealth and action brought to bear.

Refrain

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which can be found HERE

LENT WITH TALLIS CANON - DAY 5: Scrolling Around My IT Screen

                                       

Here is the Lent - Day 5 prayer verse

Scrolling around my IT screen

distractions seek to make me dream

of wealth and assets, unconstrained,

so help me Lord to find restraint.

Refrain

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which can be found HERE

LENT WITH TALLIS’ CANON: DAY 4: When Driving I Need Be Aware

                                      

Here is the Lent - Day 4 prayer verse

When driving I need be aware,

my temper can too quickly flare

at those who make the road unsafe:

then wanting to retaliate.

Refrain

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which can be found HERE

LENT with Tallis’ Canon -Day 3: Remind Me When I Plan to Buy

                                     

Here is the Lent - Day 3 prayer verse

Remind me when I plan to buy

it’s needs not wants that I should try,

to focus on and not excess,

which puts our planet under stress.

Refrain

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Father forgive, forgive

Father forgive

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which can be found HERE

LENT with Tallis’ Canon DAY 2: There Can Be Times When I Ignore

 

Here is the Lent - Day 2 prayer verse

There can be times when I ignore

the people on the street; so poor

they have to beg: but I have means

to help, but hardness intervenes.

Refrain

Father, forgive, forgive;

Father, forgive,

Father, forgive, forgive.

Father; forgive ,

Can be sung to Tallis’ Canon with the refrain - see posting for Ash Wednesday which and be found HERE

ASH WEDNESDAY (2026): FORGIVE US LORD WHEN WE BELIEVE.

What will I be doing this Lent? I wondered.

Gradually the idea formed...

Last month, in response to a challenge to write a song or hymn each month for a twelve month period, I wrote ‘Forgive Us Lord, When We Believe’ which will sound odd until seeing the second line. It does, itself  make a challenge every time we say The Lord’s Prayer: the challenge being ‘Do we really believe ‘Your Kingdom come on earth, as in heaven?’

The tune for the song is Tallis’ Canon with its lovely flowing melody. It then has a simple refrain which was developed by Lois Putt, a fellow song writer pursuing the same monthly challenge and generously producing scores and recordings of my songs

From this song which you will find below, came the idea that I will, through this Lent try to write a new verse each day that focuses on 'The ways I might hurt the world, the ways I might hurt my neighbours and the ways I might hurt myself, in the heart and mind of our Creator God. As far as possible, I will try to post these daily, so for those who are kind enough to follow this blog, they will offer a penitential sequence through this Lent which may be helpful.

So here, to start the sequence is ‘Forgive Us Lord’, with a score and a recording by Lois.

Forgive us Lord when we believe

Your Kingdom plans won’t be achieved,

Despite our oft repeated prayer

Of ‘Kingdom come’, both soon and here.

 

Refrain

Father, forgive, forgive;

Father, forgive,

Father, forgive, forgive.

Father; forgive ,

 

Forgive us Lord when we align

With actions greedy or malign

That offer us some selfish gain

Which we accept, and cause you pain

Refrain 

Forgive us Lord when we conspire

With those who through their power aspire

To rise regardless of the cost, 

And lose compassion for the lost

 

Refrain

 

Forgive us Lord when we neglect

To take the actions you’d expect,

And help us ever to be true;

When justice calls, to act like you.

Refrain

You can listen to Lois singing HERE

Prayer for Use when Encountering Artificial Intelligence (AI)

For many, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a mystery and an area to be avoided or treated with suspicion. AI is, however increasing its impact on our lives daily, or even hourly. Whoever operates a computer will be affected by AI whether that is transparent or opaque. AI is increasingly taking over search routines which have become essential to us for all manner of tasks including information gathering, shopping and entertainment. Here is a prayer to help navigate our way amidst what is uncharted territory for most of us.

AI generated (nb) database-centre image

from Pixabay free images

 

Dearest Lord 

You brought us into a world now learning to live with artificial intelligence (AI).

 

For many of us it is a struggle to understand the implications of these systems, so we ask for your help and guidance as to how we might engage with them.

 

Help us to be wise when we encounter any of the ways in which AI might impinge on our lives. If we seek information from AI, help us be alert to the need to fact-check any responses.

 

If looking for guidance, remind us, Lord, that AI is only an electronic system that trawls all the information to be found on the web and delivers it with no discrimination between what is good, neutral or evil. Help us remember AI has no moral compass.

 

If we should become aware of others seeking guidance from AI, give us courage to warn them of the risks and encourage them to seek Biblical and well-qualified human guidance.

 

And dear Lord, help us remember AI is designed to make profits for large corporations, so to treat all that is provided by way of information, images, guidance or distractions, with circumspection and wisdom, and to surround any encounters we might have with prayer.

 

Amen

Parents might like to add a further stanza - such as

Also dear Lord, help us to find reliable information that will build our understanding of how AI is developing, so that we can guide our children towards the AI possibilities that can be helpful to them, and away from those sites and trends that will harm them, particularly psychologically and mentally. Amen

Invitation on a Threshold (Poem for a Church Porch)

Public Domain picture from Pixabay

 Invitation on a Threshold

(Poem for a church porch)

 

You are standing on the threshold of a place

where many, through long ages,

have found peace.

 

Some have come, sad and sorrowful,

or in anguish,

and found comfort.

 

Some have come, simply needing

to draw apart from turmoil

in their own lives,

or from the dissonance of the world,

and felt relief.

 

Some have come to ponder momentous decisions

and have sensed wisdom well-up in them.

 

More have come for indefinable reasons

and left with a sense of calm.

 

To those who long for a few moments stillness,

they are on offer in the tranquility,

that many have sensed,

emanate from prayer-soaked walls

and lovingly-crafted beauty.

 

If you take the next step and pass through this door

you may  be able to share in that peace,

to which you are most welcome. Come!

 

It is the peace of Jesus,

which it is said,

is beyond all understanding.

With My Phone in My Hand.

This re-post about the responsible use of our mobiles was first 

posted in October 2021and rapidly became the most frequently 

viewed item on this blog. It is re-posted now to celebrate 

passing the 500,000 page-views marker with my gratitude to all 

of you who have helped to achieve this encouraging marker. 

Thank You!

Image credit Pixabay free images

Sing or read this, holding your mobile phone - and maybe pray! 

(If you wish to sing - suggested tune: 

Nettleton – American folk song/

'Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing').

With My Phone in My Hand.

In my hand I hold vast knowledge
of God’s awesome universe:
from it I can seek out beauty
or deep darkness, hate and worse.
Focus me, Lord, on the Godly,
help me seek out truth not lies:
give me strength to shun distractions
that cause harm if I'm unwise.

Give me prudence when I’m spending,

help me to resist excess

that results in landfill fodder,

or in debt that brings distress.

Help me never to be spiteful
even when my anger’s raw.

Let me not become beguiled by

evil threads that foment war. 

 

Help me keep in mind the workers

risking life that I might be

well-connected by my touch-screen

to vast networks globally.

Help me question whether justice

flourishes or is suppressed:

see if families of those workers

thrive and grow, or are oppressed.

 

If I’m prone to chase trendsetters

help me, please to recognise,

when I click their lifestyle platforms

they’ll be geared to monetize!

So to deeper sites, Lord, guide me:

sites which help me understand

that great mystery, that great wonder:

You love me - just as I am.

Always remember this last line.

You can listen to this song recorded by the Author by clicking : HERE

(c) Trevor Thorn October 2021.

The piano backing is a YouTube instrumental of ‘Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing posted by Christian Hymns-Music: the link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaKwRu3hIso

You can find a different angle on this same theme on this blog -which can be sung to “Streets of Laredo’. To access this, CLICK HERE “Lord Fill Me With Digital Wisdom'