In this poem by Danna Faulds, I invite you to imagine God speaking these words to you:

Who you are is so much more than what you do.

The essence…the bare truth of you does not lie in your to-do list.

You are not just at the surface of your skin, not just the impulse to arrange the muscles of your face into a smile or a frown, not just boundless energy, or bone wearying fatigue.

Delve deeper.

You are divinity—the vast and open sky of spirit.

It’s the [fire] of God, the ember at your core, the passion and the presence, the timeless, deathless essence of you that reaches out and touches [others].

Who you are transcends fear and turns suffering into liberation.

Who you are is love.

Loving, creative God, help us to remember who we are when we are labeled because of our politics, religion, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, style, or appearance. May we remember that You know our heart, soul, and center as we turn suffering into liberation each day.—AMEN.

Despite the devastating shootings at the beginning of Lunar New Year, people continue to celebrate in many parts of the world, this year celebrating the Year of the Rabbit. With celebration comes joy, and joy is a sign of enlightenment. The Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh says: “Enlightenment is always there. Small enlightenment will bring great enlightenment. If you can breathe in, and are aware that you are alive—that you can touch the miracle of being alive—then that is a kind of enlightenment.”

And so today we pray: May we be enlightened enough to notice the blessings of each day; to value all persons for their presence, their gifts, their contributions to the ongoing evolution of our civilizations. May we banish from our hearts fear, prejudice, arrogance, and all that would prevent us from appreciating the beauty of creation, and the joy we can share in truly encouraging one another.—AMEN.

As we begin Black History Month, let us pray with Maya Angelou:

Father, Mother, God, thank You for Your presence during these hard and mean days; for then we have You to lean upon.

Thank You for Your presence during the bright and sunny days; for then we can share that which we have with those who have less.

And thank You for Your presence during the Holy Days; for then we are able to celebrate You, and our families and friends.

For those who have no voice, we ask You to speak.

For those who feel unworthy, we ask You to pour out Your love in waterfalls of tenderness.

For those who live in pain, we ask You to bathe them in the river of Your healing.

For those who are lonely, we ask You to keep them company.

For those who are depressed, we ask You to shower upon them the light of hope.

Dear Creator, You, the borderless sea of substance: we ask You to give to us and to all that which we need most—which is peace.—AMEN.

_{(Maya Angelou)}

Loving and ever-present God, when it seemed there was no hope, we have seen Your light in the eyes of a child.

When it seemed there was no joy, we have heard Your delight in the voice of a friend.

When life seemed stale, we have smelled the freshness of sunlight on our skin.

When all seemed empty, we have touched Your presence in the hand of a stranger.

When the future seemed barren, we have tasted life’s moisture on the lips of another.

We thank You, O God, for Your embodied love.

Open our senses to Your presence that we may care for You in all things.—AMEN.

Yesterday, we celebrated the feast of Josephine Bakhita who died in 1947. She is recognized by people of many faiths as the patron saint of the anti-trafficking movement. 

As a child in southern Sudan she was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Eventually she became a nun in Italy where she was known for her healing presence. She was officially declared a saint by Pope John Paul II in 2000.

And so today we pray, God of mercy, may those deprived of freedom and dignity find consolation in the life of Josephine Bakhita. Transform and heal the hearts of those who inflict pain and anguish on others for profit. Give hope and resilience to all those working to eradicate the ongoing crime of slavery around the world and in California. Be with all of us in our struggle for justice, love, and peace.—AMEN.

Since tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, I thought I would offer the following little poem by Rumi. It’s called “Relationship Booster.”

Here is a relationship booster that is guaranteed to work:

Every time your spouse or significant other says something stupid, make your eyes light up as if you had heard something brilliant! See if that works.

Gracious God, source of all love, we trust that Your eyes light up at the very thought of each one of us.—AMEN.

Today we pray for all those caught up in the struggles of the world. May they have the strength to persevere through all the difficulties and injustices that life brings.

Frederick Douglass advises us:

If there is no struggle, there is no progress.

Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet deprecate agitation, are people who want crops without plowing up the ground;

They want rain without thunder and lightning;

They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters.

This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle.

_{(“West India Emancipation” by Frederick Douglass)}

Gracious God, we pray for the grace never to abandon our struggles to uphold the dignity and rights of all our brothers and sisters. May all that we do be in solidarity with those who speak their truth and advocate for their own liberation from systemic injustice and prejudice. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Today, Pastor Steve Garnaas-Holmes comments on the line in Matthew’s Gospel that says Jesus was transfigured before them:

Sometimes someone changes and you get to see it.

And sometimes you finally see what was always there.

Maybe this is the real grace of transfiguration,

not that things change but that our seeing changes,

that we see with eyes of wonder,

that we see divine presence in this world,

that we see resurrection in every death,

see the gleam that is each person, even the doomed,

that we see them beyond the limits of their flesh,

see them in company with saints, see them divine,

risen already from whatever deaths and disappointments

they will endure, still shining. We see with eyes of mercy.

Maybe the miracle is not in the light that enters our eyes

but in the light that shines out from them.

And so, today we pray that by the grace of the God who shines,

our eyes may be transfigured.—AMEN.

_{(From Unfolding Light by Steve Garnaas-Holmes)}

Loving God, be with us these days as we recall from the Prophet Isaiah how You wish us to live:

Is not this the fasting I desire:
to loose the chains of injustice,
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter?
When you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
Then your righteousness will go before you.
You will call, and the Lord will answer;
You will cry for help, and God will say: Here I am.—AMEN.

_{(Isaiah 58: 6–9)}

Gracious and loving God, as we work through our challenges each day, may we remember and act on the words of civil rights leader, Howard Thurman. His words state:

Look well to the growing edge!

All around us worlds are dying and new worlds are being born.

The fruit ripens on the tree, the roots are silently at work in the darkness of the Earth against a time when there shall be new leaves, fresh blossoms, green fruit.

Such is a growing edge!

This is the basis of hope in moments of despair, the incentive to carry on when times are out of joint and people have lost their reason, the source of confidence when worlds crash and dreams whiten to ash.

Look well to the growing edge!

Loving God, may we not close our eyes to the growing edges in our own way of life. May we actively engage in dismantling the systems of injustice that prevent all of us from living in truth and integrity.—AMEN.

Gracious God of transformation and renewal, as we complete the formal celebration of Black History Month and turn to Women’s History, may we continue to reflect on the stories, the heritage, and the struggles of all women throughout the ages. May we pause before the silence of history and craft new ways of inclusion for the advancement of our civilization. As we listen to those whose voices have been left unheard, may we acknowledge our complicity in failing to notice the gifts, talents, and influence of women in all aspects of society. May our desire for inclusivity and diversity lead us to greater healing and reconciliation for all. And in the words of Ilia Delio, “let us work together to see what is arising ahead of us. Let us turn hope into reality.”—AMEN.

_{(Rev. Jude Geiger)}

The 12th century composer, philosopher, mystic, and visionary, Hildegard of Bingen says:

We are a feather on the breath of God.

This is her prayer:

Holy Spirit, giving life to all life,

moving all creatures, root of all things,

washing us clean, wiping out our mistakes,

healing our wounds:

You, Holy Spirit, are our true life, luminous, wonderful,

awakening the heart

from its ancient sleep.—AMEN.

_{(Hildegard of Bingen)}

Yesterday, we celebrated International Women’s Day! The poet, Audre Lorde, asks:

What are the words you do not yet have?

What do you need to say?

…for it is not difference which immobilizes us, but silence.

_{(Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde})

Loving and merciful God, we ask You to give to the women of our time:

The courage to speak our truth,

The strength to persevere,

The faith to believe in ourselves beyond all systems and institutions,

So that Your face on Earth may be seen in all its beauty,

So that women and men become whole,

So that our world can reflect our love and care for all creation.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Pax Christi)}

God of the generations, when we set our hands to labor, thinking that we work alone, remind us that we carry on our lips the words of the prophets, in our veins the blood of martyrs, in our eyes the mystics’ visions, and in our hands the strength of thousands and together we might say amen.

_{(In Wisdom’s Path by Jan L. Richardson)}

O God, who weeps at fractured lives,

Inspire us to heal the hurting.

Help us to seal the cracks

Created by our complicity in failing to love.

May our words and actions speak love and not complacency.

May we choose love—

When faced with mindless hate,

Love—when faced with retaliation,

Love—when tempted by deception,

Love—when addressing the issues of our time.

May we choose love—

When facing racism, sexism, heterosexism, xenophobia.

In all that we do, in all that we say,

And in all the places we go,

May we choose love,

And demonstrate our love with action.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from “Alive Now” by Ann Freeman Price and Ciona D. Rouse)}

As we pray today in thanksgiving for many distinguished women leaders in our state, I begin by quoting from a song called “For Good,” from the musical Wicked:

I’ve heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn…

I know I’m who I am today because of you...

You’ll be with me

Like a handprint on my heart.

And now whatever way our stories end,

I know you have re-written mine.

And because of you, I have been changed for good.

God of generosity and mystery, we bless and we celebrate the women being honored here today for their lives of passionate and dedicated service for the common good. By their courage, patience, and inclusive creativity, they have modeled for all of us how to live lives of integrity and devotion. May they experience the rewards for their work in seeing the good they have accomplished. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Marie Curie once said, “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”

Gracious and merciful God, lead us out of the familiar setting of our doubts and fears, beyond our pride and our need to be secure, to that space where we can link our passions with courage, our hopes with discipline, and our love with persistence.

Help us to listen so that we may understand the cries of the brokenhearted and the struggles of those in danger of losing hope. May those who look to us for leadership experience that courage and competence that is our call.—AMEN.

Merciful and compassionate Father-Mother God, we ask You to abide with us in all the needs of our lives:

Enable our caring to be wise, our support honest, and our concerns thoughtful.

May our loves as well as our fears be accurate.

May our spirits be so open to Your guidance that we will become faithfully daring, expectantly patient, and responsibly hopeful with each other and with Your people in our neighborhoods, our state, and our nation. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(My Heart in My Mouth by Ted Loder)}

We pray this prayer in honor of César Chávez by Rafael Jesús González

God of all peoples and nations, show us the suffering of the most miserable;

So we will know our people’s plight.

Free us to pray for others;

For You are present in every person.

Help us to take responsibility for our own lives;

So that we can be free at last.

Grant us courage to serve others;

For in service there is true life.

Give us honesty and patience;

So that we can work with workers.

Bring forth song and celebration;

So that Your Spirit will be alive among us.

Let Your Spirit flourish and grow;

So we will never tire of the struggle.

Let us remember those who have died for justice;

For they have given us life.

And help us love even those who hate us;

So we can change the world.—AMEN.

Merciful and ever-living God, as a large part of our world celebrates Ramadan, Passover, and Easter these days, may we all reach out in love to our whole world.

May we listen to Your voice in our hearts as we taste the bitterness of others’ affliction, and work to relieve their distress.

May we live our lives as persons of forgiveness and peace.

Gracious God, help us commit ourselves to praying for oppressors everywhere that their hearts may grow in understanding and compassion.

Help us to work for the freedom and liberation of all oppressed peoples, and of the Earth itself.

May all that we do reflect Your love for Your creation in all its diversity and creativity.

We ask this in Your name and in the name of all who desire justice and peace.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Interfaith Peace Project)}

Gracious and loving Creator, in these days when trees and flowers are blooming in profusion, give us renewed hope in our ability to mend the brokenness of our world, because in the words of  Denise Levertov’s poem, “Beginners”:

… we have only begun to love the Earth.

We have only begun to imagine the fullness of life.

How could we tire of hope?—so much is in bud.

How can desire fail?—we have only begun to imagine justice and mercy, only begun to envision how it might be to live as siblings with beast and flower, not as oppressors.

Surely our river cannot already be hastening into the sea of nonbeing?

Surely it cannot drag, in the silt all that is innocent?

Not yet, not yet—there is too much broken that must be mended, too much hurt we have done to each other that cannot yet be forgiven.

We have only begun to know the power that is in us if we would join our solitudes in the communion of struggle.

So much is unfolding that must complete its gesture, so much is in bud.—AMEN.

_{(“Beginners” in Candles in Babylon by Denise Levertov)}

Beginning this evening and throughout the day tomorrow, on Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day—we join to remember the memory of millions of individuals—the mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, friends, and the neighbors—whose lives were brutally taken during a period of fierce and violent inhumanity.

The Jewish tradition commands us to remember. Zachor, in Hebrew. The commandment to remember is repeated a little over 150 times in our Bible and that is what this day requires.

Zachor—We remember.

We remember what happens when hate takes hold of the human heart and turns it to stone.

Zachor—We remember the victims of the Holocaust so that robbed of their lives, they would not also be robbed of their deaths.

Zachor—We remember them not only as the persecuted but by the rich and vibrant lives that they led, the stories they shared, and the names we give to our children and our grandchildren.

Zachor—We remember and pay tribute to the survivors of this genocide, those who bore witness to what happened, and have courageously stepped forward to share with the world perhaps the darkest night of their lives. Some of them here with us this afternoon.

Zachor—We remember the testimonies of these survivors as a charge to confront persecution and oppression wherever it arises. We remember and act upon our moral obligation to counter the rising tide of anti-Semitism, bigotry, and hatred that threaten the values we hold dear—pluralism, diversity, democracy, and the freedoms of religion and expression.

Zachor—We remember and are grateful for the righteous of the nations who saved lives, often at risk of their own. May we be strengthened to behave as virtuously in the face of all forms of violence and oppression.

And in prayer—

We call on You, Divine Mystery of the universe, to open our hearts, minds, and souls as we remember the six million and the eleven million, the indifference, and the brutality. Help us honor all of their lives by working to secure peace, justice, and human rights for all people.

Help us to demonstrate the immense courage bequeathed to us by victims and survivors of the Holocaust.

Today, on Yom HaShoah, we call on You to help us hear Your voice that says in every generation:

Do not murder.

Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor.

Do not oppress the stranger.

And may the memory of our brothers and sisters be bound up in the bond of everlasting life and let us say:—AMEN.

Almighty God, we lift up our prayers to You with reverence and trust to guide us and strengthen us all in our calling to serve and protect the people of God. We praise You for blessing us with the gift of life, bestowing upon us all bounties of the world, and challenging us to become Your good hands in our communities.

Almighty God, we know well that the honorable members of this Senate have responded to Your call to bring their wisdom for the well-being of the State of California.

We are here today, with dual responsibilities to guard and cherish their God-given gifts and we are also here as citizens of the United States of America filled with the spirit of the founding fathers of this great nation to become exemplary leaders of our communities. The United States of America has inspired us to cherish the true value of democracy and freedom as well as the universal respect for humanity as the reflection of God’s love.

Today, we pray for the 120,000 Armenians, including women, children, the elderly, and the disabled who have been under the blockade for over 100 days in our homeland of Artsakh cut off from life’s most basic necessities including food, fuel, and medicine.

We pray for world peace and beseech Your guidance and mercy. Enlighten our hearts with Your love and compassion in order that we may serve with justice and prudence in mind.

Almighty God, bless this Senate with their members and their mission. Grant them divine wisdom and love to carry on their duties diligently, to uphold firm justice for the past and be the path of justice for all generations to come.—AMEN.

Sylvia Villalobos reminds us that peace begins within the hearts of each one of us—in our thoughts, in our words, and in our actions.

Let us join Thich Nhat Hanh’s Walking Meditation, maybe as we walk from the parking lot, as we commit to thoughts, words, and actions to create peace in our lives:

Take my hand.

We will walk.

We will only walk.

We will enjoy our walk

without thinking of arriving anywhere.

Walk peacefully.

Walk happily.

Our walk is a peace walk.

Our walk is a happiness walk.

Then we learn

that there is no peace walk;

that peace is the walk;

that there is no happiness walk;

that happiness is the walk…

Walk and touch peace every moment…

Each step brings a fresh breeze.

Each step makes a [rose] bloom under our feet.

Kiss the Earth with your feet.

Print on Earth your love and happiness.

Earth will be safe

when we feel in [ourselves] enough safety.—AMEN.

_{(Call Me By My True Names: The Collected Poems of Thich Nhat Hanh by Thich Nhat Hanh)}

In his world-renowned book, The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz offers a practical guide for personal freedom:

One, be impeccable with your word.

Two, don’t take anything personally.

Three, don’t make assumptions.

Four, always do your best.

So we pray:

Gracious and loving Creator, we thank You for the leadership of today’s Latino Spirit Awardees. By the witness of their lives, they have shown themselves to be role models in the art of bringing the best of themselves to their work for the betterment of humankind. Their generosity of spirit has led them to focus on education, social justice, and service to others, as well as the joy they bring through music, art, and literary work. We ask You to keep them in Your care and hold them in Your love, as they continue to inspire courage, strength, and resilience in all those seeking to flourish in an intercultural and sometimes alienating society. May they continue to exemplify the spirit of their rich and diverse Latino heritage for the benefit of all those who follow them. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Gracious and loving God, as we come to You in prayer this day, may we be open and responsive to Your spirit.

As we go about the business of our lives, may we see Your goodness in each person we serve.

As we strive to be persons of peace in moments of conflict, may we search for the guiding presence of Your truth.

As we enjoy the successes of our collaborative efforts, may we know the value of patience and kindness.

And as we conclude the work of this week, may our hearts be filled with thanksgiving. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Morning and Evening Prayer of the Sisters of Mercy)}

Gracious and loving God, today we ask You to fill us with understanding and trust.

May we come to Understand

that blessings are everywhere,

that our attitude will effect outcomes,

that challenges are often gifts in disguise.

May we come to Trust

that most things can get better, with time,

that our instincts and gut feelings have value,

that a positive attitude makes things go smoother.

May we come to See

that we have many skills and talents,

that we are a positive influence on many people,

that there are those around us who wish us well.

May we come to Value

that today is a blessing to be enjoyed,

that each person is unique and important,

that each moment of our life has meaning.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Abby Willowroot)}

As we pray in gratitude for our mothers this weekend, we remember that every day is Mothers’ Day, and every day is Earth Day. And so we salute them both today:

Mother, and Mother Earth, gift of God, we thank You;

for You are our life, our breath and our blood.

You bear us in Your arms and nurture us through life.

The rolling sea in our heart, the mountains in our bones,

the wind in our lungs, the flowing rivers in our blood,

all sing praise to God and remind us that we are of You.

Mother, and Mother Earth, we confess:

though You are our own flesh, we have wounded You.

We have treated You selfishly, as “the least of these.”

We have betrayed our oneness with You, and

with the grasses and the hawk, the beetle and the whale.

Even as we use You, we repent.

Even as we mistreat You, You forgive us.

Dear Mothers of Life, as the Earth is renewed in spring, restore our mercy.

Return us to our place in the great circle of life.

Give us the generosity of Your self-giving,

the humility and wisdom of all Your creatures.

Mother God, hear our praise and our confession, and renew in us the beauty of the Earth, the wondrous gift of our life from our earthly mothers. We ask this for the sake of all life.—AMEN.

_{(Unfolding Light by Steve Garnaas-Holmes)}

Gracious God, we desire You to be a God of joy, and so we ask ourselves:

What if God is joy?

…What if creating is God’s play,

and the big bang was an outburst of happiness

and the galaxies are spun from pure delight?

…What if Earth is God’s great celebration,

…inviting everyone in to feast and wonder?

…What if God doesn’t own a throne (most uncomfortable)

and has never handled a gavel,

but has millions of musical instruments?

…What if the work of justice

is to enable everyone to truly know joy?

(And would that not mean that cruelty and injustice

are most heinously sinful?)

What if even in our grief and our despair

the root of our being is joy,

and resurrection means passing through our sorrow

into God’s delight?

What if salvation means

being rescued from our inability to rejoice?

Why not...Do we think

that God is all somber and serious?

What if even now, as we consider this,

and [maybe] think it’s kind of silly,

What if…God is laughing...and waiting [for the culmination of our joy]?—AMEN.

_{(Unfolding Light by Steve Garnaas-Holmes)}

Today we pray a poem by Mercy Sister Renee Yann called “All Creation”:

Gracious and loving God, help us to remember that:

All Creation kneels,

a Single Being,

to praise [You].

From its immense heart,

[creation] sings myriad songs at once,

Morning and Evensong,

Praise and Dirge,

Alas and Alleluia,

intermingled.

It sings even over its own scars,

where the chasms cry out for balm.

It sings both the remembrance

and the hope of blessing.

It sings the endurance of faith

and the confidence of love.

In roar and silence, in darkness and light,

Creation kneels,

a Single Being,

in praise of [You, O] God.—AMEN.

_{(Renee Yann, RSM)}

In the words of Harvey Milk:

“The important thing is not that we can live on hope alone, but that without hope, life is not worth living.”

O God in whom we hope, we thank You for the hope and resilience of the Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month honorees. By their leadership in providing ongoing solutions to the challenges of our times, they offer hope to all those who wish to transform lives and bring justice to those who are often marginalized and misrepresented. Give all of us the strength to accomplish the seemingly impossible with limited time, energy, and resources. Help us to be especially sensitive to the needs of those who are vulnerable and those who are close to despair. May all that we do today engender hope in our communities, and may we continue to hope in Your divine providence. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

People walked through my prayers,

And I never noticed,

Intent on my own affairs.

People walked through my prayers,

And I saw them—

Intrusive, disrupting, distracting.

[Now] people walk through my prayers,

And I include them—

Caring, giving, blessing.

People walk through my prayers,

And change me—

[Sometimes] disturbing, demanding, enlarging.

People walk through my prayers,

And embrace me—

Healing, loving, forgiving.

People walk through my prayers,

Bearing the Christ—

Transforming me.

_{(Prayers of the People by Susan Baker-Lehne)}

Loving God, help us to look deeply into the hearts of those who walk through our prayers, that we may see the beauty of who they are without judgment and without expectation that they be like us.—AMEN.

G.K. Chesterton said “we are all in the same boat, and we owe each other a terrible loyalty.”

Gracious God, mother and father of us all, in the urgency of our world context, below the violence and turbulence of the waves, help us to make evident our passionate commitment to address the issues that cause misunderstandings and judgments in our world. May our growing consciousness of the interdependence among us and with all creation, galvanize us in that loyalty that we owe to one another:

a loyalty of faith that entrusts our fears to the goodness of those who love unconditionally,

a loyalty of hope, that impels us to work for a sustainable future,

and a loyalty of love, that allows us to be faithful to each other, regardless of perceived differences.

For we know that Your love excludes no one.—AMEN.

Merciful God of justice and peace, this weekend we dedicate time and prayer in memory of all those who have died in the service of our country, even as we lament the violence of war. Comfort and sustain all those who still mourn. Heal those wounded in body, mind, or spirit. Bless those who courageously left home and family to follow their vision in the cause of justice and peace. Through our work for peace, bring freedom and dignity to all people, and help all leaders use diplomatic means to resolve conflicts so there is no need for wars again. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Gracious God, silenced, hands and heart open, I pray:

Brush away what keeps me stuck, dulled

By figuring, not listening to Your presence, Your words.

“What [am I] looking for? [What am I] expecting to see?”

Like the banks of a river

I need to wait, ready to receive sacred life

And ready to let go….

Tuned to Your rhythms, O God,

Give us eyes to see the shadows

Where holiness lies invisible

In questions and uncertainties without answers.

We dwell in mystery,

Connection, communion, Your heartbeat everywhere.—AMEN.

_{(“We Dwell in Mystery” by Alice Feeley, RDC)}

The following poem by Rumi is dedicated to those who sometimes get tired of being patient!

Pay close attention to your mean thoughts.

That sourness may be a blessing, as an overcast day brings rain on the roses,

And relief to dry soil.

Don’t look so sourly on your sourness.

It may be that it’s carrying what you most deeply need and want.

What seems to be keeping you from joy may be what leads you to joy.

Don’t call it a dead branch; call it the live moist root.

Don’t always be waiting to see what’s behind it; that wait-and-see poisons your spirit.

Reach for it; hold your meanness to your chest as a healing root,

And be through with waiting.

Creator of All That Is, help us to know today that Your deepest desires are being accomplished in and through us.—AMEN.

The following quote is attributed to the Elders of the Hopi Nation:

We have been telling people that this is the Eleventh Hour; now we must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour. And there are things to be considered…

Know your garden.

Speak your truth.

Create your community.

Be good to each other.

And do not look outside yourself for a leader.

The time of the lone wolf is over. Banish the word ‘struggle’ from your attitude and your vocabulary.

All that we must do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.

We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

Gracious God of all time and of this moment, we thank You for where You will lead us this day—in service of Your people, with compassion, courage, and commitment, and in awe of Your making us worthy to be the people we’ve been waiting for.—AMEN.

Gracious God of radical, inclusive, and unconditional love, You are the life of all life and beyond all names.

May the sparks of Your beauty dance in the eyes of those we love.

Be with us as we pray in solidarity with all those who seek to live lives of authenticity and integrity.

Today, we remember the LGBTQ+ community, especially those who live in fear of persecution and violence: for them we pray for freedom.

For LGBTQ+ young people who long for the support of their friends and families: we pray for courage.

For those who have ended their lives rather than endure the taunts of peers, and rejection by family and society: we pray for peace.

For all of us in roles of authority—those responsible for public safety and changing attitudes: we pray for wisdom.

For those communities where God’s love is spoken and LGBTQ+ persons long for acceptance: we pray for integrity of word and deed.

Merciful God, may this remembering encourage all of us not to place limits on Your boundless love. May we appreciate and celebrate the gifts of LGBTQ+ persons each and every day.—AMEN.

Today we pray this E. E. Cummings poem in honor of World Environment Days:

I thank You God for most this amazing

day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(I who have died am alive again today,

and this is the sun’s birthday; this is the birth

day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay

great happening illimitably Earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing

breathing any human merely being

doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and

now the eyes of my eyes are opened).—AMEN.

_{(Xaipe by E. E. Cummings)}

In the words of Rabbi Harold Kushner, we pray today:

Loving Creator, let the rain come and wash away the ancient grudges….

Let the rain wash away the memory of the hurt, the neglect.

Let the sun come out and fill the sky with rainbows.

Let the warmth of the sun heal us wherever we are broken.

Let it burn away the fog so that we can see each other clearly—

So that we can see beyond labels, beyond accents, gender, or skin color….

Let the light of the sun be so strong that we will see all people as our neighbors.

Let the Earth, nourished by rain, bring forth flowers to surround us with beauty.

And let the mountains teach us and teach our hearts to reach upward to heaven.—AMEN.

Gracious God, whom we often call Father:

This weekend we pray in gratitude for our fathers both living and deceased.

We thank You for all those who have shown us a fatherly care, and in honor of them all, we say:

You, our loving God, You took the strength of a mountain,

The majesty of a tree,

The warmth of a summer sun,

The calm of a quiet sea,

The comforting arm of night,

The power of the eagle’s flight,

The joy of a morning in spring,

The faith of a mustard seed, and

The patience of eternity.

You combined these qualities, and

When there was nothing more to add,

You knew Your masterpiece was complete,

And so, You called it...Dad.—AMEN.

_{(Author Unknown)}

Loving and forgiving God, as we remember the indignity of having to wait two years to hear the news of the Slavery Emancipation Act, we ask You for this day and time:

To open our hearts to learn the lessons of Juneteenth: Take away from us all prejudice and hardness of heart.

Open our hearts to feel the pain of Your suffering people: Turn our good intentions into acts of justice and reparation for the failures of the past.

Open our hearts that we may speak in solidarity with those whose voices have been silenced: Give us the courage to challenge those systems and behaviors that compromise the dignity of all persons.

May Your love enfold and transform us as we seek to be people of justice and peace for all.—AMEN.

_{(Morning and Evening Prayer of the Sisters of Mercy)}

God of the summer solstice, who breathed this world into being,

who is discernible within

the harmony of nature,

the perfection of a butterfly’s wing,

the grandeur of a mountain range,

the soaring eagle and humming bird,

thank You for this world

which You have created.

Thank You for summer sun,

which reminds us

that Your creative breath

is still alive and active.

Thank You for the warmth of Your love,

sustaining this world.—AMEN.

God of the small, the subtle, the unimportant,

God of the vague, the cloudy, the ambiguous,

open our hearts to Your presence.

Open our eyes to the little signs,

our ears to the soft murmurs.

Slow us down to listen and hear the cry of the unspoken.

Awaken us to the losses that are blessings,

awaken us to the wounds that are openings,

awaken us to the weaknesses that are the sources of Your strength.

Wake us up from the stupor of busyness, the daze of desire,

to witness Your drawing near, to behold Your presence,

even in these ordinary moments,

we offer these feeble prayers,

these beating hearts.—AMEN.

_{(Unfolding Light by Steve Garnaas-Holmes)}

Let us consider the blessings of our humanness as we ponder Rumi’s poem, “The Guest House.”

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows

who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture,

still, treat each guest honorably.

[They] may be clearing you out for some new delight.

The [negative] thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes

because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

Loving God, help us to be alert for those unexpected visitors of negativity; may their appearance not cause us to lose our composure and our gracious desire to bring peace and love to our world.—AMEN.

May you meet mercy each day:
in the light of your own heart,
at the hands of your loved ones,
in the eyes of the stranger and the needy.
And if by chance you do not at first meet mercy,
then search your heart for it,
listen patiently for word of it,
and it will tap you on the shoulder,
a quiet surprise,
a small gesture
the tender look,
given and received
in the encounters of your day.—AMEN.
_{(Mary Wickham, RSM)}

Gracious God, source of all freedom, this day is bright with the memory of those who declared that life and liberty are Your gift to every human.

Help us to continue the good work begun long ago.

Make our vision clear and our will strong to ensure the freedom of all.

Help us realize that only in human solidarity will we find true liberty, and justice only in the honor that belongs to every life on Earth.

Turn our hearts toward the family of nations:

To understand the ways of others, to offer hospitality and friendship,

And to find safety only in the common good of all.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Prayer was offered by the Chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, RSM:
Let us pray: Psalm 23 for Busy People—with apologies to the psalmist.
The Lord is my pace-setter; I shall not rush,
God helps me stop and rest for quiet intervals.
He provides me with images of stillness,
Which restores my serenity.
God leads me in ways of efficiency through calmness of mind;
God’s guidance is peace.
Even though I have many things to accomplish today,
And crisis may pile upon crisis,
I will not fall apart, for God’s presence is here;
God’s timelessness will keep me in balance.
God prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activities.
God anoints my mind with the oil of inspiration.
Surely harmony and effectiveness will be the fruit of my hours,
And I shall walk in the peace of the Lord this day.—AMEN.

We awaken in our time to a universe which is holy, to creation, which is not an event of the past, but a living event of the present.
We enter a new mode of human presence where we are not merely observers, but where each of us is a participant in this moment of evolution.
And so, we pray:
Gracious, Gentle Spirit of Love, Your energy permeates the universe, igniting Earth with Your goodness, truth, and beauty.
Open our minds and hearts to an ever-deepening awareness of our interconnectedness with You, each other, and all creation.
May we experience Your unique presence within the sacred web of creation.—AMEN.

God of our ordinary days and nights, God of extraordinary times, this day we pray:
Guide our discerning and our deciding.
Attune our hearts to the murmurings
both of peace and of disquiet,
so that, aware of risk and of promise,
we move trustfully into the future.
Uncloud our eyes to know what we need to leave,
what to seek, and what to hold for the journey,
that we will find our feet on the right track,
walking the merciful path, led by Your unerring Spirit.
We ask all that we ask in Your name.—AMEN.
_{(Mary Wickham, RSM)}

O God of peace, we seek rest for our spirits and light for our thoughts.
We bring our work to be sanctified, our wounds to be healed, our hopes to be renewed.
You, in whom all are one, lift us from the loneliness of self, and fill us with the fullness of Your love.
Raise us beyond the limits of our daily imperfections.
Send us visions of the love that is in You and of the good that will be accomplished in us.
Your greatness is beyond our praise.—AMEN.
_{(Interfaith Ministry Handbook compiled by Matt Sanders)}
 

God of mercy, I do not have enough.
Enough to save the world, even to help others,
sometimes not even enough to manage myself.
Merciful God, receive my inadequacy.
Let it be in Your hands, not mine.
Let my lack be space for You.
Open my eyes to see in every failure,
in every shortcoming,
Your grace.
Beloved, mindful not of what I lack
but of what I have—what You have given me,
I offer You myself. By Your grace it will be enough.—AMEN.
_{(Unfolding Light by Steve Garnaas-Holmes)}

For the expanding grandeur of Creation, we give thanks this day.
For this fragile planet, Earth, we give thanks this day.
For the joy of human life, its wonders and surprises, we give thanks.
For our human community, our oneness transcending all separation, we give thanks.
And we pray for faith without fanaticism, for understanding of views not shared.
We pray for all who labor and suffer for a fairer world.
We pray that we may live, not by our fears, but by our hopes, not by our words but by our deeds.—AMEN.
_{(Reverend O. Eugene Pickett)}

Gracious and merciful God, in these days of fires, floods, and other disasters, how can

we pray for those who suffer from the security of our own homes?

How can words salve and soothe real wounds, assuage real fears, wipe tears from real

eyes?

God of endless compassion, transform our prayers from words into bridges that span the

distance between us, uniting our hearts with those who need our compassion and swift response.

Every time we turn our keys in a lock, may we remember all who are losing their homes.

Every time we step into our cars, may we remember all those having to flee.

Every time we embrace our loved ones, may we remember all who are grieving losses.

May our besieged brothers and sisters, suffering from recent disasters, be drawn into

Your loving arms, and may our cry be heard as one voice, ringing out from every corner of the Earth:

God of endless mercy, give us the resilience to create a world of security and

love.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Mercy Flash by Cameron Bellm)}

Spirit of God, who breathes in us, the poet Danna Faulds reminds us that it only takes a reminder to breathe, a moment to be still, and just like that, something in us settles, softens, makes space for imperfection.

The harsh voice of judgment drops to a whisper and we remember again that life is not a relay race; that we will all cross the finish line; that waking up to life is what we were born for.

As many times as we forget, as we catch ourselves charging forward without even knowing where we’re going, that many times we can make the choice to stop, to breathe, and be and walk slowly into the mystery.—AMEN.

Heart of Love, source of all kindness, teacher of the ways of goodness, You are hidden in the pockets of daily life, waiting to be discovered.
Heart of Comfort, sheltering wings of love, refuge for sad and lonely ones, You embrace all who bear loss, gathering our tears with care.
Heart of Understanding, one who gazes upon the imperfect, the incomplete, the flawed, the weak, You never stop extending mercy.
Heart of Generosity, abundance of insight and hope, daily You offer us gifts of growth, leading to continual transformation.
Heart of Deepest Peace, resting place at the core of our being, You are waiting always for our return to this sacred home.—AMEN.
_{(“The Heart of Eternal Love” in Out of the Ordinary by Joyce Rupp)}

Contemporary theologian, Jung Eun Sophia Park, invites us to enter contemplation by taking “a long loving gaze at the real.” She says the long gaze can be a prophetic action, which stands against mere productivity and effectiveness, and which stands for affection and relationality. A loving gaze channels the divine, favoring the poor and the invisible. Today, in our contemplative journey, we can ask ourselves, “Where can we face the Real, and experience the mystery brought about by God’s absence and God’s presence?"

Holy Mystery, in these days when so much needs to be accomplished, help us to view our work with soft eyes and a loving gaze, bringing to fruition more than we can imagine. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

God of our ordinary days and nights, God of extraordinary times, together we pray:
Guide our discerning and our deciding.
Attune our hearts to the murmurings of both peace and of disquiet,
so that, aware of risk and of promise,
we move trustfully into the future.
Uncloud our eyes to know what we need to leave,
what to seek, and what to hold for the journey,
that we might find our feet on the right track,
walking the merciful path,
led by Your unerring Spirit.—AMEN.
_{(Mary Wickham, RSM)} 

Grant me the ability to be alone, may it be my custom to go outdoors each day among the trees and grass—among all growing things and there may I be alone, and enter into prayer, to talk with the One to whom I belong.

May I express there everything in my heart, and may all the foliage of the field—all grasses, trees, and plants—awake at my coming, to send the powers of their life into the words of my prayer so that my prayer and speech are made whole through the life and spirit of all growing things, which are made as one by their transcendent Source.

May I then pour out the words of my heart before Your Presence like water, O God, and lift up my hands to You in worship, on my behalf, and that of my children!—AMEN.

_{(Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav)}

God of mercy and compassion, it is most likely that we all remember where we were 22 years ago on 9-11.
On this day of solemn remembrance:
We honor the almost 3,000 lives that were lost in that tragic act.
We give thanks for public servants, first responders, police, and firefighters—all those who served and saved, rendered aid and assistance.
May we give comfort to those who still live with grief and loss.
May we seek justice, peace, and reconciliation in all the activities of our lives.
On this day of solemn remembrance:
Let us remember words of support and compassion from states and nations near and far.
Let us continue to build up what has been torn down, and work to mend what has been broken.
Gracious God, may we live Your love when hate and resentment seem to reign.
May we continue to bear hopeful witness to the cause of justice and peace for all.
We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.
_{(Adapted from Derek Weber)}

In her poem, “A Brave and Startling Truth”, Maya Angelou tells us a startling truth about ourselves as humans: that we have the ability to create peace and freedom for all. She says:
We, this people, on a small and lonely planet
Traveling through casual space…
To a destination where all signs tell us
It is possible and imperative that we learn
A brave and startling truth…
And when we come to it
We, this people, on this minuscule and kithless globe
Who reach daily for the bomb, the blade and the dagger
Yet who petition in the dark for tokens of peace
Out of such chaos, out of such contradiction
We learn that we are neither devils nor divines.
And when we come to it
We, this people, on this wayward, floating body…
Have the power to fashion for this Earth
A climate where every man and every woman
Can live freely without sanctimonious piety
Without crippling fear.
When we come to it
We must confess that we are the possible
We are the miraculous, the true wonder of this world
That is when, and only when
We come to it.
Gracious God, give us the courage to trust in our ability to create peace, and may we all take steps necessary to achieve it.—AMEN.
_{(“A Brave and Startling Truth” by Maya Angelou)}

This is my prayer to You, my Lord—

Strike, strike at the root of penury in my heart.

Give me strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.

Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.

Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might.

Give me the strength to raise my mind above daily trifles.

And give me the strength to surrender my strength to Your will with love.—AMEN.

_{(“Gitanjali 36” by Rabindranath Tagore)}

Loving and merciful God, today we thank You for the dedication and endurance of our legislators and staff members. At the end of this session, we ask Your blessing on each one as we pray in the words of the poet Jan Richardson:
Blessed are you
who bear the light in unbearable times,
who testify to its endurance amid the unendurable,
who bear witness to its persistence when everything is in shadow and grief.
Blessed are you
in whom the light lives, in whom the brightness blazes—
your heart a chapel, an altar where in the deepest night can be seen
the fire that shines forth in you
in unaccountable faith, in stubborn hope,
in love that illumines every broken thing it finds.
And so, may God bless you and keep you.
May God’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May God look upon you kindly and give you peace.—AMEN.
_{(Jan Richardson and Numbers 6:24–26)}

Gracious and merciful Creator, as we begin this new year, we recall the words of Howard Thurman:

When the song of the angels is stilled,

when the star in the sky is gone,

when the kings and princes are home,

when the shepherds are back with their flocks,

then the work of Christmas begins:

to find the lost,

to heal the broken,

to feed the hungry,

to release the prisoner,

to rebuild the nations,

to bring peace among the people,

to make music in the heart.

Loving God, we ask Your presence with us as we ponder the deepest needs of our people and dedicate all that we have to the work of justice and peace.—AMEN.

 _{(When the Song of the Angels is Stilled by Howard Thurman)}

Gracious universal presence, we ask You to make our year a happy one,
Not by shielding us from sorrow and pain,
But by strengthening us to bear it, as it comes;

Not by making our path easy,
But by making us sturdy to travel any path;

Not by taking hardships from us,
But by taking fear from our heart;
Not by granting us unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping our face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making our life always pleasant,
But by showing us the people and their struggles that need us most.
May we radiate Your love, peace, hope, and joy in the year ahead.—AMEN.

As we begin the work of this week, let us pray in gratitude for each other and for all who work at and for this State Capitol. Let us dedicate our week to the practice of human kindness. 

First, feel compassion for yourself as you say the following silently:   

May I be healed!     

May my heart open with kindness and peace!

May I be filled with the spirit of loving kindness!

May I be whole! 

Now call to mind all who collaborate with you each day. Hear yourself saying to them: 

May you be healed!

May your heart open with kindness and peace!

May you be filled with the spirit of loving kindness!

May you be whole!

Finally, open your heart in a special way to all your constituents, and let your compassion expand even to our whole country and world, as you say:  

May all beings be healed!

May all beings be happy!

May all beings be touched and healed by the force of human kindness!

May the power of our heart, our goodness, our love, and our legislation bring healing to all.—AMEN.

In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated:

“I have tried to make it clear that it is wrong to use immoral means to attain moral ends. But now I must affirm that it is just as wrong, or even more, to use moral means to preserve immoral ends.”

Today, let us pray in the words of Dr. King:

O God, we thank You for the fact that You have inspired men and women in all nations and in all cultures.                                                                                                                                                     

We call You different names: Allah; Elohim; Jehovah; Brahma; the Unmoved Mover. But we know that these are all names for one and the same God. Grant that we will follow You and become so committed to Your way and Your kingdom that we will be able to establish in our lives and in this world a brotherhood and sisterhood, that we will be able to establish here a kingdom of understanding, where men and women will live together as brothers and sisters and respect the dignity and worth of every human being, even our enemy neighbors.

And we ask You, God, in these days of emotional tension, when the problems of the world are gigantic in extent and chaotic in detail, to be with us in our going out and our coming in, in our rising up and in our lying down, in our moments of joy and in our moments of sorrow, till that day when there shall be no sunset and no dawn.—AMEN.

If we utter the word mercy,

standing, each of us, by an open window

anywhere we are in the world,

then the word mercy will carry on the soundwaves

onwards and unceasing,

through the air of the wounded world. 

And maybe, when it takes flight

into deed and kindness, justice and effort,

it will effect a healing, a hope and a blessing. 

It may call the homeless home,

it may coax to hope the betrayed and broken,

it may ease the burdened Earth.

Listen for it….

Listen for its neighborly dialects and global idiom.

Imagine those who, like you, are saying it aloud,

and those who need to hear it, today….

One word, one deed of justice, one kind effort at a time.

Gracious God, we ask You to give us the courage to say and be mercy today, most especially to ourselves.—AMEN.

_{(“Mercy Day” by Mary Wickham, RSM)}

Gracious God, be with us as we glance in awe at the wonders of our world, those wonders Mary Oliver calls the mysteries. She says:

Truly, we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood.

How grass can be nourishing in the mouths of the lambs.

How rivers and stones are forever in allegiance with gravity, while we ourselves dream of rising.

How two hands touch, and the bonds will never be broken.

How people come from delight or the scars of damage, to the comfort of a poem [or a prayer].

So let us keep our distance, always, from those who think they have the answers.

Let us keep company always with those who say “Look!” and laugh in astonishment and bow their heads.—AMEN.

_{("Mysteries, Yes" by Mary Oliver)}

As we pray these days for peace and unity in our areas of worship and in our world, we consider the words of Judyth Hill in 2001, advising us to wage peace:

Wage peace with your breath.

Breathe in firemen and rubble, breathe out whole buildings...

Breathe in terrorists and breathe out sleeping children...

Breathe in confusion and breathe out maple trees.

Breathe in the fallen, and breathe out lifelong friendships intact.

Wage peace also with your listening: hearing sirens, pray aloud.

Remember your tools: flower seeds, clothespins, clean rivers.

Play music, learn the word thank you in three languages…

Think of chaos as dancing raspberries, imagine grief as the outbreath of beauty...

Wage peace.

Never has the world seemed so fresh and precious…

Act as if armistice has already arrived.

Don’t wait another minute.

Merciful God, we trust in Your presence as we engage the challenging work of waging peace and unity.—AMEN.

_{(“Wage Peace” by Judyth Hill)}

The mystic, Julian of Norwich, was immersed in the traumas and tribulations of the 14th century. Today we pray from her experience of God’s revelations to her, using the attitudes of awaiting, allowing, accepting, and attending.

Merciful and mysterious God, we await Your divine providence…the promise of Your faithful, tender love.

We await this day’s revelation, curious to discover the surprises it offers.

We allow our hearts to open and receive Your loving gaze.

We allow Your gaze to rest on our hearts.

We accept the call entrusted to us, with all the blessings and challenges therein.

We accept our incompleteness, our vulnerabilities, and our gifts.

We attend to our portion of the suffering world.

We attend to the task that is ours as we serve the emerging wholeness of creation.

May we be transformed by our openness to the mystery of each new day.—AMEN.

As we gather in the presence of the Holy, may we relate to the song of the builders in this short poem by Mary Oliver.

On a summer morning I sat down on a hillside

to think about God—a worthy pastime.

Near me, I saw a single cricket;

it was moving the grains of the hillside

this way and that way.

How great was its energy, how humble its effort.

Let us hope it will always be like this,

each of us going on

in our inexplicable ways

building the universe.

_{(“Song of the Builders” in Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver)}

Creator of Mystery and Wonder, grant that this day we may go about our work with the humble effort of the cricket and the joy of being human. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Gracious God, in these days of craziness, we need to learn how to love.

The poet Rosemerry Trommer prays:

If sorrow is how we learn to love,

then let us learn.

Already enough sorrow’s been sown

for whole continents to erupt

into astonishing tenderness.

Let us learn. Let compassion grow rampant,

like sunflowers along the highway.

Let each act of kindness replant itself

into acres and acres of widespread devotion.

Let us choose love as if our lives depend on it.

The sorrow is great. Let us learn to love together—

riotous love, expansive love,

love so rooted, so common

we almost forget

the world could look any other way.—AMEN.

(“More Love, More Love” by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer)

Let us gather in the presence of one another and in the presence of our Creator of many names and manifestations.

God of all peoples and times, as we celebrate the transition of Senate leadership to Senator Mike McGuire, we celebrate not only the person, but also the story of the entire State of California.

We acknowledge our ancestors, the indigenous Nisenan people of this area, and all our ancestors both physical and spiritual throughout our history.

California is the state that over the millennia has evolved into majestic landscapes of rugged mountain ranges, vast canyons and valleys, windswept deserts, and pristine coastlines.

The abundance of this piece of Earth has provided resources of food, water, fabric, and shelter from the variety of farmlands, lakes and rivers, plants and trees—enabling to the flourishing of life in many parts of our world economy.

Today we celebrate California’s almost 40 million people of diverse ancestry, talent, treasure, ambitions, and desires, all contributing to the ongoing growth and evolution of the state, resilient and adaptable to its multiple challenges.

We pray in gratitude for this Legislature, willing to serve as leaders—planting new seeds that one day will grow, watering seeds already planted, knowing the future promise that they hold.

And we pray in this new session:

Senator McGuire and Senate Members:

May integrity of soul be your first ideal—as the ground where leadership and prosperity intersect.

May your work be infused with passion and creativity.

May you welcome your own vulnerability, opening your heart to the Source that will guide and bless your work.

In your heart may there be a sanctuary for the stillness where clarity and truth are born.

And may you find support and encouragement from all members of the electorate who rely on you to accomplish this immense work.

Gracious God, shed Your light and inspiration on this Legislature. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(To Bless the Space Between Us by John O’Donohue and Prayer by Bishop Ken Untener, generally attributed to Oscar Romero)}

Gracious God, as we celebrate another Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon, we give thanks for the changing of the seasons and the opportunity to reset our attitudes and perspectives.  As visionary leaders, help us to live into this new year with the qualities of the dragon:

Vitality and strength to face the challenges ahead—foreseen and unforeseen;

Resilience in the face of seemingly unresolvable issues;

Confidence to know that all is held in Your love and mercy.

We thank You for all that has been accomplished in the past year, and we ask Your accompaniment as we seek to bring safety, healing, and prosperity to all those we serve. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

For the expanding grandeur of Creation, we give thanks this day.

For this fragile planet, Earth, we give thanks this day.

For the joy of human life, its wonders and surprises, we give thanks this day.

For our human community, our oneness transcending all separation, we give thanks this day.

For faith without fanaticism, for understanding of views not shared, we give thanks this day.

For all who have labored and suffered for a fairer world, we give thanks this day.

For opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and choose, we give thanks this day.

We pray that we may live, not by our fears, but by our hopes, not by our words but by our deeds.—AMEN.

_{(Reverend O. Eugene Pickett, Unitarian Universalist)}

On September 19, 1796, in his farewell address, George Washington said the following:

It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and… great Nation, to give to mankind the magnanimous… example of a People always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence.

Gracious God and God of our ancestors, we pray today in thanksgiving for the leadership of our presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In times of great upheaval, they laid foundations of liberty and democracy for the benefit of future generations. 

Today we are still leaning into the meaning of liberty and justice for all, as the legislators of our time strive to be guided by the ideal of exalted justice.

Be with the legislators in this chamber as they pursue the dream of peace and harmony amid the details and decisions of the moment. May their constituents also embrace the responsibilities of democracy so that together we can build a just and productive society, fulfilling the desires set forth by the founders of our country. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Father, Mother, God, thank You for Your presence during the hard and mean days; for then we have You to lean upon.

Thank You for Your presence during the bright and sunny days; for then we can share that which we have with those who have less.

And thank You for Your presence during the Holy Days; for then we are able to celebrate You, and our families, and our friends.

For those who have no voice, we ask You to speak.

For those who feel unworthy, we ask You to pour out Your love in waterfalls of tenderness.

For those who live in pain, we ask You to bathe them in the river of Your healing.

For those who are lonely, we ask You to keep them company.

For those who are depressed, we ask You to shower upon them the light of Your hope.

Dear Creator, You, the borderless sea of substance: We ask You to give to all the world that which we need most—peace.—AMEN.

_{(Maya Angelou)}

Reverend Dr. King said: “The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk their position, their prestige, and even their life for the welfare of others.”

_{(Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)}

Gracious God of mercy and justice, as we face the challenges and opportunities of each day, help us to stand firm in our truth while respecting the dignity of other truths; give us the courage to forgo our own comfort and convenience for the benefit of those denied their basic human rights; and when we fail, may we know Your continued mercy and love. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Today we bring ourselves into Your presence again—

God of Martin and Rosa, of Fannie Lou and Harriet;

God of Malcolm X, Bayard Rustin, and Lorraine Hansberry,

of James Baldwin, Cornel West, and Michelle Alexander;

God of Anne Bradstreet and Isabel Wilkerson—

and of all who have believed in a future full of hope:

We do not ask to see the road ahead.

We do not ask for power or brilliance.

Give us passion.

Give us gratitude for our companions on the journey.

Open our hearts to the blessing of our oneness,

that we may work for justice and healing,

not because we ought to,

but because we know it is right and good for all of us.

God of all who have suffered, all who have struggled, all who have yearned for love: we are millions, and we are one.

Give us this day, that we may give back to You, radiant with hope.—AMEN.

 _{(From “King Day prayer” by Steve Garnaas-Holmes)}

"Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the Earth, the air, and you."

_{(Langston Hughes)}

Gracious God, who is not often called humorous, as we move through our days, help us to remember the difficulties we create for ourselves by trying to shape the circumstances around us, and by holding on to the illusions of control. Let us not wither in the triple-digit heat of self-importance, self-will, and self-critique. Help us to allow humor to refresh our perspectives; to see the humanness of our lives as a blessing rather than a burden; to know ourselves in a new way and to love ourselves with a new kindness. As we respond tenderly to the pressures we place on ourselves, may we release the unfairly high expectations we place on others, and rejoice in the joy of our shared, beautiful, and limited personhood within the human family. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from “Reflective Pause” in Mission Integration by Dignity Health)}

Gracious and ever-loving God, we pray for the strength and courage to continue to ensure the fundamental rights and essential needs of our people in this time and place. With Your help we will work together to accomplish our deepest desires for liberty and justice for all. And in the words of Judy Chicago:

…then all that has been divided will merge.

And then compassion will be wedded to power.

And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind.

And then both men and women will be gentle.

And then both women and men will be strong.

And then no person will be subject to another’s will.

And then all will be rich and free and varied.

And then all will share equally in the Earth’s abundance.

And then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old.

And then all will nourish the young.

And then all will live in harmony with each other and the Earth.

And then everywhere will be called Eden once again.

Merciful God, may we have the strength and courage to work towards those ends.—AMEN.

_{(“Merger Poem Poster” by Judy Chicago)}

“The women of today are the thoughts of our mothers and grandmothers, embodied and made alive…. Millions of women dead and gone are speaking through us today.”

_{(Matilda Joslyn Gage)}

God of many names and many faces, the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is to inspire inclusion. We pray that in this year, the world’s women will experience acknowledgement of and appreciation for our gifts of hospitality and inclusivity.

May all people of authority and goodwill be inspired to dismantle the barriers that keep women separated from each other.

May we challenge the stereotypes that exaggerate flaws and underrepresent the contributions of women in all areas of society.

May we celebrate the social, economic, cultural, political, and religious achievements of women in all eras, and especially in our current day.

Gracious God, help all of us work together to inspire inclusion so that the gifts of a more equitable and diverse society can benefit all people. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

God of transforming and abundant love, we turn this month to the heritage and the struggles of women throughout the ages and especially those of our own time.

We have much to celebrate—especially the women we honor today and all those of similar accomplishments.

We have much to lament—the legacy of patriarchy, the centuries of misogyny, the generations of free labor which gratefully have contributed to the foundations of life as we know it today.

And we have much to hope for—especially the conversion of heart needed to understand that the denigration of women does not lead to greater freedom, justice, and ongoing care of humanity for the common good.

Having come this far, as women and men of all ages, creeds, ethnicities, and abilities, may we continue to uplift each other with encouragement and collaboration and abandon those norms which seek to deny gender equality, diversity, and inclusivity. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Rev. Jude Geiger)}

We gather in God’s presence and in the presence of one another. And in the words of Irish poet, Pádraig Ó Tuama, “we greet God, and we greet the God who is more God than the God we greet.”

And as we celebrate the feast of St. Patrick these days, we pray for his intercession to help us be people of hope as we navigate the challenges of our day. May we find consolation in this traditional Irish prayer, loosely translated from the Gaelic, Ag Críost an Síol:

God of all mystery,

Yours is the seed,

Yours is the harvest:

Gather us one day into Your granary.

God, as vast as the ocean,

Yours are the waves,

Yours are the fishes:

Gather us up into Your entwining nets.

From birth to age,

and from age to death:

Cradle us in Your great and loving arms.

From death to the end,

not end, but new life:

In Your presence may we reside—eternally.—AMEN.

_{(In the Shelter: Finding a Home in the World by Pádraig Ó Tuama and “Ag Críost an Síol”)}

Our prayer today is from Psalm 20:

May the One who created you in wholeness

meet your needs when you call.

May the name of Love be your protection

and rise up in your heart as a tower of strength.

May all you have given in gratitude and with open hands

be returned to you a hundredfold.

May your heart’s desires and all you planned

be fulfilled in due season.

Let us shout for joy as Love triumphs over fear.

Let our thankful hearts sing loud acclamation to the Beloved

who answers our heartfelt prayers….

O Beloved, You have created us,

hear our call and make Your home in our hearts.—AMEN.

_{(Psalms for Praying by Nan C. Merrill)}

As we bring ourselves into God’s presence, let us pray for all who still long to experience God’s heart of mercy:

For all who suffer and struggle alone—may they receive healing and support;

For all who experience injustice and persecution—may they receive strength and courage;

For all who grieve and mourn—may they receive comfort and peace.

God of many names, all of the days of our lives are in Your hands. Help us to know Your presence in each unfolding event; Your active, enabling grace in every circumstance; and Your enduring call to follow You each day with courage and gratitude.—AMEN.

Today I’d like to pray in gratitude for all those who are or have been fasting for Ramadan and Lent, as well as members of the Bahai faith. We are inspired by the outer manifestation of their interior dispositions for the benefit of humanity.

And for those of us who may have slipped up a bit (like myself!), we take comfort from our God’s invitation in these words of Rumi:

“Come, come, whoever you are.

Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn’t matter.

Ours is not a caravan of despair.

Come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times.

Come, yet again, come, come.”

And so gracious God, we thank You for loving each of us as if there were only one of us. You delight in the uniqueness of our being, each one a spark of Your creativity. You allow us to bring the whole of ourselves to all our encounters with You. May we do this honor for one another. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

We pray today in the words of E. E. Cummings:

I thank You God for most this amazing

day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(I who have died am alive again today,

and this is the Sun’s birthday; this is the birth

day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay

great happening illimitably Earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing

breathing any human merely being

doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and

now the eyes of my eyes are opened).—AMEN.

_{(E. E. Cummings)}

And today we pray with a Mary Oliver poem called “Praying”:

It doesn’t have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try

to make them elaborate, this is not

a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.

_{(“Praying” in THIRST by Mary Oliver)}

I’d like to read it again and invite you to a few moments of silence so that you can hear the prayer that God is praying in you today.

It doesn’t have to be

the blue iris, it could be

weeds in a vacant lot, or a few

small stones; just

pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don’t try

to make them elaborate, this is not

a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which

another voice may speak.—AMEN.

Loving Creator, You have been our God in the past, leading us from captivity to freedom. You are the Spirit we admire and worship now beneath this colossal creation around us. But mostly, You are the God of many names and infinite mystery, who draws us toward a world of justice and love, toward hope, toward creativity, and energetic life. We thank You for all You promise as You reassure us of Your caring, speaking to the silent expectations of our hearts. You are our God, and we seek to be Your hands and feet and heart.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from We Side with the Morning by William Cleary)}

Just when you seem to yourself

nothing but a flimsy web

of questions, you are given the questions of others to hold

in the emptiness of your hands,

songbird eggs that can still hatch

if you keep them warm,

butterflies opening and closing themselves

in your cupped palms, trusting you not to injure

their fur, their dust.

You are given the questions of others

as if they were answers

to all you ask. Yes, perhaps

this gift is your answer.

_{(“A Gift” by Denise Levertov)}

God of love and mercy, thank You for gifting us with the freedom to wrestle with the questions of our day. As we discern how best to meet the deepest needs of all Your people, may we do so from a stance of humility and a willingness to engage the creativity of all for the common good. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Today, let us reflect on different ways to pray from Naomi Shihab Nye, an Arab-American poet:

There was the method of kneeling,

a fine method if you lived in a country where stones were smooth.

The women dreamed wistfully of bleached courtyards,

hidden corners where knee fit rock…

There were the men who had been shepherds so long they walked like sheep.

Under the olive trees, they raised their arms—Hear us! We have pain on Earth!

We have so much pain there is no place to store it…

At night the men ate heartily… and were happy in spite of the pain,

because there was also happiness.

Some prized the pilgrimage, wrapping themselves in new white linen…

When they arrived at Mecca they would circle the holy places,…

and return, their lean faces housing mystery.

While for certain cousins and grandmothers the pilgrimage occurred daily,

lugging water from the spring or balancing the baskets of grapes…

And there were the ones who didn’t care about praying. The young ones.

The ones who had been to America.

They told the old ones, you are wasting your time…

The old ones prayed for the young ones. They prayed for Allah to mend their brains…

And occasionally there would be one who did none of this,

the old man Fowzi the fool, who beat everyone at dominoes,

insisted he spoke with God as he spoke with goats,

and was famous for his laugh.

So, Gracious God of Many Names, we thank You for the diversity of ways to pray; and however we pray, grant that we may pray in amazement and gratitude that we are here, now, choosing to bring hope and encouragement to those we serve.—AMEN.

_{(“Different Ways to Pray” in Words Under the Words: Selected Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye)}

In our daily efforts to create more prosperous societies, the progressive rock group, Rush, invites us to lead from our hearts:

And the [ones] who hold high places

Must be the ones to start

To mold a new reality

Closer to the Heart

God of compassion and mercy, You dwell in the deepest recesses of our hearts where You know our dreams and hopes for positive change in our world. Be with us as we work to bring those dreams to life by our actions, forged with courage and creativity, with persistence and patience, until all those seeking a place of refuge and belonging can be assured of their value and their contribution to the ongoing evolution of our human family. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(“Closer to the Heart” in A Farewell to Kings by Rush)}

Honorable State Senators, from the headquarters of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, we greet you with wholehearted and sincerest wishes and come before you as religious servants and sons and daughters of a nation of survivors, a nation which champions democracy, promotes regional stability, peace, and prosperity. We commend your dedication and zealous spirit with which you serve the citizens of the great State of California. In the Holy Bible, we are instructed to pray for our leaders. It is with this great regard that we heed to this calling. Let us all bow our heads in prayer.

Almighty God, we come before You, beseeching Your divine love, mercy, and peace. Bless the members of the California State Senate. Grant them peace, love, and wisdom to serve their constituents with unrelenting dedication and enduring affection. May humility and graciousness guide them as they face various challenges associated with their service in order that they may embrace kindness, compassion, and justice.—AMEN.

During this time of Passover, we want to pray for all who are suffering in this world in any way. The prayer I will use today is actually a song from YouTube, called “Heal Us Now”. It was recorded in 2020 by the International Jewish Teen Choir when everyone was learning to use Zoom from their bedrooms. It is based on some lines from the Book of Numbers and 3 Psalms. And so we pray:

Heal us now.

We pray for healing of the body.

We pray for healing of the soul,

for strength of flesh and mind and spirit,

we pray to once again be whole.

O Adonai, please heal us now; heal us; heal us now.

We pray for healing of the people.

We pray for healing of the land.

And peace for every race and nation—Every child, every woman, every man. And this prayer is ever so much beautiful with music.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Numbers 12:13 and Psalms 28:9, 118:25, and 145:18; English by Leon Sher)}

We are coming to the close of the Jewish holiday of Passover in which we eat matzah, a flat bread that recalls our ancestors’ fleeing slavery centuries ago—so quickly that they didn’t have time to let their dough rise.

Passover tells a triumphant story of overcoming oppression yet at our Passover ritual, we split a piece of matzah in half to symbolize brokenness. This year, our breaking-apart ritual reflects our very broken world.

Where do we feel that brokenness today?

We feel it across our state, on our college campuses, in our city halls

and in the tents that line our streets

in Jewish communities, we are feeling it everywhere since the horrors of the October 7th massacre in Israel, and the war in Gaza where so many are suffering.

In the largely LGBTQI+ community I serve, we feel torn, lonely, and targeted.

Jewish mystical tradition teaches that the universe is fractured, it is our job as human beings to notice the broken pieces all around us and put them back together. Whether we reach out to someone in pain with kindness or enact just laws, we ask that each of our actions, how will this mend our broken world?

Today, we recognize in this space Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day which commemorates the horrors that began with Kristallnacht, the night of broken glass in which Jewish businesses and communities were literally shattered by the Nazis. We grieve the millions of Jews and others who were killed as we recall the progression during the 1930s from antisemitic rhetoric, to violence, to anti-Jewish laws… We all know where the story was headed, but they did not.

Europe’s Jews thought they were at home. Today in the United States, after years of relative calm, my entire lifetime, we struggle with the recent spike in antisemetic acts.

All of us can continue to pick up the broken shards of this world, for ourselves, and others. Where do you see brokenness around you?

What actions will you take to mend this world?

The book of Psalms reads, “G-d is close to the brokenhearted.”

G-d of compassion, I pray that You can hold us in our brokenness and give us the strength to hold one other in compassion.

G-d who encourages us to question, grant us the ability to pause when we think we’re right, to listen to other voices that might be difficult to hear.

G-d of the in-between spaces, teach us to see nuance and complexity when we’re surrounded by slogans.

G-d of the brokenhearted, guide us to mend this broken world with strength and resilience.—AMEN.

God of the small, the subtle, the unimportant,

God of the vague, the cloudy, the ambiguous,

open our hearts to Your presence.

Open our eyes to the little signs,

our ears to the soft murmurs.

Slow us down to listen and hear the cries of the unspoken.

Awaken us to the losses that are blessings,

awaken us to the wounds that are openings,

awaken us to the weaknesses that are sources of Your strength.

Wake us from the stupor of busyness, the daze of desire, and keep us woke

to witness Your drawing near, to behold Your presence,

even in these ordinary moments,

these feeble prayers,

these beating hearts.—AMEN.

_{(“Unfolding Light” by Steve Garnaas-Holmes)}