Merciful God,
I enter the garden of Your presence
open to the mystery of Your love.
The hurt I have caused and the hurt I have borne
I lay to rest in the tomb of Your grace.
All resentment, shame, dread and anxiety
I wrap in the linens of Your mercy.
All distrust and defiance

I lay to rest in the depths of Your tender gaze.

Dawning One,
rise in me, and set me free,
free of all fear, free of the power of doubt
and the shrouds of the past.
Rise to new life in me,
wounded but whole,
radiant, forgiving and alive with Your love.
Create me anew: by Your grace set me free.—AMEN.

            Let us pray today that we can heed at least some of the advice given by Walt Whitman in these few lines from his poem, “Leaves of Grass.”

            This is what you should do:
            Love the earth and sun and the animals,
            despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks,
            stand up for the stupid and crazy,
            devote your income and labor to others, hate tyrants,
            argue not concerning God,
            have patience and indulgence toward the people...
            re-examine all you have been told at school or church or in any book.
            Dismiss whatever insults your own soul,
            and your very flesh shall be a great poem.—AMEN.

             Lord Almighty, with gratitude in our hearts we thank You for the blessing of this day as we have gathered here once again with our dear friends of the California State Senate to pay tribute to the 1.5 million holy martyrs of the Armenian Genocide on this 103rd anniversary commemoration.

            Today, as we remember the lives of the innocent men, women, and children lost during the Armenian Genocide, we remember the victims of all genocides, past and present, praying for the repose of their souls and for Your divine protection to be upon all those caught in the crosshairs of conflict around the world. May You grant strength, patience, and hope for better days to those enduring suffering, and establish Your love and peace in the hearts of all.

            Lord, we thank our esteemed elected officials for designating this time each year to honor the memory of our ancestors and for their continued solidarity with the Armenian-Armenian community in pursuit of our noble and just cause. May Your blessings be upon them as they faithfully perform the duties entrusted to them as guardians of public interest, and lead them to new heights in their civil service to our beloved state of California we proudly call home. 

            As we continue our quest for universal recognition and justice for the Armenian Genocide, may we draw fortitude, wisdom, and perseverance from You to remain undeterred and tireless in our fight. And with Your divine guidance, and the united efforts of our friends and supporters, may truth, justice, and righteousness prevail in due time. 

            Lord, we continue to pray for a world where peoples of all faiths, races, and ethnicities can coexist in peace and harmony, with mutual respect and tolerance for one another, and where liberty, equality, and human rights is regarded above all.

            May the memory of our faithful departed remain ever-blessed. May Your blessings and protection be upon the leadership, armed forces, and citizenry of this great nation, and may You keep us in peace under Your loving care and mercy.—AMEN.

God of Mercy, as we begin this day, we ask for:

  Grace to see creative possibilities in the challenges that lie before us;

  Courage to let go of old ways that no longer enliven or inspire our work; and

  Strength to be flexible in facing all that is unknown and uncertain.

  We are grateful for the variety of gifts and tireless dedication that each person brings to their work.

  Walk with us, faithful God, and free us from any fear or hesitancy to face the future with hope.

May all we do bring strength and goodness to our world, and glory to You, our God.—AMEN.

Surprising as unplanned kisses, all you haven’t deserved

      of days and solitude, your body’s immoderate good health

      that lets you work in many kinds of weather. Praise

      talk with just about anyone. And quiet intervals, books

      that are your food and your hunger, nightfall and walks

      before sleep. Praising these for practice, perhaps

      you will come at last to praise grief and the wrongs

      you never intended.  At the end there may be no answers

     and only a few simple questions: did I love,

     finish my task in the world? Learn at least one

     of the many names of God? …at the ragged edges of pain,

     did I catch the smallest glimpse of the holy?

                                                                                                    _{(Adapted from The Light of Invisible Bodies by Jeanne Lohmann.)}

     Gracious and loving God, be with us as we learn to praise all that our life entails.—AMEN.

            Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche, an international community for persons with disabilities, says the following:

            We will never win the Olympics of humanity

            Racing for perfection,

            But we can walk together in hope,

            Celebrating that we are loved in our brokenness:

            Helping each other,

            Growing in trust,

            Living in thanksgiving,

            Learning to forgive,

            Opening up to others and welcoming them,

            And striving to bring peace and hope to the world.

            Gracious God, as we gather again this day, help us to remember that it is in our own vulnerability and awareness of our weaknesses that we can bring forward creative solutions to the many needs in our communities.  With Your help, each step will bring us closer to justice and peace for our world.—AMEN.

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—lifted from the no

Of all nothing—human merely being

Doubt unimaginable You?

(Now the ears of my ears awake and

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

(Adapted from “I Thank You God for Most This Amazing Day” by E. E. Cummings.)

            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.

                                                                       (Adapted from the Morning and Evening Prayer of the Sisters of Mercy.)

            Loving Presence, we are gathered today to ask for Your wise and loving guidance as we make decisions that will affect all of Your precious residents here in California.  We pray that our leaders make decisions for the betterment of California and to make policy and choices that help our wonderful state to not only thrive, but flourish. Help our minds to be open to new ideas and to leave our egos at the door so that we remember our goals for California.  Help us to remember it is our duty to uphold promises we have made to our voters.  May we always live our lives in gratitude because we live in this grand state, knowing it a privilege to love and serve You.  Keep us safe. And thank You for this beautiful state.  May we all continue to prosper and serve You in gratitude.   

            Omshanti, peace to all.

            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.)

             Truth is a mirror that fell from the hand of God and was broken.

             verybody picked up a fragment,

            and announced that they had found the whole truth.

                                                                                                                                  _{(Adapted from an Arab proverb.)}

            Holy Elusive God, in every religion we desire to know Your truth.  We seek You, pursue You, and try to define You with names and attributes.  Yet our spiritual impulse never reaches its goal—for You are always an otherness beyond our comprehension.  Still, in the quiet of sacred spaces, in the ecstasy of blessed human moments, in the painful experiences of grief and fear, we seem to achieve a sense of Your presence. For this we give You thanks, united with all the world in our continual desire to be present to your elusive truth.—AMEN.

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

             Let us Pray:

            Eternal God, we open this legislative session acknowledging that You are Supreme in all matters! You are above all and within all!

            I give You thanks today for the men and women who inhabit this Chamber.

            These are they, who have answered the call to courageously serve that “which is greater than themselves.”

            These are they, who You have called and assigned for “such a time as this!”

            Lord, our times are “heavy” with difficult and complicated social problems requiring tough decisions and actions!!

            Endow these men and women, I do pray!

            Endow them with moral wisdom and divine understanding to govern wisely in these times.

            Endow them with sincere commitment and concern for the relief of the most vulnerable living among us.

            Keep each one ever focused on the human flourishing for all of California.

            May every city and every locale be served well by these, your chosen ones!!

            It is said and it is so, we pray.—AMEN.

            There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about.

            Ask “What’s possible?” not “What’s wrong?” And keep asking.

            Notice what you care about and assume that many others share your dreams.

                                                                                                                                 _{(Adapted from Turning to One Another by Margaret J. Wheatley.)}

            Loving and Merciful God, You have given us the courage and determination to engage in conversations that matter, to forge creative solutions that will affect many people into the future.  We continue to trust in the outpouring of Your Spirit in new and surprising ways as we rely on the generosity and human goodness of each other. We make our prayer in your name.—AMEN.

            Creator Spirit, how utterly mysterious is this existence you have placed us in.

            If we were to despair of understanding it all, we could feel justified:

            Conflict and tragedy, pain and death surround us, but so does every kind of love, with beauty and wisdom in every tree and star.

            Everywhere we look, there is evidence of altruism among us humans. Be with is in making sense of it all, trusting that beneath everything is meaning, direction, and purpose.—AMEN.

                                                                                                                        (Adapted from Prayers to an Evolutionary God by William Cleary.)

       Gracious God of many voices,  we are grateful that You are still speaking, whispering, calling to each of us with the compassionate voice of acceptance and the grace-filled challenge to believe in Your unconditional love. Enliven our creativity and our imaginations as we lift up our prayers for all the places, people and situations who have not yet experienced Your love and tenderness. We ask the assistance of Your Spirit as we respond to Your call to use our gifts to soften the hearts of those who would limit Your unconditional love. May we be known as people of radical hospitality who keep widening the circle of Your welcome for all.  We ask this in your name.—AMEN. 

O God of many paths, the labyrinth is a metaphor for our journey to You.  In the Western world we have been taught that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. We have often modeled our journey to You on the straight line, only to experience frustration. But You, O God of infinite surprise, show us a path that is curved, where often the center and periphery are side by side. When it seems that we are not approaching our goal, help us remember that we may be closer than it seems. May the labyrinth be a symbol of our surrender to mystery-trusting, not knowing for certain, that the path which curves in and out ultimately leads to the Center, which is You.—AMEN.

                                                                                                                                                                                                           _{(Adapted from Jean Sonnenberg, Labyrinth at Bon Secours Retreat Center.)}

            Almighty God, as Californians, we have many blessings for which we are thankful: our rich heritage, our abundant natural resources, our scenic beauty, our great diversity with many cultures and religious traditions, and the contributions of our creative and hard-working populace.

            We also have many opportunities to share Your divine love, as we come to the aid of those who are in need: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the ill, and those in prison.

            As we go about our business today, let us focus on the common good with a spirit of cooperation, openness, compromise, respect, and kindness.

         And let us pray for God’s blessings on the members of this body, as they deliberate, enact laws, and serve their brothers and sisters.—AMEN.

             Gracious God, Mystery surrounding us,

            Pouring out Your prodigal energies with profligate innovation,

            Receive our prayer of awe and gratitude.

            We contribute our personal minds to this elegant universe,

            Creating harmonies this day with all that exists,

            Amid the music of Your alluring presence everywhere.

            We join our hearts and our imaginations, and all our spiritual resources with this magnificent evolving reality,

            Rejoicing in Your presence.—AMEN.

                                                                                            (Adapted from Prayers to an Evolutionary God by William Cleary.)

God of loving kindness and mercy, we ask You to

            Quiet us, that out of still spaces we may hear Your word.

            May we walk with faith all the days of our lives,

            Aware of the interdependence of all living things,

            And come to know You in every thing and in each other.

            Quiet us, O Silent Speaker, that out of still spaces we may hear Your word.

            From the galaxies and the furthest stars

            To the smallest atom in our heart,

            You are the Living Flame of Love.

            May we see your divinity in the “within” and the “without” of all things.

            Quiet us, O Silent Speaker, that out of still spaces we may hear your word.

            Gather us together, O Healing Presence,

            That we may live in peace with all people

            And bring glory to Your name.—AMEN.

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

             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—

            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—perhaps the way Mr. Rogers did in the movie Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.—AMEN.

            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? Expecting to see?”

            Like the banks of a river

            I need to wait, ready to receive sacred life

            And ready to let go.

            Jesus spent nights in prayer,

            Spoke the unexpected to followers.

            That suffering stranger, the Canaanite woman who knew she belonged,

            Watched and waited, saw the light of Jesus’ compassion

            Fogged in for the moment with tiredness and misunderstanding.

            She believed love would prevail.

            Tuned to your rhythms, O God,

            Give us eyes to see into the shadows

            Where holiness lies invisible

            In questions, uncertainties without answers.

            We dwell in mystery,

            Connection, communion, your heartbeat everywhere.—AMEN.

                                                                                                                      _{(Adapted from  Alice Feeley, RDC, White Plains, New York)}

                                                              We are all in the same boat, and we owe each other a terrible loyalty.

                                                                                                                                                     (G.K. Chesterton)

            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 causes of unjust structures that lead to the abuse of immigrants and all those impoverished by the misunderstandings and judgments of others.  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.

                                                              We are all in the same boat, and we owe each other a terrible loyalty.

                                                                                                                                                     (G.K. Chesterton)

            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 causes of unjust structures that lead to the abuse of immigrants and all those impoverished by the misunderstandings and judgments of others.  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.

                                                     We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men [persons] are created equal,

                                                           That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights,

                                                                 That among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

                                                                              (Adapted from the Declaration of Independence.)

            Gracious God, of the past, present, and future: as we celebrate the birthday of our national independence, we confess our ongoing dependence on You. We pray that we will continue to make real the courage of our forefathers and foremothers in these tempestuous days. May our freedom of speech serve to build community and collaboration; may our freedom of worship lead us to gratitude for all we have received; and may our freedom from want and fear enrich us with creative ideas for ensuring the life, liberty, and happiness of our brothers and sisters in need. May all that is high and fine in us rise to greet each new day confident that we will achieve the ideals that we know to be self-evident.—AMEN.

                                                                                                                                              _{(Adapted from  the July 5, 1943  United States  Senate Prayer by Chaplain, Rev. Frederick Brown Harris, D.D.)}

                     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 isn’t

            a contest but the doorway

            into thanks, and a silence in which

            another voice may speak.

                                                                                                                                                                 (By Mary Oliver.)

            Gracious God, help us to approach each day with gratitude and an openness to hearing Your voice.—AMEN.

            I recently was inspired by Hannah Brencher, an author.

            Our Time is limited. We get busy, our days fly by as we try to make the most of every minute. We meet with many people, each pulling us in different directions. As we try to walk in their shoes, to fully understand their plight, where do we seek our guidance? Where do we find our moral compass?

            It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. We do not have all the answers. These are the times when I find refuge in God. I may not have the words—I may not have the energy to get down on my knees and pray—it might feel like my prayers aren’t good enough, that I’m not making sense to God.

            I have learned to say Breath Prayers. Short prayers that get right to the point. They can be uttered under my breath, in any situation, at any time. A Breath Prayer can be repeated over and over again under my breath, quietly, and it becomes part of me. A Breath Prayer is somewhere between praying when I remember, and praying without ceasing.

            My favorite is “Reduce me to Love, God, Reduce me to Love.”

            I don’t need to pray for greatness, to make me something bigger for this world. No, the prayer is reduce. Make me smaller. Help me get out of my own way. It is not all about me. Just like in John 3 where John the Baptist says “I’m not it. I’m not meant to be the center of attention.” He was preparing the way for God.

            This is not what we hear in our world. We are taught to be impressive, front and center, loud. The gospel is a different story. The gospel encourages us to get smaller as we go so that God can be amplified.

            Smallness is where the real work happens. In our quiet strength we learn from one another, share our ideas, and listen intentionally. Our actions are more important than our words.

            I want to be the encourager. I want to be the listener. My prayer has now become:

            Reduce me to Love. Help me to see beneath the surface. Help me to be a familiar face in a crowd, a light in a dark room. Turn me into love and wipe out all the excess fear.

            Help me to see others as you see them, God. Each as a masterpiece, made by your loving hands.—AMEN.

                                       According to Vaclav Havel:

                                       Hope is an orientation of the heart;

                                       it transcends the world that is immediately experienced....

            O God in whom we hope, we ask You to bless our efforts to bring leadership, justice, and ongoing solutions to the challenges of these days.

            Give 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 on the margins, those who have lost loved ones and homes, those who are close to despair.

            May all that we do today engender hope in our communities, for as Harvey Milk once said: “the important thing is not that we can live on hope alone, but that without it, life is not worth living.”

            And so, we continue to hope in Your providence, and for relief for those risking their lives to bring safety and security to others.—AMEN.

            Gracious and loving God, we gather today conscious that Your Spirit of Wisdom moves in each of us,

            As it has moved in all people since the beginning of human life.

            May we be wise in our sharing and ready to listen to each other.

            May we be open to learning where new insights and knowledge may take us,

            While drawing on wisdom that stands the test of time.

            May we be courageous enough to discard whatever can no longer sustain us,

            And allow Your Spirit to flow clearly and graciously as we work to do Your will.—AMEN.

            Let no evil talk come out of your mouths,
            but only what is useful for building up, as there is need,
            so that your words may give grace to those who hear.—Ephesians 4.29

            Gracious God, You know what a temptation it is
            to whine and complain. To criticize and judge.
            Free us for something better.

            Even in the shadow of injustice
            We can speak Your grace;
            We can utter Your endless possibilities.

            May our words build up and bless,
            create space for newness,
            be the living alternative to the evil we decry.

            Speak Your grace through us.
            May we be persons of our word,
            and may our word be goodness.—AMEN.

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

           God of many names, we are touched to the core with a presence we cannot explain.  A loving plan seems to enfold us, calling us forth.  We stand in grace, filled with mystery, touched with the eternal while we pursue our daily responsibilities. We thank You for Your gracious presence.—AMEN.

               Beloved Father, as we partake of this day, blessed the Senate Floor, its members, their families, and most importantly the people we desire to serve in humility and transparency. Give us the gift of community and welcoming to all who feel marginalized. Help us to build bridges and not walls. Most importantly, guide this great state of California in discernment, compassion, and love. Help us to be mindful every day that we are serving and You are guiding us to true kinship of belonging.—AMEN. 

             Father God, today in this chamber, the California State Senate will be in session.  We are asking at this challenging time in our country’s history, that You God, would bless these state elected leaders with patience and wisdom to lead us forward.

            We know You have plans to prosper us.  These leaders were elected by the people because of the qualities and vision that they possess.  Please God be with these men and women as they work across the aisle to find consensus in the pressing issues that face our nation.

            Proverbs 11:14: says “for lack of guidance a nations falls, but victory  is won through many advisors”

            We ask You, God, that You would open their hearts to hear and make right decisions of great importance that will not only affect our generation, but generations to come. 

            Thank You Father God, for we know that when we pray You hear our prayers, and You will answer us.—AMEN.

            Gracious God, in the turbulence of our living from day to day

            Keep us in touch with our roots, so we will remember where we came from.  

            Keep us in touch with our feelings so we will be more aware of who we really are and what it costs.

            Keep us in touch with our minds so we will know who we are not and what that means. And keep us in touch with our dreams so we will grow toward where we want to go and for whom.

            We ask not to be delivered from the tensions that wind us tight, but we do ask for a sense of direction in which to move, a sense of humor about our disappointments, a sense of respect for the elegant puzzlement of being human, and a sense of gladness for Your kingdom which comes in spite of our fretful pulling and tugging.

            Lord, nurture in us the questions of a child, the boldness of a profit, the courage of a disciple. Help us to be worthy ministers to the people we serve.

            We ask these things, as we ask all things in Your holy name.—AMEN.

                                                                                                                                                                     (“About our Dreaming,” author unknown.)

             Loving God, we offer humility and gratitude for
            this beloved community, in which we embody Your grace.
            Give us confidence to trust our part in the whole,
            to honor our gifts, to give our offering,
            and to relish the strange harmony we make,
            even in our differences.
            Help us, O Oneness, to be whole,
            to speak only truth,
            to grow continually,
            and to build each other up in love,
            and so attain our full stature in Your presence.—AMEN.

                                                                                                                                                                                         _{(By Steve Garnaas-Holmes.)}

             As you move through this day, I invite you to relax into the words of Danna Faulds in her poem, Just for Now:

            Just for Now,
            Without asking how, let yourself sink into stillness.

            Just for now, lay down the weight
            You so patiently bear upon your shoulders.

            Just for now,
            Allow a wave of breath to enliven your experience.
            Breathe out whatever blocks you from the truth.

            Just for now,
            Be boundless, free, with awakened energy tingling in your hands and feet.

            Drink in the possibility
            Of being who and what you really are—
            So fully alive that the world looks different,
            Newly born and vibrant, just for now.—AMEN.

            As you bring this session to a close, we pray in gratitude for the works you have accomplished. I invite you to relax with this human kindness meditation, which is, first of all, directed to yourself:

            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 your staff who have assisted you this year.   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. 

             O God,

            Help me to believe

            The truth about myself

            No matter how beautiful it is!

                                                                                                                                                     _{(Seasons of your Heart by Macrina Wiederkehr.)}

            We begin in the Name of God—the Excessively Loving, the Compassionate One and the Extremely Loving Merciful One.

            Yours is all praise, in Your gentleness and pardon. O You who covers our faults. You whose goodness envelops all.

            O Empowering One, we ask that You grant us success in fulfilling the immense responsibility we hold to the people of this state.

            O Most Just and the Giver of Gifts, make us a community that implements and lives by our constitution in a way that is just, fair, and ethical.

            O Most Caring and Wise One, make us sincere and honest caretakers and custodians of the people and push us to be accountable, gently, and improve ourselves, constantly, when we fall short.

            All those who are suffering from sickness please enable us to be the remedy.

            All those who are suffering from poverty please enable us to enrich them.

            All those who are suffering from Injustice please enable us to be their advocates.

            All those who are broken please enable us to make them whole again.

            All those who are hungry enable us to feed them.

            All those who are homeless enable us to house them.

            All those who are displaced enable us to reunite them with what was once separated from them.

            And all those who do not feel loved, we ask You to fortify our hearts with the capacity to love them.

            Fill our hearts, minds and souls with a true love and compassion for the people we serve.

            Oh Lord You are the greatest Lover and Beloved and source of all love, let love reign!

            Oh Lord You are the Source of Peace and its Giver, let absolute peace reign!

            Oh Lord You are the Wisest and source of all wisdom, bless us with beneficial knowledge, deep insight, great understanding and comprehension, intellect and wisdom.

            With this, We ask that You accept this prayer from us. For You are the Most Merciful who accepts prayers.—AMEN.

             It’s Friday and the end of the session is just days away, but the pile of bills and intensity of work only seems to increase.  The usual hustle and bustle has reached a stampede with all seeking to meet goals and looming deadlines. 

            Let us take a collective breath and momentarily redirect our minds. Let’s turn our thoughts to family, friends and those we serve, and let us take a few moments to call to mind the ideals that brought us into this chamber.

            We now pray for you, who sit in this House of the People.  May you bring the best of your skills and talents, as well as your compassion, to serve the people of our state. May you craft and amend legislation that touches and improves the lives of all Californians. May you merit taking pride in your contributions to this amazing state.  Most importantly, we pray that you be granted discernment, wisdom, and health as you attend to our collective future.  We also ask that your families be granted strength and health, and that the sacrifices of time and presence that they endure be recognized.  We also pray for the welfare of those in service to our state, whether in uniform, on the roadside, providers of physical or mental health and all those who bring their talents and skills towards a vision of a yet brighter future.  Together let us say.—AMEN.

Welcome to this moment of prayer. We gather in the presence of the Holy One, who has called us to be co-creators of our future in this Golden State of California.

Gracious God of Many Names, You have said in Isaiah 43:18:

See, I am doing a new deed,

Even now it comes to light: can you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness

And streams in the wasteland.

Holy and Mysterious One, as we begin this session of the legislature, we pause to acknowledge that this moment has been in process for eons, through our ancestors, their movements and migrations, their dreams and life-changing decisions. Today, we thank You for our new senators, re-elected senators, and experienced senators-all endeavoring to bring new hope and new energy to the work of leading our State.

We ask You now:

Open their eyes to see clearly and courageously the opportunities that lie before them;

Inspire their imaginations to create new solutions to recurring and emerging situations;

Enliven their hearts to love the work of each day- the pleasant and the difficult.

We pray that each constituent of this State will embrace our civic duty to work for the common good, that together, we all make a commitment:

to act a little more justly;

love a little more tenderly;

and walk a little more humbly, with You, our God, and with each other.—AMEN.

Gracious and loving God, We gather again to continue the legislative work for the State of California. Inspire each senator to remember daily all those who depend on just and fair legislation, always taking into consideration the needs of the most vulnerable persons in our society. Help all of us to be present to the challenges and opportunities of this moment.

We continue in the words of Jan Richardson:

Now, more than ever, let us be the ones who will not turn away.

Let us be the ones who will go farther into the wreck and deeper into the rubble.

Let us be the ones who will enter the places of devastation beyond belief

and despair beyond our imagining.

And there let us listen for the Spirit that brooded over the formless darkness,

and there let us look again for the God who gathered up the chaos and began to create.

Let us be the ones who will give ourselves to the work of creating again

and to the endless beginning of creation.—AMEN.

Let these be your desires….

To wake at dawn with a winged heart

And give thanks for another day of loving.

Kahlil Gibran

Gracious and loving God, as we begin this day, help us to be grateful for the possibilities it holds:

Give wings to our hearts, enabling us to soar above the limitations of yesteryear’s challenges;

Liberate our hearts to attempt the seemingly impossible tasks we desire to accomplish;

And soften our hearts to love even the disruptive opportunities that daily present themselves.

Let our winged hearts soar in waves of gratitude for all that is.—AMEN.

Gracious and loving God, as we pray for all those suffering from violence and the effects of natural disasters, especially in California, we ask that we may be inspired to greater action and hope by the words of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoken in 1967, as follows:

We can no longer afford to worship the god of hate or bow before the altar of
retaliation. We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.

In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late. We still have a choice today: nonviolent coexistence or violent co-annihilation. We must move past indecision to action. We must find new ways to speak for peace . . . and justice throughout the… world — a world that borders on our doors. Now let us begin. Now let us re-dedicate ourselves to the long and bitter — [and] beautiful — struggle for a new world.—AMEN.

Upon invitation of the President, the following prayer was offered by Rev. Georgia Prescott, Center for Spiritual Awareness:

We turn our attention to Spirit by many names:  God, Allah, Elohim, Sacred Grandmother Tree, Divine Intelligence.

We give thanks for this place called the California Senate today and thanks also for the Senators and staff who work so hard for a prosperous and harmonious California.

May there be wisdom in this place, but especially may it be a place where the men and women become aware of the Divine wisdom in themselves.

May there be creativity in this place but especially may it be a place where the men and women allow the natural creativity that is within them to flow in answer to this State’s challenges.

May there be patience in this place but especially may it be a place where women and men find the patience within to listen to each other with respect and honor.

Especially in this week of celebrating the courage and wisdom of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, may we continue to strive for a California that responds to each of our citizens based on the content of their character and not the color of their skin, who they love, how they pray, or what gender they express.

May everyone come into this senate with expectation of success and go with thanksgiving.—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 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.

_{(By Maya Angelou.)}

Dear God. It’s me. Help! Amen.

Speak to me, Lord. Please enunciate.

Fun-loving God, please tickle my fancy.

Thank You for puppies and strawberries.

Thanks for another day of living.—AMEN.

_{(By Sr. Melanie Svoboda, SND.)}

Great Spirit, Creator Mother Father God, One Who Is Known By Many Names, I offer my gratitude  for our lives and for our life’s journey. I send my voice this day on behalf of this Sacred Gathering of leaders; for all of the Hoops that shall be touched by what is done here in this holy place; and for this NOW moment we have ALL been called to answer.

I call upon the Ancestral Spirit of our People, whose strengths are passed down through each of us here; that we might walk in Wisdom for the Whole. That You will guide each individually and collectively to ensure that their actions harm no one and benefit everyone.

I pray that every breath and heartbeat of each lawmaker will weave together in respect, truth, honor, integrity to create greater unity and equality for the evolution of our state. Let them feed hope, and walk with faith, Creator. For today they hold the hope, faith, and trust of us all. I ask that You bless them, for they are the ones we have been waiting for.—AMEN.

Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name that’s above all names. Asking You, Heavenly God, to be our special guest this morning and every morning of the year. Help us to decrease, as You increase in our lives.

Father God, we are asking You to bless every elected official, their families, staff and loved ones with supernatural wisdom, supernatural grace, and Your supernatural power. Be a fence of protection around them as they do the great work You, Heavenly Father, have called and chosen them to do. Give this elected body of officials, Your peace and Your love. Strengthen them as they go about their daily duties.

Heavenly Father, when all is said and done, we will not forget to give you all the praise, all the glory, and all the honor.

We pray all these things in the name above all names.—AMEN.

Waking up this morning, I smile.

Twenty-four brand new hours are before me.

I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.”

_{(By Thich Nhat Hanh.)}

Holy Mystery, as we begin another New Year, Chinese New Year, help us to notice the blessings of each day, the opportunities to appreciate each moment, and the gift of compassion that we can give to one another.—AMEN. 

     Prayer is not asking.
     Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God,
     at God’s disposition,
     and listening for that voice in the depths of our hearts.

                                                                                                                    ^{(By Mother Teresa.)}

     Gracious God, today we commit ourselves to a stance of receptivity and attentiveness to Your presence within our hearts.—AMEN.

Gracious Lord, we are grateful this day for life and the opportunity to serve. We take this time to acknowledge the great work of Your hands, as our very beings are made in the image and likeness of God. We thank You for the progress made in this nation and the State of California to recognize that all people bear the image of God. And we thank You specifically, during Black History Month, for the legacy of inspiration, innovation, perseverance, and victory accomplished by African Americans in the United States and throughout the world. As You O Lord, were the source of strength for the oppressed in generations passed, we stand in need of Your strength and guidance today. I pray for those here today to continue to do good works, to reap where they have not sown, and to be lights in the darkness, overcoming evil in all its forms. Help us to forge ahead into a future that is befitting of the sacrifices, suffering, and hard-fought victories of the past.

In Your Holy Name we pray.—AMEN.

God of affection, devotion, and tenderness, we thank You for the myriad ways that we have been touched by Your love:

Love that draws us to friendship and fidelity;

Love that leads us to kindness and compassion;

Love that lures us to the sacred and serene;

Love that calls us to new vision and evolution;

Love that sees the value of each human being.

Source of all love, we thank You for abiding in our hearts, You—the One Great Heart of our Universe, holding us all in the mystery of Your presence.—AMEN. 

Gracious God, in this world of so many messages, we often feel overwhelmed. Sometimes we barely hear Your voice amid the clamor of each day’s discouraging news. In what can seem like unrelenting struggle, we strain to feel Your peace.

Help us each day to pay attention:

To notice which words, pictures, and attitudes are forming us—

To use our ears to hear You, our eyes to see You, and our voices to speak Your love.

Grant us the courage to challenge falsehood, to distinguish honesty from hypocrisy, to see goodness where it lives, and to overcome world-weariness and despair with our unrelenting commitment to the common good.  We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

     Dear God, remember that we are the plants in Your fields so connected to the earth that You know what would happen if You did not rain upon us.

     And if Your light ceased to lift us from the ground and craft our bodies, how might we come near You like the suns?

     Please remember, God, to love us in a way our souls can taste and rejoice in.—AMEN.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ^{(By St. Teresa of Avila.)}

Gracious and merciful God, we pray for the power to be gentle; the strength to be forgiving; the patience to be understanding; and the endurance to accept the consequences of holding on to what we trust to be right.

May we know the power of good and the power of love to create a new world where fear and selfishness no longer lead people to commit injustice or bring suffering to others.

We pray for vision to see and faith to believe in a world emancipated from violence. Help us to devote our energy to the task of making peace and inspiring all to contribute their gifts for the preservation of humanity.—AMEN.

          As we bring ourselves into awareness of God’s presence today, we 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 love and mercy, all 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.  

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.

     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.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  _{(By Marie Curie)}

     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.

God of loving kindness and mercy, we ask you to

Quiet us, that out of still spaces we may hear your voice

May we walk in faith all our days,

Aware of the interdependence of all living things,

And come to know You in everything and in each other.

Quiet us, O Silent Word, that out of still spaces we may hear your voice.

From the galaxies and the furthest stars

To the smallest atoms in our hearts,

You are the Living Flame of Love.

May we see Your divinity in the “within” and the “without” of all things.

Quiet us, O Silent Word, that out of still spaces we may hear your voice.

Gather us together, O Healing Presence,

That we may live in peace with all people

And bring glory to Your name.—AMEN.

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

     Since this is Women’s History Month, I’d like to combine St. Patrick and St. Brigid, both patron saints of Ireland.  St. Patrick was a bishop, and rumor has it that so was Brigid.  And Brigid is said to have miraculously changed water into beer!

     Gracious and loving God, as we celebrate the lives of St. Patrick and St. Brigid who brought harmony where there was conflict, today we pray:

     May the mantle of Your peace cover those who are troubled and anxious. 
     May peace be firmly rooted in our hearts and in our world.
     Inspire us to act justly and to reverence all that you have made.
     Calm us into a quietness that listens and heals.
     May we grow each day into greater wholeness of mind, body and spirit.—AMEN.

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.)}

In this century and in any century,

Our deepest hope, our most tender prayer, is that we may learn to listen.

May we listen to one another in openness and mercy.

May we listen to plants and animals in wonder and respect.

May we listen to our hearts in love and forgiveness.

May we listen to God in quietness and awe.

And in this listening,

Which is boundless in its beauty,

May we find the wisdom to cooperate

With a healing spirit, a divine spirit,

Who beckons us into peace and community and creativity.

We do not ask for a perfect world.

But we do ask for a better world.

We ask for deep listening.—AMEN.

_{(“Prayers for a Thousand Years” by Jay McDaniel.)}

On this day we bow our heads to give thanks to our loving and merciful God for the freedoms with which we are blessed, and to celebrate our unity in diversity. As this esteemed body prepares for its deliberations, may they be enlightened by Your power, uplifted by Your grace, and granted strength and wisdom as they lead this great State of California.

We beseech You to stretch forth Your Mighty Hand and protect those who serve their city, state and country with dignity and selflessness. And let us always be mindful that we are all made in Your image and likeness, and that our actions towards one another should be motivated by peace and love.

May the values upon which this country was founded inspire your leadership, with God’s presence as a constant guide and inspiration for your work.—AMEN.

Prayer was offered by the Chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, RSM:

May we recognize in our lives the presence, power, and light of our soul.

May we realize that we are never alone,

That our soul in its brightness and belonging connects us intimately with the rhythm of the universe.

May we respect our own individuality and difference.

May we realize that the shape of our soul is unique,

That we have a special destiny here,

That behind the façade of our lives, there is something good, beautiful, and eternal happening.

May we learn to see ourselves with the same delight, pride, and expectation with which the Mysterious God sees us in every moment.—AMEN.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                _{(“A Blessing of Solitude” by John O’Donohue.)}

Prayer offered in honor of the life of Bishop Francis A. Quinn who first offered this prayer on April 1, 1993:

Dear Divine Parent in Heaven, I propose eight new beatitudes for state Senators and for all of us.

The first beatitude: Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are you who insist that the state live within its means, you will have a budget completed by June 15.

Blessed are you who cut the fat out of the budget, but not the lean sinew and bone of the poor.

Blessed are you who are disciplined by your party for following your convictions, rather than party lines, you will overcome.

Blessed are you who mourn now because you are criticized by the powerful lobbies, you will be comforted by your conscience.

Blessed are you who hunger and thirst for the sake of the powerless, those not likely to go to the polls on Election Day, for you will have self-esteem,

Blessed are you who “live simply, so that others may simply live.”

And the eighth beatitude: Blessed are you who vote according to conscience, you can be reelected.

Lord, You know that history will not judge these elected leaders by the number of terms they served, but by the quality of those terms. At the end of their careers, may they be known not simply as politicians or even as Senators, but as statesmen and Stateswomen. And may Bishop Quinn rest in peace.—AMEN.

We take a moment to anchor our consciousness in our Higher Power by many names.

We pray that each Senator here this morning has the power to be gentle, the strength to be forgiving, the patience to be understanding, and the endurance to accept the consequences of holding on to what they believe is right. May they put their trust in the power of good to overcome evil, and the power of love to overcome hate. Help them to devote their energy to the task of being smart, tough, compassionate leaders; praying always for the inspiration to create a government that is prosperous, climate-caring, and protects all citizens, regardless of color, birthplace, or lifestyle.—AMEN.

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—lifted from the no
Of all nothing—human merely being
Doubt unimaginable You?
(Now the ears of my ears awake and
Now the eyes of my eyes are opened).—AMEN.

_{("I thank You God for Most this Amazing Day" by E.E. Cummings 100 Selected Poems)}

The thing about nonviolence is that it spreads. When you get people to participate in nonviolent action…people are learning from that action. _{(Dolores Huerta)}

 Gracious and merciful God of our past and of our present, help us to continue to learn from the non-violent actions of our predecessors, who stretched beyond their comfort zones to remind us of the interconnectedness of all beings on this fragile planet.  May our legislators and all those in positions of leadership persevere in efforts of respectful dialogue, so that the gifts and talents of all can be shared in peace and harmony for the common good.  May we grow in awareness of the violence of some of our words as we learn to listen to those who have long been silenced.  We trust in Your continued inspiration that we may operate from hearts of compassion and fairness in Your name.—AMEN.

Eternal and almighty Lord, our God, we thank You for giving us this beautiful day with the upright Spirit and true Word to thank You for everything You have given us.

Dear father, we are gathered here to remember and to commemorate the 104th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, and to pray for the souls of Your creatures and saints, our 1.5 million compatriots who perished during this genocide.

Our brothers and sisters at the State Senate join us today in remembering this tragic event. As citizens of this beautiful country and as members of this advanced society, we renew our vows to always raise awareness and to keep our promise by remembering and reminding everyone about the Armenian genocide yet to be recognized by the perpetrator.

We pray for so much desired peace both within ourselves and around the world. Give us Your divine peace which is beyond our comprehension and spread Your love everywhere so we can all coexist in harmony.

Lord our Father, we ask Your blessings and wisdom to descend upon us all, and especially upon our leaders, to dispel all the wicked thoughts and deeds from our midst and from everywhere, so that we can prevent future genocides and injustice against humanity.

We beseech You and ask from You o’benevolent God, safeguard our very precious freedom and liberty, so we can always defend and preserve justice for all.—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.

_{(“Heart of Love” by Joyce Rupp.)}

“Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are Anger and Courage: Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.”                                                                                                                                                                     _{(St. Augustine)}

Gracious God, Each day our hope in the goodness of humankind is challenged as we seem not to learn from the mistakes of our past. Forgive those who were complicit in the atrocities of the Holocaust by lacking the courage to challenge the injustices of that day. Forgive us for our complicity in the atrocities of these days when we allow things to remain as they are, hoping for different results. 

Today we pray in thanksgiving for all those who act with courage to put the needs of another before their own safety. We pray for those whose righteous anger fires them up to push for improvements in the lives of those who suffer. We pray for a spirit of non-violence for all of us as we encounter the challenges of each day. May those who live lives of fear and prejudice be transformed by the mystery of Your grace and by our continued efforts to create a world of peace, harmony, and unity for all.—AMEN.

The act of bringing the world into existence is a continuous process.

Every instant is an act of creation.

A moment is not a terminal but a flash, a sign of beginning. _{(By Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel.)}

Gracious and loving God, You continually call us into being and You invite us to participate in the ongoing evolution of our world. Give us wisdom to be attentive to the implications of our actions or non-actions. Give us fortitude to persevere in the face of those who would de-volve all that has been achieved. Give us enough love to continue to bring to birth Your dream for the unity of all humankind. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

O God, may we find and praise Your goodness
dwelling within every human being.
May we be a living sign of Your generous love,
and help all to live more intimately with You.
May we respect the evolving nature of creation,
and grow to our fullness of life with You.
Guide our search into the mystery of our being

And lead us to do Your will.

And today we pray for all those beginning Ramadan.

May their fasting bring blessings to the whole world.—AMEN.                                                           _{(From Prayers for our World and in our Times.)}

This prayer is prayed each morning by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

May I be a guard for those who need protection,

A guide for those on the path,

A boat, a raft, a bridge

for those who wish to cross the flood.

May I be a lamp in the darkness,

A resting place for the weary,

A healing medicine for all who are sick,

A vase of plenty, a tree of miracles.

And for the boundless multitudes of living beings,

May I bring sustenance and awakening,

Enduring like the earth and sky,

Until all beings are freed from sorrow,

And all are awakened.

God of surprises, You call us from the narrowness of our traditions to new ways of being human,
from the captivities of our culture to creative witness for justice,
from the smallness of our horizons to the magnificence of Your vision.

Clear the way in us, Your people, that we might invite others to freedom and renewed faith.

God of surprises, You call us from preoccupation with our own histories and hurts
to daily tasks of peacemaking,
from privilege and protocol to partnership and pilgrimage,
from isolation and insularity to inclusive community.

Clear the way in us, Your people, that we might invite others to wholeness and integrity.

Holy, transforming Spirit, You call us from fear to faithfulness,

from clutter to clarity,
from a desire to control to deeper trust,

from the refusal to love to a readiness to risk.

Clear the way in us, Your people, that we might all know the beauty and power of spreading Your good news of love.

_{(From One Race the Human Race: Racial Justice Sunday 2003 by Gwyn Cashmore and Joan Puls.)}

Christa McAuliffe said: to teach is to touch the future.

Teach us Your ways, gracious God, that we may be open to that same Spirit, who moved in the lives of our teachers, to lead us from unconsciousness to wonder and awe, and the awareness that we too can bring order and beauty into the chaos of our world;

Teach us Your ways with the patience of our teachers, that we may praise You and them for the wondrous gifts we have received- gifts of creativity, of courage, of justice, and human kindness.

Teach us Your ways, that we may deepen our commitment to the healing of our world from the consequences of broken dreams and broken promises. May all we do today bring gladness and hope into the lives of all who look to us for leadership and life.—AMEN.

Psalm 84 says: Blessed are they who put their trust in You, O Loving Creator of the Universe.

They do not give way to doubt or fear; they dwell within Your peace.

Loving Creator, may we rest within Your peace:

When inner turmoil and conflict threaten our serenity;

When our lives are overly full, and we wonder how we will complete what is required;

When we have concern and apprehension over unresolved issues;

When we enter into the pain and suffering of the world;

When we hurt for friends, relatives, and others who are distressed;

When fear of the future rises up, and the way ahead is uncertain and unsettled;

When we feel at a distance even from You, in whom we desire to trust,

Loving Creator, may we rest within Your peace.—AMEN.

Dreams are renewable.  No matter what our age or condition,

there are still untapped possibilities within us,

and new beauty waiting to be born.                                       _{(By Dale E. Turner.)}

Gracious God, today we thank You for the work of our Senate as they bring the dreams and hopes of many to a workable reality. May they continue to discover untapped possibilities through their conversation and collaboration. May they nurture their dreams to fulfillment through patient exploration and courageous discovery. May they not grow tired of their efforts to bring peace, health, and prosperity to the constituents whom they serve.—AMEN.

Holy Mystery beyond our knowing,

we sense Your spirit-power in the evolutionary process

as the driving force that urges unfolding, complexification, and change,

and also as the unimaginable magnetism

calling us to a future wonderful beyond our dreams. 

You are Life, Energy, Beauty, Wisdom, Impenetrable Mystery.

In humility, we praise the wonders of Your creation,

and seek only to play our natural and love-designed role here in reverence and gratitude.—AMEN.                            _{(From Prayers to an Evolutionary God by William Cleary.)}

As we begin this day, we center ourselves in the words of Danna Faulds:

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 isn’t 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, 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.

Gracious God, we trust that we can accomplish our goals by walking slowly into the mystery of our life.—AMEN.

God of mercy and compassion, as we remember in gratitude those who have given their lives in the cause of freedom, we pray for our men and women in military service.  May they serve with honor, dignity, and devotion to protect the rights of all who are imperiled by injustice. Look with love on all those who wait for the safe return of their loved ones, and grant them peace of mind and heart. May all of us continue to grow in understanding of ourselves as one human family so that we can look forward to the day when wars and conflicts are no longer necessary. We ask this in your name—AMEN.

In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Our sustainer, our guide. Ever present, never unaware, infinitely able, Your servants in Your loving care. Guide us to pure convictions, then inspire in us the courage to match those convictions.

We pray for peace, not war. Love, not hate. Benevolence, not greed. Unity, not division. And we commit ourselves to not betraying our prayers with actions that contradict them.

Let us be for truth, no matter who or for is against it. And justice, no matter who or for it is against. And hope, no matter what obstacles lie ahead.

Fill our hearts, minds and souls with true love and compassion for the people we serve.

We ask that You protect us, and grant our families, loved ones, those who love us, and those who do not, and those who do not know love, love.

Guide the deliberations of the members of this chamber to just decisions, and guide our State and Nation to the abode of reconciliation.

May we honor one another, glorify You together, and inspire the world to be better.

With this, We ask that You accept this prayer from us. For You are the Most Merciful who accepts prayers.—AMEN.

If we utter the word mercy…

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.

Loving God, give us the courage to say and to be mercy today.—AMEN..

(“Mercy” by Mary Wickham, RSM.)

Reverse Living

Life is tough.

It takes a lot of your time, all your weekends,

and what do you get at the end of it? Death, a great reward.

I think that the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way.

Then you live twenty years in an old-age home. You are kicked out when you are too young.

You get a gold watch, you go to work.

You work forty years until you're

young enough to enjoy your retirement. You go to college,

you party until you're ready for high school. You become a little kid, you play,

you have no responsibilities, you become a little boy or girl, you go back into the womb,

you spend your last nine months floating.

And you finish off as a gleam in someone's eye.

Holy One of Blessing, Who's Presence fills Creation. Guide us in our discussion, so that we may meet in harmony and wisdom. May our work be for our benefit, for the benefit of our community, and for the benefit of the world. Blessed is the Holy One Who hears our prayers.—AMEN.

I was reading through some inspirational ideas when I came across the words of Rabbi Harold S. Kushner, from the book, “When Bad Things Happen to Good People”

“In the final analysis, the question of why bad things happen to good people translates itself into some very different questions, no longer asking why something happened, but asking how we will respond, what we intend to do now that it has happened?”

Are you capable of forgiving and accepting in love a world which has disappointed you by not being perfect, a world in which there is so much unfairness, cruelty, disease, crime, earthquakes and accidents?

Can you forgive its imperfections and love it because it’s the only world we have? 

Are you capable of forgiving and loving the people around you, even if they hurt you and let you down by not being perfect?

Can you forgive them and love them, because there aren’t any perfect people around, and because the penalty for not being able to love imperfect people is condemning oneself to loneliness? 

Are you capable of forgiving and loving God even when you have found out that He is not perfect, even when He has let you down and disappointed you by permitting bad luck, sickness and cruelty in His world, and permitting some of those things to happen to you? 

Can you learn to love and forgive Him despite his limitations, as Job does, and as you once learned to forgive and love your parents even though they were not as wise, as strong or as perfect as you needed them to be? 

And if you can do these things, will you be able to recognize that the ability to forgive and the ability to love are the weapons God has given us that enable us to live fully, bravely and meaningfully in this less than perfect world?  

May this be God’s will.—AMEN.

God of the past, present, and future, today, we honor those who risked their lives on D-Day 75 years ago,

by remembering the dead who gave their lives for our freedom;

by remembering those who survived to live with the grief and loss;

by acknowledging the diversity of gifts contributed by all our brothers and sisters;

and by resolving to commit our lives to peace, to justice, and to right relationship.

God of mercy, grant us the courage and fortitude to persevere in bringing to fruition in our lifetime our deepest desires for liberty and justice for all.  We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Yesterday would have been the 90^th birthday of Anne Frank (1929-1945).  In her Diary, she says, “I keep my ideals, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery and death.”

God of hope and goodness, grant us the grace to be alert to the daily challenges to all that is good in our hearts. May we listen to and learn from the voices and wisdom of the young. In living up to our ideals, may we refuse to be undermined or dissuaded from bringing peace, love, and justice to our world by those who would spread dissention and death.—AMEN. 

As swimmers dare

to lie face to the sky

and water bears them,

as hawks rest upon air

and air sustains them,

so would I learn to attain

freefall, and float

into Creator Spirit’s deep embrace,

knowing no effort earns

that all-surrounding grace.

 (“The Avowal” By Denise Levertov,)

Creator Spirit, teach us to rest in your deep embrace with a lively confidence in your tender compassionate grace. —AMEN. 

The following poem by Gregory Orr illustrates the work of the legislature.

Let’s remake the world with words.
Not frivolously, nor
To hide from what we fear,
But with a purpose.

Let’s,
As Wordsworth said, remove
“The dust of custom” so things
Shine again, each object arrayed
In its robe of original light.

And then we’ll see the world
As if for the first time.
As once we gazed at the beloved
Who was gazing at us.

Creative God, we thank you for the work of this Senate and Staff who labor daily to remake the world by the influence of their words.  May they continue to demonstrate to us our potential as a state to negotiate the challenges of the future through the creative and collaborative insights and efforts of each day.—AMEN.

I could not lie anymore

So I started to call my dog “God.”

First he looked confused.

Then he started smiling.

And then he even danced.

I kept at it: now he doesn’t even bite!

I am wondering

If this might work

On people!                                                                 _{(‘First He Looked Confused' By Tukaram.)}

Gracious God, help us to acknowledge the spark of divinity in everyone we meet today, especially those whom we’ve been conditioned to dismiss or marginalize.—AMEN.

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

God of infinite creativity, the celebration of Pride Month acknowledges and appreciates the resilience of the many LGBTQ+ persons who have overcome eons of stigma, diminishment, and misunderstanding, while, at the same time, contributing to the advancement of society.

As we struggle to fulfill our highest ideals of love, appreciation, and understanding of the mystery of our humanity, may our lives be expressions of inclusivity and radical hospitality for those still marginalized.

Together we have the power to eliminate all forms of injustice, oppression, and violence against the LGBTQ+ community as we grow in our understanding that diversity is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived.

And may we say, with Cyndi Lauper:  I see your true colors shining through; don’t be afraid to let them show; your true colors are beautiful—like a rainbow.—AMEN.

Holy One, Creator of All Things, You go by many names; but, always, we recognize You in the gift of Love.

Your Love opens our hearts and awakens our minds.

Your Love guides us to exercise compassion and care.

Your Love calls us to selfless-service.

Your Love causes us to pause and to be fully present where we are and with whomever You have placed before us.

Your Love invites us to be our best selves and to see the best in others.

Holy One, Thank You for the gift of meaningful service in Your world. Thank You for the many gifts of our citizens, whose lives and well-being You have entrusted us with. Thank You for our legislative process and for the fine state of California. May we honor each of these in our actions each day, and may we be about Your work of Love.

Bless all of our proceedings this day and always. In Your name and in Your way.—Amen.

Dear God, thank You for blessing our lives in countless ways—intimate expressions of Your love realized in the lives of those we hold dear! Entrusted with grave responsibility, as elected officials, embolden our hearts and enlighten our minds to lead Your people by example. Guide us to legislate laws that uphold the God-given dignity with which You have endowed each and every person. Temper our quest for power and prestige with Your humility, gentleness and compassion—impartial to the wealthy and well-connected and just to the poor and powerless.—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.

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.

^{(By Rev. O. Eugene Pickett.)}

Almighty God, as Californians, we have many blessings for which we are thankful—our rich heritage, our abundant natural resources, our scenic beauty, our great diversity—with many cultures and religious traditions—and the contributions of our creative and hard-working populace. We are blessed with a prosperity that is unmatched. Let us always be willing to generously share our good fortune with those who are in need:  the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the ill, the homeless, those who are victims of crime, and those in prison. May our lawmakers defend our freedom to follow our consciences in serving God and neighbor, according to our faith. And as we go about our business today, let us focus on the common good with a spirit of cooperation, openness, compromise, respect, and kindness.—AMEN.

Bless our beautiful land, O Lord, with its wonderful variety of people, of races, cultures, languages.  May we be a nation of laughter and joy, of justice and reconciliation, of peace and unity, of compassion, caring and sharing.  We pray this prayer for a true patriotism in the powerful name of the Lord our God.—AMEN.                                                                                                                                     _{(By Archbishop Desmond Tutu)}

The holy urge that birthed us is the energy of wholeness, self-flowing of love….

What we call God is the body of this love, of which you, and all Creation, are part.

Everything holds together in this divine longing.

This love contains everything, even what is cruel and senseless.

Don't let evil convince you of anything.

Stay mindful of the sacred wholeness; let yourself be gathered up in its light.

Even in chaos and cruelty, you walk with the Beloved.

That's what it means every time the sun rises._{^{(“Unfolding Light” by Steve Garnaas-Holmes.)}}

Gracious and merciful God, we gather again to continue our efforts to bring justice and prosperity to our corner of the land.  May we not strive in vain. May we trust that all is held together in your love.—AMEN.

Since this is “back to school” time, I’d like to share the following poem by Sr. Pat Ryan of San Francisco:

X

I nearly threw in the towel

It was May, my first year teaching

After Algebra class, Carleen whispered in my ear

Sister, when are we going to learn what X is?

O Carleen, so many years later

I can tell you a lot more about X

It not only marks the spot

It symbolizes every unknown, any mystery

It’s the letter that everyone is looking for

I’ve learned so much

Since you stunned me with that question

My answer right now would be “Never”

We are never going to learn what X is

It is the nameless essence of an eternal search

The magnet pulling the evolutionary process

It is totally available and open to any brain

That needs a marker to hold on to

The Infinite reality passing through

We are never going to learn what X is

But we will never stop trying     _{(By Patricia Ryan, RSM.)}

God beyond all knowledge, give us the grace to always remember that we are students of mystery.—AMEN

We are never so poor that we cannot bless another human being, are we? So it is that every evil, whether moral or material, results in good. You'll see. _{(The Round House by Louise Erdrich.)}

And so we pray:

In the name of all that is we come together.

In the name of the elements of life;
in the name of the soil, water and air;

In the name of all that is, we come.

In the name of all that is we come together.

In the name of the children of earth;
In the name of the Spirit breathing in all things;

In the name of all that is, we come.

So may all we do today be for the healing of the whole.
May all we do today mend our broken world.
May all we do today bring blessing on the earth.
May all we do today be for the good of all.—AMEN.         _{(By Jan Novotka’s Music.)}

In Toni Morrison’s 1993 Nobel Prize Lecture, the young characters in her narration say:

“Don't tell us what to believe, what to fear. Show us belief's wide skirt and the stitch that unravels fear's caul”.

God of all creativity, As we seek the thread to unravel the causes of our fears and hatreds, May we appreciate the abundance of resources that our earth provides for all; May we work to release the creativity of all people for the common good through just laws and the power of our language to liberate rather than oppress; And may we trust Your Spirit at work to inspire, guide, and bring forth a new creation in each one of us. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.