sacred gesture
A new autumn day is dawning, as the earth turns around once again to view the majesty of our sun-star. While with each autumn day we lean further away from the rays of its great heat, the sun continues to warm creation as it embraces this season of completion. This fall day holds a great challenge as it calls me to toil for the harvest of justice and peace. Without you, Sacred Source of all energy, what success can I hope for from the work of my hands. So I now enter into holy union with you in a prayer of stillness.
period of silent prayer or meditation
With gratitude for the gift of speech, I add my voice to those of all your children who greet the dawn of this day with prayer and worship of you.
a psalm, spiritual reading or personal prayer
As the hours of daylight shorten, I give thanks that you are a luminous and loving God. You, my God, who are so Light-hearted, make my heart like yours. As a disciple of your son Jesus, may I be a light this day for those who are still in the darkness of night. As the light of the sun-star warms this planet after a nighttime of facing into the icy darkness of space, may I give warmth and light to all I meet. I pause to pray for my daily needs and for the graces necessary for this day:_______. Be mindful as well, O God, of the special needs of:_______.
May I see your holiness in the golden beauty of this day. May I touch with reverence all things, since everything is saturated with the sacred, is a tabernacle of your presence. Broaden the boundaries of my heart that it may encompass more than it did yesterday, as I begin this day one with you.
Blessed are you, O Harvest of my heart,
Sacred Source of all life,
Delight of my days.
sacred gesture
sacred gesture
Another day is ending as I put away the work of this autumn Tuesday. I come before the doors of the holy to seek and knock. Open to me, O God, the mystery of your presence, for I rap with reverence, firm in the faith that you open to all who knock at your door. All about you, Most High, angels swarm and saints are robed in blinding light. While my eyes are blind to this reality, open my heart to the splendor of your luminous presence.
period of silent prayer or meditation
Touch my restless heart which finds silence difficult. Affirm within me the knowledge that you judge prayer only by the heart's hunger to be one in you. One with all your children, I now sing of my love for you.
a psalm, spiritual reading or personal prayer
Blessed are you who have made the entire universe your holy temple, spread out in the autumn evening sky. Sacred are the mountains and valleys, prairies and fields of this planet. Holy are the forests and meadows, the canyons and oceans deep, the cities and villages-all your sacred space. All who dwell upon this planet walk on holy ground, are priestly stewards of your earthly shrine. Aware of that priestly dignity, I now pray for the special needs of all the earth:_______. I pray also for the needs of my family and friends:_______. Pour forth through me the renewing grace of your pardon as, in communion with you, I now forgive all who have injured me.
May all the earth share the peace of my heart as I close my eyes to this day of life and slip into sleep, filled with confidence that I shall wake in the splendor of your presence. Tomorrow as the earth again spins around our sun-star, I shall return to my place of prayer to sing of my love for you. Make of my sleep a prayer of rest in you.
Blessed are you, O Harvest of my heart,
Sacred Source of all life,
Ever-watchful Guardian of my sleep.
sacred gesture
