A Summer Prayer

This prayer by Daniel Berrigan is called "To Saint Peter Claver," and comes from his book, Daniel Berrigan, And the Risen Bread; Selected Poems, 1957–1997 (1998).  From Wikipedia: "Saint Peter Claver (1581–1654), S.J., was a Spanish Jesuit priest and missionary born in Verdú who, due to his life and work, became the patron saint of slaves, the Republic of Colombia and ministry to African Americans."  Berrigan's prayer is directed to the Jesuits, but applies equally well to all of us.

"To Saint Peter Claver"

Heal us Jesuits; the overly content, the malcontent,
the skilled and sere of heart, the secret weepers,
the self-defeated, the defaulters, the proud of place
drinking the empty wind of honor.  Help the workhorses
slow; speed the laggards, give back to routine and rote
their lost soul.
Institution, constitution, order, law—O
kiss the dead awake!
Your Holy Spirit, come!

Note: "sere" means dry or withered.