The following prayer is from a pamphlet published by The Christophers, a New York City-based inspirational group that was founded in 1949 by Father James Keller (1900-1977), a Roman Catholic priest, who was the son of an Irish immigrant father. According to a Wikipedia article, "The Christophers preach a doctrine of religious tolerance and intend their publications to be generally relevant to those of all faiths."
Their motto is "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness." The motto, states Wikipedia, "reflects the philosophical orientation of the organization, which emphasizes positive action to create a better world in such various arenas as political honesty, caring for the sick and poor, and dealing with substance abuse." The origin of the motto, notes Wiktionary, is a proverb (possibly Chinese) and means that "in the face of hopelessness and discontent, it is more worthwhile to do some good, however small, in response, than to complain about the situation."
"Writing is a lonely business, Lord.
A Writer sits at a typewriter [,computer,] or with pen in hand--
and often the page remains blank.
Touch their fingertips
and jog their brains
with a spark of your creative power.
Gently direct them
to communicate more for truth than profit
to give us the highest aspirations
of the human spirit
while not flinching from our tragic flaws.
Help them
to share with us
moments of adventure
instants of joy
hours of reflection.
Don't let them down, Lord.
Or let them disappoint You.
In print, or on the stage, or on the airwaves
their words shape our very lives, images, or distortions of the
Word that was 'in the beginning.'
Amen."
