Monday Meditation

Here is a prayer to start your week. Observe some private meditation time where [silence] is indicated.

Wondrous God, nurse in you our world rejoices.
We praise you for the jaw-dropping beauty of existence:
The Mountains, generic snow-capped and eternally reaching up and out;
the endless horizon of a beach,
where more colors of light than we can even perceive
enliven the sky like a masterful painting;
the endlessness of outer space,
which points to your infinite nature;
all these things bless their Creator,
and bless our existence.

[silence]

For the wondrous gift of life,
for the bounty of a communal meal,
for the pleasure of fellowship,
for the satisfaction of work,
for the grace of leisure,
for the security of peace,
for the promise of tomorrow,
we give you, Holy God,
our hearts, our minds, our souls
in humble gratitude.

[silence]

Still, we ask for one more grace, Lord:
Open our shuttered souls
that your gift of love may flow through us,
blessing others on its way.
Too often we receive your kindness and abundance,
only to keep it to ourselves.
Make us the vessels of your communion,
God of Eternity,
rather than bottlenecks where your blessings get stuck.
By your wise guidance,
teach us the way,
so that all people may know your care,
by any of your infinite and eternal names.

[silence]

God of peaceful healing,
we feel your presence,
a communion of our souls,
a dance of calming warmth,
a gentle bath of energetic love.
May the vastness of your love be felt by every child of God around the world—
brother and sister all,
in pain, oppressed, suffering or lost.
We know you are eternal hope,
our God of love,
and through you we find strength.
We pray for closer connection with you Lord,
and through you closer connection to each other,
as we unite in the consciousness of Christ,
who taught us to pray:

Our creator,
who is and is in all being,
honored is your name.

All existence is your dominion,
all activity is your inspiration.

Fill our bellies and our souls today,
and forgive us when we stumble,
as we forgive others,
because we all stumble now and then.

For Yours is the only power,
from which all things flow,
all glorious, forever. Amen.