Write a Prayer-a-Day Project

Let us search, today, for deeper understanding of one another, and for more authentic conversation.  May it be rich in sincerity and expansive in topic.  We spend our lives forming our opinions, only to exert far too much energy defending them.  The mistake we make is in believing that our’s is the only opinion of merit.  Our beliefs are like our children: we have trouble finding fault in them in spite of how they might behave.  This practice, in the extreme, is only divisive,  and leads to injustice, oppression, and war.  May we, this day, seek to hear each other truly, recognizing that their opinions and beliefs hold as much validity for them as ours do for us.  For compassionate hearts and open minds we give thanks.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

May today be a naming day:

May we name our sorrows, that we might heal them.

May we name our disappointments, that we might own them.

May we name our shortcomings, that we might overcome them.

May we name our joys, that we might share them.

May we name our fears, that we might disarm them.

May we name our longings, that we might achieve them.

May we name our trespasses, that we might atone them.

May we name our trespassers, that we might forgive them.

May we name our lives, that we live into their fullness.

For all that we name, we give the name gratitude, and practice it.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

A prayer for all mothers, for being a mother is not an easy thing.  A mother cares beyond belief.  A mother nurtures in spite of her own pain.  A mother encourages without doubt.  And yet, there are times when we find ourselves challenged in ways our mothers could never have imagined, regardless of their best efforts.  Mothers are challenged by their children, who think they no longer need their mothers.  We are confronted by our mothers to face ourselves in sometimes brutally honest ways.  It is a complicated relationship, and yet so basic.  May we recognize today the effort, love, compassion and heartache our mothers have sacrificed for us.  And may mothers recognize that children of all ages struggle, and will push-back; not out of contempt for their mother’s efforts, but because they are becoming their own true selves.  And that is testimony to the quality of having been mothered.  For our mothers we are forever grateful.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

Today is a good day to encourage each other.  It is a good day to be mindful that the world does not revolve around us individually.  It is a good day to practice self-kindness and self-care.  It is a good day to go outside.  It is a good day to marvel at the grass growing.  It is a good day to tell our families that we love them.  Today is a good day to say an affirmation.  It is a good day to contemplate, to meditate.  It is a good day to count our blessings.

Today is a good day.

For this day we are grateful.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

May today delight us with discovery.  Perhaps it will come dressed as a new friend.  Maybe it will be the discovery of a new favorite restaurant, or a movie.  Or it may be a personal discovery, learning (or re-learning) some deep truth about ourselves.  Life should be a constant journey of enlightenment: mystery surrounds us and embodies us.  When we are engaged in our living experience, we can not avoid being amazed, moved, startled and humbled.  In fact, this engagement is the very spark and energy of our lives.  To cease to discover is to cease to be.  So, may this day delight us with discovery, startle us with wonder, and humble us with beauty, that we may be fully alive.  For the search for truth and meaning we give thanks.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

Yesterday we began; today we continue.

Yesterday we cried; today we smile.

Yesterday we loved; today we love again.

Yesterday we hurt; today we heal.

Yesterday we were afraid; today we are brave.

Yesterday we were ashamed; today we are humble.

Yesterday all our troubles seemed so far away…

Yesterday we smiled; today we laugh.

Today is merely a continuation of yesterday, and tomorrow.

For our many days we are grateful.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

May this day unfold in splendor and magnificence.  May we discover blessings anew.  May our actions be thoughtful and rooted in our values.  May we walk in reverence and delight in the ordinary miracles that surround us.  Let us seek to give aid and comfort where we find need.  Let us be dutiful and diligent in our industry.  Let us ever look inward that we may recognize our authentic selves.  Let us look outward that we will see each other as worthy.  Each day will be a new challenge, yet if we practice thus, and succeed even a little, we move closer to living our days in a state of grace.  For small steps and large ambition, we give thanks.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

In prayer, it is tempting to petition for our desires, whether they be material, psychological, metaphysical or spiritual.  This, however, is not the purpose of prayer.  We pray to remind ourselves of the spiritual path we follow.  We pray to remain mindful in our daily living.  We pray to remind ourselves that there is a great mystery, of which we are a part.  We live in a complex world, with many demands and distractions.  These are not bad things – they just are things, constructs of our existence.  They hold as much importance as we give to them.  Prayer helps us keep them in considered balance, reminding us that we can choose where to assign our reverence, for revere we will.  Our prayer today: that we may continue our practice of prayer, grounding us and guiding us in our journey towards wholeness.  We are mightily thankful for prayer.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

May this day bring comfort and relief to our parents.  They have accomplished much, not the least of which is Us.  They have not always been perfect, but then again, neither have we.  They have sacrificed, worked hard, and have dedicated their lives.  The time has come for them to know peace, contentment, and security.  May we set aside any resentment we may hold, and recognize them for the fragile, beautiful creatures they are, animated with the divine spark of life.  Aging is not always dignified: may we protect what dignity they have left.  May we surround them with love, and help them ready for their next transition, whatever it may be.  For our mothers and fathers, we give thanks.  Blessed Be, and Amen.

May we, this day, take stock of the value of our contributions to the world.  Let us not sell ourselves short for our industry and our talents; let us also maintain a generosity of heart and spirit.  Worldly wealth will only go so far; riches of the spirit will last a lifetime and beyond.  The balance between those two realities is tenuous, and requires our attention, lest we tip and fall.  May we always be mindful that our time is valuable, for it is all we have.  May we invest it well, that our responsibilities are met, yet our values are upheld.  May we feel our time has been well-spent, and not devalued, paying in dividends both material and divine.  For the precious commodity of time we give thanks.  Blessed Be, and Amen.