Tonight I offer special prayers, for my friend Dan, who has a relative dying from Leukemia. I’d also like to pray in Thanksgiving for my dear friend, Joe Patane whose 50th Birthday was today. Some of you might remember Joe from MTV’s The Real World Miami, which was now 25 years ago. Joe was my college roommate and in a weird twist of fate, he was a mac guru in college whose life revolved around Apple products and tech support and I was the media maven who spent days and nights at the radio station (and in Campus Ministry, of course!). In a role reversal, Joe ended up being more known for this reality TV show and I ended up being known for sitting at my mac and creating online ministries.

The closing prayer tonight spoke to me as we hear so much about death lately. May it help us rise to new life.

All-powerful God, keep us united with your Son in his death and burial so that we may rise to new life with him, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. – Amen.

And as we retire, may Christ allow us to rise with him in the morning. And may this song inspire you, not merely by the beautiful music, but also by the creativity it takes to create such inspiration at this time.

Want to pray Night Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours? Check this out.