Opening Prayer

O Lord, gather me now to be with you as you are with me.  Soothe my tiredness; quiet my fretfulness; curb my aimlessness; relieve my compulsiveness. O Lord, as I reflect on your Passion and Death, let something essential happen to me, something more than interesting or entertaining or thoughtful.  Something awesome, something real.  Let these meditations change me, Lord, somewhere inside where it matters.  Release me from my fears, expectations and opinions that I so tightly grip so that I may be open to receiving what you have to give me.  Help me to risk it all for You.  O Lord, gather me now to be with you as you are with me.