Renewing Power, who brings all things into being,
Gather us toward you in this silent pause and ready our souls for this day. Cleanse us by your loving Presence. Strengthen us to enter into the unknown. Remind us that there is nothing in this world better than being claimed by Love. Use us in this growing season. Scatter our spoken words like seeds for generating compassion toward one another. Make us mindful that our deeds reveal our hope and commitment. Amen.
Wilderness Guide, whose journey invites us to unknown territory,
Use this silence to expose our resistance toward you, help us surrender our self-satisfaction. Soften our sharp edges. Make real the work of your love and mercy. Shape in us a new willingness to travel the path of humility. Bring the cross we wear on our heads this day, into our hearts. Amen.
Source of Brightness, who illuminates the earth in every season,
In the hushed silence of this snowfall, we attend to your Presence. Like the creatures of the wood, you turn us inward in preparation for the work ahead. Help us to move slowly through this day, taking our time to notice the details we thought were insignificant. Foster patience in facing our difficulties, deepening our experience in the sufficiency of your grace. As we yearn for peace amongst peoples, fill us with yours. Amen.
Breath of Life, who is restoring all of creation,
In the midst of these endless winter days, free us of fear, help us to face our guilt and grant us your mercy so that our bodies and souls are readied to join in the transformation of the earth. Open us with each breath we take, further washing away any cynicism or mistrust. Stretch our bodies in ways that hold our communal life together. Remind us that faith is not simply a spiritual exercise but a physical experience. Prepare us for a future where your Presence is fully revealed in all of creation. Amen.
Author of Our Story, who invites us into deep mystery,
As this night falls and a stillness fills the air, we remember how often we are interrupted by storms, fearful and frustrated. Guide us gently into this space of slowing, this time of darkness. As we connect more closely to your Presence, diminish the distance we keep from others. Build in our hearts, fires where others can come to gather for warmth. Give us opportunities to bring hope to neighbors, working alongside one another to clear away paths that are impassable. Persist in us until all paths to wholeness are open. Amen.
Builder of Bridges, who carries us across the span of each day,
Enliven us anew with our silent breathing. Use this moment to connect us with the power of your loving Presence. Give us wisdom to wait on the threshold of choices we make today. With what we cannot see, hold us in the pattern of your truth. Bring us alongside others who share our hopes. And when the day is over, realize in us that faith alone brings us across each divide. Amen.
Unifying Creator, who knits soma and spirit into one strand,
Wrapped in the warmth of your Presence, we begin to take notice of the way you weave the threads of our days into colorful patterns. Even the frayed and foolish hours are not wasted but eventually lend resilience and increase our capacity to forgive. Widen our hope and lengthen our imagination. Weave the work of this day into a blanket of blessing for others. Amen.
Divine Light, whose constancy fills our days,
Saturate us with your peace. Help us to linger in your Presence during the course of this day. As we recognize the calamities around us and conflicts within us, steady our souls with reason. Shine the possibility of your benefit as we move through each difficulty. Bring us to experience the bright energy of your love, making way and encouraging our faith. Amen.
Living One, who extends mercy far beyond our perception,
Encircle us in the strength of your Love. Cradle us within the safety of your silent arms. Whisper deep truths into our hearts increasing our understanding and refreshing our imagination. Use our dependence on You to confront what we thought impossible, finding instead the reality of your Presence and reconciling peace. Amen.
Giver of Goodness, who refreshes our lives with grace and mercy,
Steady our souls in this stillness. With each morning dawn your Presence enfolds us in layers of loving-kindness and the chill of our separation is replaced with the warmth of assurance. Fill us with compassion and increase our courage to take down the walls that keep others frozen and left out. Open the doors that make our true dwelling place in you. Amen.
Janet Salbert 