Giver of Mercy, who releases us to live anew,
Use our resistance to Silence to bring us to acknowledge how often we try to avoid your grace, how often we close ourselves from your love. Gently open us this day, to you and those who dwell in our midst. Bring us to new places of acceptance, letting go of all that is unnecessary. Strengthen us to new flexibility especially as we deal with conflict. Magnify the radical way that kindness works toward peace in places of opposition. Amen.
Creator of Life, who is active in the deep, darkness of the winter earth,
Encircle us with your peace in this silence. Use this frozen season to help us learn to rest in all that is. Bring us to accept and acknowledge the unknown as we begin this New Year. Guide us in full trust toward what cannot yet be seen. Gently break us open to growing in ways we resist, then, use our practice as seeds to engage others so that your Presence is fully realized in quiet spaces of community. Amen.
Gentle One, who is born in the uncluttered places of our lives,
Widen our Advent waiting with silence. Broaden our hearts with peace and patience. Bless those who lead us to your stable. Give us courage to receive the unexpected and foreign gift of your Presence this day and always. Amen.
Messenger of Love, whose whispers often go unnoticed,
Help us to stop and listen for you. Remind us that this gift, of attending to your Presence, allows ourselves to become lighter and more joy-filled. Don’t let busy-ness prevent us from the reality that we truly have all the time we need to be aware what is going on around us, and so recognize the real Presence of your Love. And each time we encounter the fullness of your Love, our voices are transformed to be messengers for your world, to whisper your love to others with simple acts of kindness. Amen.
Light of Dawn, who guides us through this day,
Slow down our pace, calm us with your silent Presence. Often, we travel over the ground too quickly. We forget to attend to the unfolding mystery around us. Remind us once again that renewal comes through forgiveness, discomfort is relieved by compassion, and that faith comes with increasing trust in all that lies beyond ourselves. Amen.
Healing Presence, who delivers us out of the haze of our distractions,
Touch with tenderness any who are separated from you. Teach us to trust the silence which brings us to your accepting love. Brighten our lives through the kindness and beauty existing amongst us, moving us to participate in the recovery of another. Soften our tongues to be those who speak words of your mercy, justice and peace throughout this day. Amen.
Divine Wisdom, who readies us for transformation with waiting, Capture our attention in this silent moment. Refresh us with the peace of your Presence. Relieve us from deadening routines and over commitment. If we cannot answer, “why am I doing this?” then, help us to let it go. Instill in us a new sense of trust and patience for your unfolding plan. When the time is right, bind us with work that gives us freedom. Amen.
Servant of All, whose generous mercy creates unity,
Center us through this moment of silence. Let all else fall away except for an awareness of your Presence. Cleanse us with the purity of your love. Open our hands to surrender the things we grasp. Widen our hearts to release one another from intolerance. Create renewal within our communities through paths of acceptance and trust. Amen.
Heartbeat of Life, whose rhythm is available to those who listen for it,
Settle us into the silence using our breath to turn toward your Presence. Guide us into this day aware of the pulse of life around us. Make us aware of the cadence in our conversations, the tempo in our footsteps and the energy in our movement. Use the music of this day to increase our compassion and mercy. As we hear the Holy, move our whole human family forward in faith. Amen.
for more information on drum circles, please visit http://www.musichealsus.com
Maker of Wonder, who brings beauty even out of disorder,
We begin this day listening for you, soaking in your silent peace. Deliver from our depths a word of mercy to untangle our thoughts. Heighten our sense of trust in all that is. Amidst the full days on our calendars, slow us down to notice the glory of your work within and amongst us. Give us unhurried hearts for the sake of others. Amen.
Janet Salbert 