A Prayer for All Saints

The road home, O God, seems long

                and at times is difficult and painful.

Grant me a holy communion, companionship with others,

                as I journey homeward to you.

I live in times of great trial:

                an age of change sits at my door.

Without a community with others

                I can so easily lose the way,

                can be led astray by illusions of holiness,

                misguided by my ego's desires.

Open my eyes to your precious gift

                of the Church's Communion of Saints.

"Saint" is a name I would never call myself,

                but the treasury of my faith

                teaches me about my holy birthright,

                that I am part of the web of sacred communion,

                uniting me with all other home-bound pilgrims

                and with all who now rejoice

                at their homecoming in you.

May I feed this day upon the food

                of this mystic, holy communion

                with those friends and fellow pilgrims

                with whom I share this planet earth,

                as well as those saints now fully one with you.

May this awareness of my companion journey

                with all the saints

                deepen my life of prayer

                and fertilize my faith in you, my Beloved.

By this communion of holy ones

                may I be daily challenged

                to greater compassion and charity

                as I walk the way of the Pilgrim.

-Edward Hays, Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim. 1989,  p. 183.