sacred gesture
O Sacred Source of sleep, Creator of night stars and oceans deep, I arise to this new day to sing of my love for you. Glorious is the light of our daystar, the sun, full of life and heat. As this summer day is sun-kissed into awakening, I seek to live it fully awake. I enter now into sacred silence, one with all who live in your light.
period of silent prayer or meditation
My ears ring with the songs of silence, as the melodies of this summer day counterpoint that ancient silent song of the universe. To all the sounds of this new day, I add my voice as I pray.
a psalm, spiritual reading or personal prayer
How easily, my God, come the words of my prayer. Pour forth your Spirit, the fire of your heart, into each of them so that they may express your Word, as I strive this day to put flesh upon the prayer I sing to you.
I know you will give me all I need for the success of the labors of this day and for the work of my sacred journey to you. But your son Jesus told us to pray for our daily needs, so I place before you these Thursday intentions:_______.
Whatever this summer day holds for me, may I find, among its many events, signs to confirm and direct me in my primary vocation of pilgrimhood. May I be eager to assist my sister and brother pilgrims in their journeys. May I do nothing by word or deed that will detour them on their homeward path to you. May I burn with the fire of the sun in loving all the earth and all the members of your sacred family.
I bow before you, Divine Father, Holy Mother,
Eternal Source of my existence.
Your heart is my home,
from you I have come
and to you I journey this day.
sacred gesture
sacred gesture
O Divine Parent, how wondrous is my view of the universe
as our planet earth turns outward into space once again. Beyond counting are the stars that congregate in colonies of distant galaxies. May my heart blaze with their brilliance as I enter now into sacred silence.
period of silent prayer or meditation
Oh that my prayer may be as silent as the stars spread across this summer night sky. Grant me patience as I strive to sit in stillness, listening to your song of silence. I join my small voice to the symphony of the stars as I now pray.
a psalm, spiritual reading or personal prayer
The sun and her planets travel tonight, as they have for billions of years, on their eternal night journey in space. As I look out toward their unknown destination, I reflect on how I have used the gift of this day....
As marvelous as the universe is your gift of conscience, a beacon for my pilgrimage. I thank you for that gift which keeps me on course and continually calls me to give more and to be more. Tomorrow may I follow it with still greater devotion.
With great beauty you created our sun among a family of stars, in a great cloud of interstellar matter, gas and fire. Somewhere out in the starscape of this summer night, the brothers and sisters of our sun, born five billion years ago, are traveling their own mysterious paths, known only to you. I easily forget that, like our daystar, I too have brothers and sisters who are far distant but who share the same sacred Womb. I pray for them tonight, especially the lonely and afflicted, the dying and the sick. Wrap me in the cloud of your compassion and love as I soon will surrender to sleep.
I bow before you, Divine Father, Holy Mother,
Eternal Source of my existence.
Your heart is my home,
from you I have come
and to you I journey this night.
sacred gesture
