Brendan's Prayer

"SHALL I ABANDON THE COMFORTS & BENEFITS OF MY HOME,
SEEKING THE ISLAND OF PROMISE OUR FATHERS KNEW LONG AGO,
SAIL ON THE FACE OF THE DEEP WHERE NO RICHES OR FAME OR WEAPONS PROTECT YOU, & NOBODY HONORS YOUR NAME?
SHALL I TAKE LEAVE OF MY FRIENDS & MY BEAUTIFUL NATIVE LAND,
TEARS IN MY EYES AS MY KNEES MARK MY FINAL PRAYER IN THE SAND?
KING OF THE MYSTERIES,
WILL YOU SET WATCH OVER ME?
CHRIST OF THE MYSTERIES,
CAN I TRUST YOU ON THE SEA?

CHRIST OF THE HEAVENS,
& CHRIST OF THE RAVENOUS OCEAN WAVE,
I WILL HOLD FAST TO MY COURSE THROUGH THE DANGERS I MUST BRAVE.
KING OF THE MYSTERIES,
ANGELS WILL WATCH OVER ME,
CHRIST OF THE MYSTERIES,
WHEN I TRUST YOU ON THE SEA.

...

Brendans example speaks to us each: Have I the courage to leave the familiar and journey into the unknown? To journey beyond the way I have prayed, the life I have lived, the sensible and the secure? To trust God to take me beyond these familiar shores?

...

I THANK YOU FOR THIS, MY GOD,
I AM A TRAVELER AND STRANGER IN THE WORLD,
LIKE SO MANY OF YOUR PEOPLE BEFORE ME.
THERE IS A SENSE OF ADVENTURE,
OF OPENESS TO POSSIBILITIES,
ABANDONMENT TO GO
AND EXPECTATION OF FULFILLING HIS WILL.

I ACCEPT THE RESPONSIBILITY,
I'LL HEAR AND OBEY,
AND TRUST IT IS YOUR VOICE I HEAR,
THE CALL OF THE SPIRIT,
THE CRY OF THE BIRD OF HEAVEN.

IT IS A YES TO RISKY LIVING...
THE SEA TAKES ME;
WHERE I DO NOT KNOW,
BUT I GLADLY GO.
AND I CAN ONLY TRUST EVERY WORD YOU SAY...
AND OBEY. "