On this Monday, prayer seems difficult to me. It feels as if I need it so much, yet cannot seem to connect with the holy. I need a quiet place, a place of peace and serenity. I need a personal retreat that enables me to touch all that is anxious within me. I need a place that can help me reach into the palpable anxiety just below the surface. I need a place that calls forth my tears so that, without fear, I can let them fall. I need a place that helps me to get to that lump in my throat that lingers with me. At my retreat, I need a person with spiritual insight and wisdom to gently guide me to my emotional and spiritual place of longing.
For many reasons, this kind of retreat is not possible right now, so I carry on. That’s what most of us have to do day in and day out, struggling to touch the holy and falling short of that. And then, on occasion, we are graced with a touch, a word of hope, a friend who understands, a prayer that reaches the heart. Today, I received that prayer from Anne Fraley. It is “a balm for hurting souls,” a word of hope. I hope it lifts your spirit as it has lifted mine.
Blessed One,
who colors our days with the glow of fireflies and the roar of the ocean,
carry us this day on the breath of your love.
Invite us into the nooks and crannies of delight,
where dreams are born and disappointments released.
Tend the bumps we suffer at the hands of the careless and the words of the thoughtless, and soothe the rough patches we inflict on others.
May our prayers resonate with the needs of the world, and our hearts connect to those who hunger for companionship.
May our song bear the imprint of all who seek you, and our chorus be as balm for hurting souls.
In all things, help us to weave the thread of love and light through the worlds in which we move, and raise our voices with joy to proclaim your name.
Amen
Anne Fraley is rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in South Windsor, CT. A life-long dog-lover, she escapes the demands of parish life volunteering for animal rescue groups. She occasionally succeeds at reviving her blog at reverent irreverence. Her prayer today is published at https://revgalblogpals.org/2019/06/24/monday-prayer-214/
God of the Sparrow 🌱 By Kathy Manis Findley 
Amen.
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