Sunday Prayer

I am a part of this parade of life.

How about you?

I’m feeling a bit out of breath.
I have been running–you see
trying to find my little band of brothers and sisters
in the crowded throng.
Last night—I could hardly sleep—
the anticipation beat in my chest
like the flurry of a hummingbird’s wings.
Rest eluded me. Frivolous giggles did not.
And so I have come upon you,
my dear sisters and brothers
(for we are all God’s chosen ones)
and with you I wait.

(How long must we wait? Where is our help? Is there someone somewhere who might save us? Who might save us from ourselves? Come quickly, for the whole of the earth groans in waiting. Give birth now to peace and reconciliation before we destroy our gift in greed and fear.)

Oh!

I see the merry band of travelers just up ahead. Let me run to greet them with a holy kiss. May forgiveness, kindness and love pour gently and easily from my heart.

Listen.

We speak both in a hushed and rapid way;
wanting to quickly get in every word of affection and hope,
but also we do not want to miss a single second
of the pageantry unfolding before our very eyes.

We see the divine in each other. We hear the voice of an angel in the one whose lips brush our ear with sweet words of welcome and celebration.

“Join us my sister. Life is blooming all around us. Love is everywhere and in everyone.”

“See there our brother Jesus. See his hands, his feet, his side. All for love. See there our brother Buddha. Hear his wisdom of compassion. All for love. See our sister Peace Pilgrim. Feel her arms of love wrap around you. All for love. See. Taste. Feel. Walk. Drink deep the living waters.”

Despair has no place here. Imagination and hope abound.

Ahh…Listen…

“Let go of the wrongs done to you, and forgive yourself for not being even your own best vision of who you can be. Choose to be, and you will.”

Ahh…Listen…

“May your vision be healed so that you are no longer blind to all those around you. Let hate not be the lens through which you see your life. Let not the fear of ‘us’ or ‘them’ guide your steps. Walk the way of peace, even as you see your duplicitous reflection in the mirror. (Remember we hate that which most closely resembles our own failings.)”

Ahh…Listen…

“May the lies on your lips cease, and the destructive ones in your heart vanish. Look in the eyes of your Mother, your Father and speak with the wisdom of the ages. Have integrity in all you do. Be the change you desire most deeply to see in this fragile world.”

Ahh…Listen…

“Who were you created to be when the happy accident of your birth happened? Tell us your gifts. Show them off! Invest them in our prosperity. We have enough, for look around there is only abundance when we share. Won’t you share your portion with us too so that none of us will starve?”

Ahh…Listen…

What is it that we hear?

Let the Mother say, “God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
Let the Father say, “God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
Let my sister say, “God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
Let my brother say, “God’s steadfast love endures forever.”
Let all God’s children say, “God’s steadfast love endures forever.”

Let the love in my heart say, “Love endures forever.”

Amen.