Loving God, we believe You live among us, and the place where You are is Holy Ground. We know You love all people and that their ways and lands are also holy. Help us to discover all Your wonders in their faith, their lives and stories. Send us Your Spirit, and we will listen, learn and meet You in Your Holy ground.—AMEN.

Spirit of God, we long to mend the broken circle. We long to heal the fractures in the world around us and within our own souls; to transform those parts of ourselves and our world that block our making contact with our deepest reality, and with the deepest most sacred dimensions of all other beings.

Spirit of God, we long to see reality; to contact our deepest yearning for a world pulsating with justice and truth, to create a society where all sit down at the Great Banquet, where all persons eat until they are full.

Spirit of God, we long to discover anew the courage deep within us; to see and to listen, to discover our true selves, to take steps to stop the cycle of violence, in our homes, in our work-places, in our neighborhoods, in our country, and in our whole world.—AMEN.

God of life and light and love, open our hearts to You this day.  May we live in hope and joy. Let us serve with optimism and courage.  May we lead with faith and integrity. 

You are the God of all people, so help us to be servants in the spirit of Your holy name, striving always to keep the people we serve and represent as our primary focus.

God of justice and peace, fill us with Your love so that all that we do is done with respect for the other, and for the earth, our common home. 

Bless this body of leaders and legislators, with Your spirit of wisdom and right judgment, knowledge and understanding.

We praise You God, for Your goodness and faithfulness to us, now and always.—AMEN. 

As we bring ourselves into God’s presence today, let us pray for all those who suffer:

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 those who perpetrate violence on others—may they learn the virtue of empathy and compassion;

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

God of many names, 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.

Gracious and loving God of mercy,

as we face the challenges of these times, we desire to speak words of comfort to our suffering world

we stand as keepers of the door of mercy, attuned, disposed.

We will hold the door ajar

for the desperate and the disruptive,

the stray, the strange,

the wounded wise, and the child too soon old.

We will not close this Door of Mercy.

There will be room at our inn.

And space at the table,

Where the cooking pot holds ample.

Through the door is feast and safety, hope and shelter.

At your door of mercy, we only have to knock once

and we only have to knock lightly

Because you, God of mercy, are always home.

_{(By Mary Wickham, RSM, Door of Mercy 2.)}

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

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.

Divine Creator,

We thank you for the privilege of participating in your creation.

Like artisans building a cathedral,
we are engaged in work that outlives us.

The building of justice takes generations;
knowing this, we do not grow weary or lose heart.

Sustained by those who have come before,
we carry on, against all odds, against all opposition.

We are not intimidated by the thought
that we will not achieve our goal in one lifetime.
This is not for us, but for our children's children's children.

Our little triumphs and failures are ennobled,
not by our successes, but by the immense grace
of the work to which we devote ourselves—

serving the common good, maintaining the fabric of our world,
and seeking that justice where all may share the blessings of our existence.—AMEN.

(From Unfolding Light by Steve Garnaas-Holmes.)

Song of the Builders

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.

(from 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.

God of Mystery, on this anniversary of September 11, 2001, we pray in the words of Fr. Mychal Judge, OFM, New York City Fire Department Chaplain and first certified fatality of the attacks:

Lord, take me where you want me to go.

Let me meet who you want me to meet.

Tell me what you want me to say,

And keep me out of your way.

As we remember those who died in New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania, and all who risked their lives to save others, we ask Your blessing on those who still put the lives of others before their own. Help us to deepen our commitment to non-violence, and may we witness to our determination to become a beloved community reconciled to one another in love.—AMEN.

The World Has Changed

The world has changed.

Wake up & smell the possibility.

The world has changed:

It did not change without your prayers

Without your faith

Without your determination to believe in liberation & kindness

Without your dancing through the years that had no beat.

The world has changed:

It did not change without your numbers

Your fierce love of self & cosmos

It did not change without your strength.

The world has changed: Wake up!

Give yourself the gift of a new day.

The world has changed:

This does not mean you were never hurt.

The world has changed:

Rise! Yes & Shine!

Resist the siren call of disbelief.

The world has changed:

Don't let yourself remain asleep to it.

 _{(From Hard Times Require Furious Dancing by Alice Walker.)}

Gracious God of growth and change, we thank You for the accomplishments of the legislature, and for their ongoing commitment to pursuing liberty and justice for all.—AMEN

As you come to the end of this session, I leave you with the words of Sister Mary Baptist Russell, whose statue graces the lawn out there.  To some young sisters who had just proclaimed their final vows, she said, “you must not now imagine all is done; on the contrary, you are just now beginning.”

So as you transition from this space, we ask God’s continual blessings on your endings and new beginnings, may you experience the God of surprises hidden in the pockets of your daily life, may you experience the God of generosity as you bring forth an abundance of insight and creativity for improving our state and our world, and may you experience the God of peace as you return home to a new rhythm of growth and transformation, Amen._{(From “Heart of Love” by Joyce Rupp.)}

Begin again to the summoning birds
to the sight of the light at the window,
begin to the roar of morning traffic
all along [L Street.]

Every beginning is a promise
born in light and dying in dark
determination and exaltation of springtime
flowering the way to work.

Begin to the pageant of queuing [constituents]
the arrogant loneliness of [crows downtown]
bridges linking the past and future
old friends passing though with us still.

Begin to the loneliness that cannot end
since it perhaps is what makes us begin,
begin to wonder at unknown faces
at crying birds in the sudden rain….

Though we live in a world that dreams of ending
that always seems about to give in,
something that will not acknowledge conclusion
insists that we forever begin. _{(The Essential Brendan Kennelly)}

Gracious and merciful God, be with us this year as we dare to trust that our work can benefit the lives of so many people in our State.  We thank You for our courage and our desire to begin again.—AMEN.

O my friend,

take heart.

The work of repair

is aching

in its slowness

and beautiful in

the inches by which

it will arrive.

Do not pray to be patient

but to persist.

Ask for the endurance

that helps us learn

to breathe

in the midst of fear,

to love

in the presence

of sorrow,

to dream

within the rending

of the world that might

be made.

Loving God of mercy and compassion, help us to be patient with the slowness of our processes.  May we endure the judgments and lack of support that that we sometimes encounter as we seek to bring wholeness and harmony to our world.—AMEN. 

Patient God-

Teach us to be patient-

Unruffled by those who anger,

Tolerant of those who exasperate,

Accepting of those who disappoint.

Help us remain

Serene in the face of derision,

Calm in the face of provocation,

Composed in the midst of a storm. 

And God-

Teach us to be patient with ourselves.—AMEN.

_{(Rebbe Nachman, The Gentle Weapon, Prayers for Everyday and Not-So-Everyday Moments.)}

Gracious God, as we remember the witness of unconditional love lived by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we ask You this day:

Help us seek out and acknowledge the reasons for our slow progress in dismantling racism.  Help us to face our fears, resistance, pride, shame, whatever conscious or unconscious motives hold us back from valuing an anti-racist, multicultural society. Guide our civic and religious decisions to uphold and promote the rights of all persons, especially those experiencing marginalization, injustice, bigotry, and prejudice.  Continue to remind us that diversity is the hallmark of Your creation, the manifestation of Your presence in myriad sparks of Your divine life on earth.  We ask this in Your name.—AMEN. 

We pray today in the words of Maya Angelou:

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.

Catherine McAuley to the early Sisters of Mercy: This is our life, joys and sorrows mingled, one succeeding the other.

This past weekend in many parts of the world, people celebrated Lunar New Year and the Year of the Rat. 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 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.

Today we pray: God of sorrows, on this day of painful memories marking 75 years since the liberation of the Jewish survivors at Auschwitz: may we be enlightened enough 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 our lives, and the joy we can share in truly encountering one another. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Every day we wake up, we have an opportunity to begin again. I invite you to reflect again on Brendan Kennelly’s poem:

Begin again to the summoning of birds

To the sight of the light at the window,

Begin to the roar of morning traffic

all along L Street.

Every beginning is a promise

born in light and dying in dark

determination and exaltation of springtime

flowering the way to work…

Begin to the loneliness that cannot end

since it perhaps is what makes us begin,

begin to wonder at unknown faces

at crying birds in the sudden rain….

Though we live in a world that dreams of ending

that always seems about to give in

something that will not acknowledge conclusion

insists that we forever begin. _{(From the Essential Brendan Kennelly)}

Gracious God, thank You for the blessing of another new day. May all we do today be for the encouragement of those who struggle with a lack of hope. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Blessed are you who are empty handed;
you are in God's hands.
Blessed are you who are brokenhearted;
your broken heart is God's.
Blessed are you who are powerless;
love's power will never fail you.
Blessed are you who wish you were closer to God;
your wishing is God in you.
Blessed are you who are kind;
the universe will be kind to your soul.
Blessed are you who seek Oneness;
you are One.
Blessed are you who stand with the poor
that is where God is standing.
Blessed are you who are wounded
when you stand for justice;
you are embraced, you are enfolded,
you stand among the great.
                                         _{(Unfolding Light by Steve Garnaas-Holmes.)}

Almighty God, we lift before You all who govern California. Make us always remember Your generosity and goodness. Bless our land with honesty in the workplace, truth in education and honor in daily life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance; and cynicism and despair. At times when we prosper, give us grateful hearts. And in moments of trouble, turn us to trust and faith. We pray in the holy and sacred name of eternal God.—AMEN.                                                                                                                                 

Great and loving God, in Your goodness and generosity we gather here under Your supreme and glorious power. Thank You for this blessed morning as we come together to do the official business of the State of California. Life is a gift to all of us and our most cherished possession. We realize that life is fragile and short with no guarantee of tomorrow. Help us to use wisely the time You give us to do great things, to not be selfish but concerned for the enrichment and satisfaction of the people who have sent us here to do good as best we are able. 

 O Gentle Spirit of God, help us to do at least one good thing today in service of Your people in our very diversified state. Show us how to live holy, humble, and grateful lives doing all we can to make the world a better place. In Your Good and Holy Spirit we pray!—AMEN. 

Lord, I cannot preach like Martin Luther King, Jr.

Or turn a poetic phrase like Maya Angelou,

But I care and am willing to serve.

I do not have Fred Shuttleworth’s and

Harriet Tubman’s courage…

But I care and am willing to serve.

I cannot sing like Fannie Lou Hamer

Or organize like Ella Baker and Bayard Rustin,

But I care and am willing to serve.

I am not holy like Archbishop Tutu,

Or forgiving like Mandela,

But I care and am willing to serve.

I am not brilliant like Dr. DuBois…

Or as eloquent as Sojourner Truth and Booker T. Washington,

But I care and am willing to serve.

Use me as You will… today and tomorrow

To build a nation and world

Where no one is left behind, and where everyone feels welcome.—AMEN.

On this Valentine’s Day, I offer the following poem by Rumi, 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 just heard

Something

Brilliant!

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

                                                                                                                             (“Relationship Booster” by Rumi.)

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.

O God, make us Your salt for the earth—

that, in our humble, hidden acts

of generosity and peace   

we may reveal Your love in the midst of us all;   

Make us Your light for the world—                   

that we may reflect Your compassion and forgiveness,     

the light and warmth of Your love                                      

in the midst of a cold winter;                                             

Make us Your city on the hill—                       

the vision of Your dream of the world      

united in Your justice and mercy.            

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

God is hiding in the world. Our task is to let the Divine emerge from our deeds.                                                                                                                                 _{(Rabbi Abraham Heschel)}

Gracious and loving God, as many of us ponder the joys of fasting this Lent, help us remember that You care more about how we treat others than about how much chocolate we do or do not eat. May we double our efforts to loosen the bonds of injustice, to share our bread with the hungry, and to welcome the stranger with hospitality and kindness. May we tread softly upon our earth so that all our actions spring from love, enabling us to see Your presence in all things and in all people. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

God of faithfulness, we come to You at the beginning of this day, and find ourselves needing to begin again on new projects, new ideas and renewed discussions.                                     

We are in need of Your grace to unsettle and redirect our hearts.

We are in need of Your power to rekindle and sustain our passion for justice.                            

We are in need of Your wisdom to guide us in shaping the future.                                          

We are in need of Your love that we might recognize the ever-present possibility for change and conversion and growth.                                                                                                               

We believe Your Spirit is at work in our world and in our midst. Give us eyes of faith that we might see such wonders in our midst and the courage to live in hope.—AMEN.

                                                                                                                                                           _{(Author Unknown)}

All-Knowing and All-powerful God, we remember that March is Women's History Month.

Thank You for all the cherished women in our lives and in our histories: mothers, sisters, friends, neighbors, and co-workers.

Let us remember and reflect on the heritage and the struggles of women throughout the ages.

May we, men and women, seek to learn from all those voices and actions of the past by crafting new ways of inclusion and equality.

May this month of reflection teach us to search for those stories that are different from our own and may we bring out the voices such as Mae Jemison, the first African American female astronaut, with her words:                                                                                                            

"Never limit yourself because of others' limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination."—AMEN.

As we celebrate International Women’s Day this weekend, let us pray in gratitude for all those working tirelessly for gender equality in our world:

Gracious and merciful God, for those who accompany the vulnerable and oppressed, especially those who are trafficked: May they not be discouraged.

For those who seek an end to domestic violence and abuse: May they show us how to love.

We pray for all women struggling to make ends meet in a world of plenty: May they experience justice and mercy.

For women experiencing the effects of climate change: May they experience relief through worldwide cooperation.

For women whose talents and creativity go unnoticed: May they know their own value and worth.

Gracious God, give us eyes to see the value of making the world a better place for all genders. Give us the strength to overcome our ingrained prejudices that have no basis in reality.  We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

                                                                                                                                                                             _{(Adapted from Mercy International Association)}

Jill Cornell Tarter is an American astronomer and the former director of the SETI Institute, working on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. She says:                               

Ultimately, we actually all belong to only one tribe, to Earthlings.                                             

Creative Presence, our God, we wish to be, with Your help, wiser than we are. We thank You for those creative people like Jill Tarter, who search the universe for other life, only to remind us of our need to appreciate the astonishing magnificence of the moving, breathing world of creatures on our own planet.                                                                                           

Mothering Spirit, be with us Earthlings as we come together in our struggles, pooling our wisdom and our energies of hope, convinced that in the end, all will somehow be well.—AMEN.                               

_{(Adapted from Prayers to an Evolutionary God by William Cleary, Skylight Paths Publishing, Woodstock, VT, pp. 39, 44)}

While we can’t celebrate St. Patrick this year with our usual festivities, we pray today for his intercession to help us be people of hope as we navigate the challenges of the coronavirus. May we find consolation in this traditional Irish prayer, translated from the Gaelic:

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.

(Adapted from Ag Chriost an Siol)    
We ask you, Patrick, to pray for us, especially our health care professionals, first responders, and our legislative leaders throughout California and the world—may all be well.—AMEN.

I cannot say where courage lives,

Only that it comes to the heart that is open,

To the heart that asks,

To the heart that does not turn away.

It can take practice,

Days of tugging at what keeps us bound,

Seasons of pushing against

What keeps our dreaming small.

When it arrives, it might surprise us

By how quiet it is,

But we will know it by the strength

That rises from within…

We will recognize it by how still our fear becomes

Perhaps never quite leaving,

But calmly turning into joy

As we enter the life that is finally our own.

(Adapted from Blessing of Courage by Jan Richardson)                            

Gracious God, thank You for the women who have inspired us to greater courage in our lives.

—AMEN.

Gracious God of mercy and compassion, we come before You this day in sorrow and humility as we come once again to recall our failure to live up to the promise of liberty and justice for all:

You have stated blessed are the mourners yet many of us fail to mourn for the senseless killing of people of color in this country. Help us seek out and acknowledge the reasons for our slow progress in dismantling systemic and institutional racism in this country.

Teach us to face our fears, resistance, pride, shame-whatever conscious or unconscious motives that hold us back from valuing an anti-racist, intercultural society.

Guide our civic and religious decisions to uphold and promote the rights of all persons, especially those experiencing marginalization, racism, bigotry, and prejudice. Because in Your eyes we’re all created equal.

Continue to remind us that diversity is the hallmark of Your creation, the manifestation of Your presence, in myriad sparks of Your divine life on Earth. We ask these things in Your name.—AMEN.

Loving God, make me an instrument of Your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love-

Where there is injury, pardon

Where there is discord, harmony

Where there is doubt, faith

Where there is despair, hope

Where there is darkness, light

And where there is sadness, joy

O Divine Creator, grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.—AMEN.

Gracious and loving God, as African Americans celebrate Juneteenth tomorrow, we give thanks for their hope, their perseverance, and their contributions to the advancement of society. May we remember and act on the words of civil rights leader, professor and theologian Howard Washington Thurman. In his words:

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 the 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.

When you go out and see the half empty streets,

the empty stadiums,

the shuttered storefronts,

the people wearing masks,

don’t say to yourself, “It looks like the end of the world.”

What you are seeing is love in action.

What you’re seeing, in that negative space,

is how much we do care for each other:

for our grandparents,

for our immuno-compromised brothers and sisters,

for our first responders in health care, public safety, food provision, sanitation,

for people we will never meet.

People have lost jobs over the COVID-19 virus;

some have lost their businesses;

And many have lost their lives.

All the more reason to take a moment

when you’re out on your walk,

or on your way to the store,

or just watching the news,

to look into the emptiness and marvel at all that love.

Let it fill you and sustain you.

It is not the end of the world.

It is the most remarkable act of global solidarity

we may ever witness in our lifetimes.

Gracious God, help us to persevere in our care for one another for the good of all humankind.—AMEN.

_{(“Love in Action” by Dorset Campbell-Ross with a few small adaptations)}

The Dalai Lama admits that his religion is human kindness.

That makes it easy—

Nothing to memorize.

Nothing to argue over.

Nothing to die for.

Just one simple practice: to notice that we live in a world that tries to keep us divided, and do everything in our power to reconnect what we see torn asunder.

_{(Jan Phillips)}

O Great Love, listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our world. Knowing You are hearing us better than we are speaking, we offer these prayers in all the holy names attributed to You.—AMEN.

_{(Richard Rohr)}

Let us give thanks for the world around us.

Thanks for all the creatures,

stones and plants.

Let us learn their lessons and

seek their truths,

So that their path might be ours,

And we might live a better life, in harmony with all.

May the Earth continue to live,

May the heavens above continue to live,

May the rains continue to dampen the land,

May the wet forests continue to grow.

Then the flowers shall bloom

And all the people shall flourish again.—AMEN.

_{(An indigenous prayer from Hawaii)}

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.

_{(The Essential Rumi by Jelaluddin Rumi, translation by Coleman Barks)} 

Loving God, help us to be alert for those uncomfortable visitors which call us to reassess all that we thought we knew. May their presence and appearance not cause us to lose our composure and our gracious desire to bring truth, justice, and love to those we serve.—AMEN.

At the beginning of the play, A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry uses Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem” as inspiration. Hughes wrote:

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore—

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over—

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

_{(“Harlem” in The Collected Works of Langston Hughes by Langston Hughes, Harold Ober Associates, Inc., 2002.)}

God of mercy and compassion, in the midst of far too many broken and deferred dreams, we ask for Your grace and courage to face the injustices of our time with integrity of word and deed, for the sake of the common good and the future of our society. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

God of many names and infinite manifestations, in the midst of a global pandemic and global resistance to the pervasive dehumanization of persons, we ask for the grace to step up to the creative possibilities inherent in these crises. We thank You, God, for all we have accomplished these past several months, and we pray that we will never tire of creating opportunities for the People of California to survive and grow and thrive. May we all acknowledge that we have not noticed carefully enough our complicity in the unjust structures of racism, sexism, heterosexism, ableism, to name just a few. May we not be overcome with guilt; rather, let us be the generation that breaks the chains that keep us all bound in fear and smallness of heart. Our world has changed drastically in the last three months.

Dear God, help us commit to meeting the changes with steadfast integrity, deep gratitude, and manifest hope as we hear the words of Alice Walker:

The world has changed: Wake up!

Give yourself the gift of a new day.

The world has changed:

This does not mean you were never hurt.

The world has changed:

Rise! Yes, and Shine!

Resist the siren call of disbelief.

The world has changed:

Don’t let yourself remain asleep to it.—AMEN.

_{(“The World Has Changed” in Hard Times Require Furious Dancing (2010) by Alice Walker).}

Gracious God, as the late Congressman John Lewis lies in state at our United States Capitol, we remember how he dedicated his life to bring about racial reconciliation through nonviolence.

And as we resume our work in the midst of the COVID-19 epidemic,

We have a sense that we are at the crossroads of a new future,

Linked with our past, yet different from it.

We have a sense that something is aching to be born anew.

Many are calling us forward.

We trust that You are leading us onward.

We commit to each other to enter deeply into the richness and complexity of this journey:

To walk where there are no paths,

To listen to the cries of the desperate and the disruptive, the stray and the strange,

To seek for answers to questions that have followed us in dreams and waking hours.

Gracious God, this time, help us to find new ways to bring justice and peace to the new world that borders on our doors, this new world of grief and sorrow, of fear and anxiety, and yet of tremendous hope in a future greater than we can ever imagine.—AMEN.

Loving and merciful God, the Gospel according to Matthew tells us that

the mustard seed is the smallest of all the seeds,

but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs.

_{(Matthew 13.32)}

God, with Your help,

we are a mustard seed of justice.

Never mind the smallness of our witness.

The wounds are deep, the sickness is awful, the hunger is great.

But we are a mustard seed of healing and justice.

Immeasurable divine fruit is hidden

in our smallest acts of courage and love.

It’s not about us.

It’s about the power released when we are sown.

In the days of the devastating effects of the coronavirus

we are sown,

and with Your help,

we will be mustard seeds of leadership, justice, and love for the people we serve.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Steve Garnaas-Holmes, www.unfoldinglight.net)}

Mysterious Holy One, we must trust that You are not sitting idly by watching our self-destruction.

You are at work through us in every moment,

the same dance of electrons and embrace of gravity,

vibrating with love, creating and creating,

grace in the very being of our struggles and imperfections.

In every moment, through us, You are mending what is

from the depths of what is.

Tragic or magic, momentous or mundane,

our every moment is a choice

to join in harmony or sit idly by.

We are ready for this day.

The light of the lamp of our heart is lit,

to enlighten the world

and be guided by You when our light flickers.

May we not lose hope.—AMEN.

Peaceful God, Breath of All that Is, on this solemn remembrance of the 75th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we call ourselves to the sincere pursuit of peace and understanding as an alternative to violent ways of resolving conflicts.

Free us, O Lord, from the xenophobic fears that prevent us from seeing the goodness in others.

Help us to be advocates of a world free from threat and tyranny of nuclear war.

Let us act on behalf of the children, who depend on us for their safety and security.

May we be inspired by the hope and trust of Sadako, who endeavored to make a thousand

paper cranes before she died of the impact of the bombings.

May we become paper cranes for peace, each one proclaiming by our lives the words on

Sadako’s peace memorial: This is our cry. This is our prayer. For the building of peace in the world.—AMEN.

This is the prayer of Etty Hillesum from her diaries of 1941-1943. She was killed in Auschwitz on November 30, 1943.

Dear God, these are anxious times.

Tonight, for the first time I lay in the dark with burning eyes

as scene after scene of human suffering passed before me.

I shall promise You one thing, God, just one very small thing:

I shall never burden my today with cares about my tomorrow, although that takes some practice.

Each day is sufficient unto itself.

I shall try to help You, God, to stop my strength ebbing away,

although I cannot vouch for it in advance.

But one thing is becoming increasingly clear to me:

that You cannot help us,

that we must help You to help ourselves.

And that is all we can manage these days and also all that really matters:

that we safeguard that little piece of You, God, in ourselves.

And perhaps in others as well.

Alas, there doesn’t seem to be much You Yourself can do about our

circumstances, about our lives.

Neither do I hold You responsible.

You cannot help us, but we must help You,

and defend Your dwelling place inside us to the last.—AMEN.

_{(An Interrupted Life, The Diaries of Etty Hillesum 1941-43 by Etty Hillesum)}

Gracious God, we meet You in unexpected places.

Traces of Your grace are strewn all over our schedule-puckered lives.

We ask to be stirred toward soul-satisfying results

as we desire to serve You and neighbor-and even our enemy.

Ease us into being good Samaritans to each other-

to the outcast and rejected ones,

and to those whose fear sometimes makes them obnoxious.

Make us bold to call others to accountability-

even as we model humility to the arrogant,

mercy to the self-righteous,

compassion to the indifferent.

O God of many surprises, make us glad of heart for each day’s opportunities to bring our imagination and creativity to the disturbances that threaten to discourage us. We will continue to believe in the impossible.—AMEN.

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

Loving and merciful God, today we thank You for the dedication and the endurance of our staff, our legislative family, and the greater capitol community. We ask Your blessing on each one of them 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.—AMEN.

_{(Jan Richardson)}

God of healing and mercy, You are our comfort and strength in times of sudden disaster, crisis, or chaos. Surround us now with Your grace and assistance through the devastating fires engulfing so many parts of California.

We pray that Your healing presence will be felt by those who have lost their homes and possessions.

Give courage and strength to the firefighters and rescuers as they work to save lives and halt the fires’ destruction.

We pray for wisdom and safety for those who will respond to the many challenges left in the wake of these fires.

Help all of us respond with generosity in prayer and assistance to the best of our abilities. Keep our hearts focused on the needs of those affected, even after this crisis is over.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

All-powerful and ever-living Spirit,

we praise and thank You

for Your presence and action in our world.

In the midst of conflict and division,

we know it is You

who turn our minds to thoughts of peace.

Your Spirit changes our hearts:

enemies begin to speak to one another;

those who were estranged join hands in friendship,

and nations seek the way of peace together.

Your Spirit is at work

when understanding puts an end to strife,

when hatred is quenched by mercy,

and vengeance gives way to forgiveness.

For this we will never cease to thank and praise You.—AMEN.

_{(Preface to Second Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation from the Roman Rite)}

God of equality and justice, today, we remember the evolving struggles of women to prove our equality.

Carter Heyward, in her poem, Passion for Justice says:

Then God, gathering up her courage in love, said, “Let there be bread!”

And God’s sisters, her friends and lovers,

Knelt on the Earth,

Planted the seeds,

Prayed in the rain,

Sang for the grain,

Made the harvest,

Cracked the wheat,

Pounded the corn,

Kneaded the dough,

Kindled the fire,

Filled the air

With the smell of fresh bread—

And there was bread!

And it was good!

And so, today, we lift our prayer, and our glasses, to those spirit-filled women through the ages, of one hundred years ago, who poured out the wine of their lives, their dreams, their prayers, their struggles to make way for our freedom to vote and to determine our own identity.  We take time to give thanks for those women whose lives were stirred and transformed by a faith in what they could not see- those who became bearers of hope, healing, justice, and peace for us and for our world. We hold them in our hearts, remember their stories, and invoke God’s ever-creative Spirit to stir our lives to continue to work for the emancipation of all people who are still held in bondage to disrespect and injustice. We pray in God’s name.—AMEN.

_{(Passion for Justice by Carter Heyward and Sacred Journeys by Jan Richardson)}

On this 57th anniversary of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s March on Washington, we pray:

Patient God of mercy and compassion, Your love and healing presence are made known through our willingness to collaborate in this sacred and messy world of so much beauty and so much struggle. Use our gifts, through the power of Your Spirit, to make right the inequities and injustices that still plague our world. Give us the courage to acknowledge and speak truth in the face of blatant racial injustice cowardly and horrific police brutality. Give us the strength and determination to dismantle and reorganize the systems that prevent needed change. Give us the faith to know that when we respond to the “fierce urgency of now,” this time, as a “beloved community,” we will bring renewal and restoration to our society for the benefit of the present and future generations.—AMEN.

_{(“Civil Unrest and Racial Injustice (A Leader Led Guide for Meaningful Conversations)” from CommonSpirit)}

Take Lord, and receive, all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, my entire will, all that I have and possess. You have given all to me. To You, I return it. All is Yours. Dispose of it wholly according to Your will. Give me Your love, Your grace, for this is sufficient for me.—AMEN.

_{(“Suscipe” Prayer by St. Ignatius Loyola Founder of the Jesuits)}

O Lord, we thank You for the wisdom that You imbue in each of us. We’ve been entrusted by the folks that we represent to speak our minds here and to represent them well. May You give us the wisdom that Solomon requested, Father, as we make these decisions in these troubled and challenging times. May Your peace which surpasses all understanding guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, Your Son. Bless us this day. We pray in Jesus’ name.—AMEN.

God who is always with us on the journey, we pray that out of the chaos of this year we will emerge with renewed strength and energy to bring peace and prosperity to our state. And until we meet on this floor again, may the almighty and merciful Lord lead us along ways of health and safety. And may the human connections we’ve made with our colleagues and staff transcend our differences and fortify our commitment to do good and to serve others wherever our respected paths may lead us. May our guardian angels accompany us, so that we may return safely to this Senate Chamber at the appointed time. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Gracious and mysterious God of all, today we come into Your presence with gratitude for our past, sincere prayers for our present, and a hopeful outlook for our future.

Pearl Harbor Day of Remembrance reminds us of those who sacrificed their lives to keep us safe in the past. Those many lives lost and the witness of their families allowed for the transformation of harsh conflict into freedom and peace for many.

We come to this day heavy hearted for all those afflicted in body or spirit because of the coronavirus pandemic. We ask You to grant relief to the elderly, who depend on the gentleness and kindness of others to care for them; The young, who find themselves separated from their schoolmates in less than ideal learning situations; Essential workers, in health care, education, food production, security, who risk their own health to meet our daily needs; And those who are losing hope, not seeing how they can survive the spiritual and economic effects of this pandemic.

Gracious God, today, as we begin this session of the Legislature, give comfort and peace to our Senators and their staff as they work to discover new and surprising solutions to the mounting challenges ahead. Give them political courage to create laws that benefit the common good. Give them broad vision and holy wisdom to help them persevere through days of uncertainty and struggle. And each day, may they hear You speak words of encouragement in the depths of their hearts. L.R. Knost wrote:

Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world.

All things break. And all things can be mended.

Not with time, but with intention.

So, go now. Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally.

This broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.—AMEN.

_{(L.R. Knost)}

God of love, truth, and peacefulness,

as we move into this new calendar year,

we are keenly aware that

the road ahead is furrowed.

The way is wrinkled and rumpled,

scattered with debris.

This is the road our ancestors walked.

The ruins change but the path

remains the same.

Therefore, we will walk gently.

We will walk for the sake of others,

knowing You walk beside us.

Even the unseen paths before us

have been walked before.

In all its wanderings, its unknowns,

we trust that the road ahead

is held in the palm of Your hand.

So, we will walk in peace, knowing every step,

even our missteps, as we find the way,

are always blessed, always accompanied,

always the journey home.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Steve Garnaas-Holmes)}

Loving God of mercy and justice, we celebrate the birthday of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and we are reminded more than ever of his words to us:

We are tied together in the single garment of destiny,

caught in an inescapable network of mutuality.

And whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.

Mysterious God, if this is the way our universe is structured, then may we refuse to believe that we are unable to influence the events which surround us. 

May we refuse to believe that we are so bound to racism and war, that justice and peace are impossible.

May we learn to acknowledge the privileges that some of us have come to accept at the enormous cost to our African American brothers and sisters.

In this year when COVID-19 has made of our world one neighborhood, may we have the ethical commitment to live together aware of our interdependence on one another.

And through Your goodness at work within each of us, may we reach out with healing hands to one another.

This we ask in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(“Letter from Birmingham Jail” adapted from GodWeb-The United Presbyterian Church)}

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. 

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.

Loving God, You fill all things with a fullness and hope that we can never comprehend.

Thank You for leading us into a time where more of reality is being unveiled for all of us to see. We pray that You will take away our natural temptation for cynicism, denial, fear, and despair. Help us have the courage to awaken to greater truth, greater humility, and greater care for one another. May we place our hope in what matters and what lasts, trusting in Your eternal presence and love. Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our suffering world. Knowing, gracious God, that You are hearing us better than we are speaking, we offer these prayers in all the holy names attributed to You.—AMEN.

_{(Richard Rohr)}

God of love and understanding, we pray this day in the words of the Rig Veda:

Let us be united.

Let us speak in harmony.

Let our minds apprehend alike.

Common be our prayer;

Common be the end of our gathering;

Common be our resolution;

Common be our deliberations.

Alike be our feelings;

Unified be our hearts;

Common be our intentions;

Perfect be our unity.—AMEN.

_{(Peace Prayers: Meditations, Affirmations, Invocations, Poems, and Prayers for Peace)}

God of sorrows, on these days of painful memories marking the liberation of Jewish survivors at Auschwitz and the end of the Holocaust, we once again come face to face with the atrocities that human beings perpetrate on one another. We need Your grace to enlighten us today to value all persons for their presence, their gifts, their contributions to the ongoing evolution of our civilizations. Help us to banish from our hearts fear, prejudice, arrogance, denial, and all that prevents us from appreciating the beauty of each other’s lives. May we stand together knowing the joy of truly encountering one another. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Merciful and healing God, today we begin Black History Month, where we celebrate the accomplishments of Black people as they have struggled to be acknowledged and recognized for their contributions to society. We share in the longings of Langston Hughes’ poem, “I Dream a World,” and we commit to dismantling systems of racism that keep all of us unfree.

I dream a world where man

No [one none other] will scorn,

Where love will bless the Earth

And peace its paths adorn.

I dream a world where all

Will know sweet freedom’s way,

Where greed no longer saps the soul

Nor avarice blights our day.

A world I dream where black or white,

Whatever race you be,

Will share the bounties of the Earth

And every [one] is free,

Where wretchedness will hang its head

And joy, like a pearl,

Attends the need of [humankind]—

Of such I dream, my world!

May we work for such a dream.—AMEN.

_{(Langston Hughes)}

Father, Mother, God, we pray with Maya Angelou:

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, are the borderless sea of substance. We ask you to give to all the world that which we need most—peace.—AMEN.

_{(Maya Angelou)}

Today, we celebrate the feast of Josephine Bakhita. She is recognized by people of many faiths as the patron saint of the antitrafficking 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.

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. 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.

Today the world begins the Lunar New Year and ushers in the Year of the Ox.

In the Zen parable of the Ten Bulls, an ox herder’s search for his lost ox serves as a parable for a practitioner’s pursuit of enlightenment. 

And so, we pray:

Creative Mystery of the Universe, like the ox herder, as we search diligently for that bull, our true nature, may we be attentive to the signs and footprints of the bull.

May we seek him out when we catch a glimpse of his evasive presence.

May we not only observe, but may we have the courage and strength to catch the bull.

May we tame the bull with patience and determination.

May we ride the bull home attuned to the music of our success.

Having returned to our source, may we abandon the need to wrestle with the bull, and may we rest in serenity and repose.

In our transcendence of self, may we no longer need even enlightenment.

May we see that the river flows tranquilly and the flowers are red—without our intervention.

May we return to the world knowing All is One as we bring enlightenment to others.—AMEN.

(Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, A Collection of Zen and Pre-Zen Writings)

Loving God, as we celebrate Black History Month 2021, 22-year-old inaugural poet Amanda Gorman helps us become more conscious of our obligation to step into our past in order to redeem our future.

We pray in gratitude that our African American ancestors did not lose sight in their spiritual center even as they experienced systematic oppression. People like:

Jenna Lee who became the first authorized woman preacher in the African American Methodist Church;

Rebecca Cox, itinerant preacher who founded the first Black Shaker community;

And Sister Thea Bowman, the first African American woman to address the US Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1988.

Gracious God, we pray for those African Americans who enlivened our hearts with song. People like:

Sam Cooke, “A Change is Gonna Come;”

Mary Wilson, founding member of the Supremes—may she rest in peace;

Kendrick Lamar who won the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for music.

And Marvin Gaye, who asked the question 50 years ago, “What’s Going On?” which still hasn’t been answered today.

Merciful God, help us embody the faith, courage, and love of those who have led us to this moment:

May we have faith to trust that we can become an anti-racist society;

May we have the courage to “step out of the shade and aflame and unafraid;”

And may we make love a spiritual practice until, in the words of Amanda Gorman, we can merge mercy with might and might with right, then love becomes our legacy and change our children’s birthright.—AMEN.

_{(“The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman)}

God of all mercy and compassion, we offer a Prayer for a Thousand Years by Jay McDaniel:

In this century and in any century,

our deepest hope, our most tender prayer,

is that we 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 own hearts in love and forgiveness.

May we listen to [You, our] God in quietness and awe.

And in this listening,

which is boundless in its beauty,

may we find the wisdom to cooperate with [Your] healing spirit,

[Your] 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, [and for the ability to respond to what we hear.]—AMEN.

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

Gracious and trusting God, the poet Maya Angelou tells us a brave and startling truth about ourselves as humans: that we have the ability to create peace and freedom for all. “A Brave and Startling Truth” by Maya Angelou:

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

To the day of peacemaking

When we release our fingers

From fists of hostility

And allow the pure air to cool our palms

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, of such contradiction

We learn that we are neither devils nor divines

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.—AMEN.

“I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

_{(Fannie Lou Hamer)}

Today we bring ourselves into Your presence again—

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

God of Malcolm, Alice Walker, and Lorraine Hansberry,

of James Baldwin, Cornel West, and Michelle Alexander;

God of Anne Bradstreet:

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 our oneness with all people,

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 it back to You, in Your glory, radiant with hope.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Martin Luther King Day Prayer by Steve Garnaas-Holmes)}

Gracious God of transformation and renewal, as we complete the formal celebration of Black History Month and turn to Women’s History Month, may we continue to reflect on the stories, the heritage, and the struggles of women throughout the ages. May we pause before the silence of history and craft new ways of inclusion for the advancement of our civilization. May we let go of old assumptions and learn to see the presence and influence of women in all aspects of society. As we learn from those whose voices have been left unheard, may we acknowledge our complicity in failing to notice the gifts, talents, and potential in women as well as men. May our desire for inclusivity and diversity lead us to greater healing and reconciliation as we seek liberty and justice for all.—AMEN.
_{(Reverend Jude Geiger)}

Solemn Spirits, as we combat the pandemic, and we’ve lost over 500,000 Americans to this tragedy, please join me in praying for their families, their legacies, and what would have been had we gotten ahead nationally of this tragedy. We have great optimism as we move forward, as more and more vaccines become available, and more and more Californians get vaccinated and practice good sound social distancing. We pray for that effort. We pray for those who work in the Capitol who have been brave and all of our first responders throughout California and those in medical care who have risked their own situation to help those less fortunate. Please join me in prayer.—AMEN.

On this International Women’s Day, we recall the words of the poet, Audre Lorde:

When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.

Gracious and loving Almighty, as we enter a new mode of human presence where women are not merely observers, but where each can be a participant in this moment of evolution, we are determined to be bold participants, rather than timid saints-in-waiting; we choose to exercise the authority of honesty, rather than to fearfully defer to power; we wish to influence others for justice, rather than impress them for gain; and, by Your grace, we will bring treasures of joy, friendship, and peace to our world when we all use our strength in the service of our vision.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Wrestling the Light by Ted Loder)}

Loving God, our Father, our Mother, today we thank You for the indigenous women of the world, who throughout the ages have used their sacred wisdom and close relationship to the Earth to nurture and heal for the sake of all. In times of wars, displacement, and the generations of trauma imposed on them, they have challenged the forces of power and domination to bring about positive change and hope for the future of their children. Today they take their place among the many women who work silently to advance the progress of our civilization, people like Mary Golda Ross, a Cherokee woman, who became the first Native aerospace engineer.

Gracious God, help us all, women and men, to break the silences that hold us captive to fear, intimidation, prejudice, and illogical thinking. May we continue to speak words of courage, compassion, and truth so that those voices still unheard can emerge in the strength of their power and dignity for the benefit of our world.—AMEN.

Gracious and loving God, we pray in the spirit of St. Patrick:

We arise today

Through the strength of heaven;

Light of the Sun,

Splendor of fire,

Speed of lightning,

Swiftness of the wind,

Depth of the sea,

Stability of the Earth,

Firmness of the rock.

We arise today

Through God’s strength to pilot us;

God’s might to uphold us,

God’s wisdom to guide us,

God’s eye to look before us,

God’s ear to hear us,

God’s word to speak for us,

God’s hand to guard us,

God’s way to lie before us,

God’s shield to protect us,

God’s hosts to save us afar and anear, alone or in multitude.

May God’s Spirit reside in the heart of everyone who thinks of us.

May God speak through the mouth of everyone who speaks of us.

We arise today

Through the mighty strength

Of the Lord of creation.—AMEN.

_{(“The Deer’s Cry” from St. Patrick’s Breastplate)}

May the God of Transformation call you, opening you to continual renewal.

May the God of Justice comfort you, daring you to see the world through God’s eyes.

May the God of Abundance affirm you, nudging you towards deeper trust.

May the God of Embrace hold you, encircling you in the hearth at God’s home.

May the God of Hopefulness bless you, encouraging you with the fruits of faith.

May the God of Welcoming invite you, drawing you nearer to the fullness of God’s expression in you.

May the God who is present be with you, awakening you to God in all things, all people, and all moments.

May God be with you today and always.—AMEN.

_{(Elizabeth Eiland Figueroa)}

A little child
carried water in a battered tin pannier,
and although it was at that time
a task she only half understood,
all her life she would become
a bearer of life,
a bringer of the water
that cleanses and slakes, purifies and soothes,
a liquid that speaks not of itself but proclaims its source…
the genius of its Maker.
The memory of that little child,
fixed in that defining, ambivalent moment,
shows that what carries the water
might not indeed be fine or fit,
but what matters first and finally is the water itself,
unsullied and miraculous….
_{(“The Water Carrier” by Mary Wickham, RSM)}

Gracious and merciful God, on this World Water Day, we recall that Your Spirit moved over the waters of creation. Our bodies are at least 60% water and we depend on water for life. We pray for humility to see all the ways we take water for granted. Send Your Spirit to help us confront those who use water to create strife and conflict. Have mercy on those who are sick or in need because they cannot access safe water. We are thankful for Your gift of water seen in the beauty of waterfalls, placid lakes, rivers, and oceans full of amazing creatures. Give us guidance on how to be better stewards of this finite resource. We ask all of this in Your name.—AMEN.
_{(Catholic Health Association)}

Let us bring our minds, bodies, and hearts into God’s presence as we listen to the words of a song by Libby Roderick:

We stand on the edge of a cliff

In the deepest night we’ve ever seen—

People looking for light,

People who cherish a dream.

But the light’s shining out from our eyes

And the dream’s resting deep in our souls.

It’s [love] that we need to keep us from falling.

It’s [love] that we already know…

Stay low to the ground; Live close to the Earth;

Don’t stray very far from your soul;

It’s that simple things show us the reason we’re here;

And it’s simple things keeping us whole.

The temples are falling around us;

We stand strong and fierce where they’ve been.

I never have seen a holier sight

Than a person who sings in [their dream].

Our blood is the river of life;

Our joy is the sun on the land;

All of the love that is inside this heart

Is more than one person can stand.

_{(“Low to the Ground” in How Could Anyone by Libby Roderick)}

Loving God, in all of life’s joys, sorrows, and disappointments, may we not forget the dreams of our mothers and foremothers. May we confirm by our lives that we are our ancestors’ wildest dreams.—AMEN.

Gracious God, as we continue the work entrusted to this Legislature, help us find courage and comfort in the words of Amanda Gorman from her inaugural poem for the country, “The Hill We Climb”:

When the day comes we ask ourselves,

where can we find light in this never-ending shade?

And yet the dawn is ours…

We are striving to forge a union with purpose…

Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true:

That even as we grieved, we grew,

That even as we hurt, we hoped,

That even as we tired, we tried,

That we’ll forever be tied together, victorious.

Not because we will never again know defeat

but because we will never again sow division…

That is the promised glade,

The hill we climb…

We will not march back to what was

but move to what shall be—

A country that is bruised but whole…

We will not be turned around

or interrupted by intimidation

because we know our inaction and inertia

will be the inheritance of the next generation.

Our blunders become their burdens.

But one thing is certain:

If we merge mercy with might,

and might with right,

then love becomes our legacy

and change our children’s birthright…—AMEN.

_{(“The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country” by Amanda Gorman)}

Gracious and merciful God, in this season of refreshment and renewal, and in these days of solidarity with the Jewish people who observe Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, we pray: 

That new hope may rise from human discouragement;

That new faith may rise from human doubt;

That new love may rise from human indifference;

That new courage may rise from human timidity;

And that new joy may rise from human sorrows.

Bless us for the tasks that lie before us this day, that through our efforts, others may come to experience liberation from hate, oppression, or confinement of any kind. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

This is my prayer—

That, though I may not see,

I be aware

Of the Silent God

Who stands by me.

That, though I may not feel,

I be aware

Of the Mighty Love

Which doggedly follows me.

That, though I may not respond,

I be aware

That God—my Silent, Mighty God,

Waits each day,

Quietly, hopefully, persistently,

Waits for each day and through each night

For me.

For me—alone.—AMEN.

_{(There Was No Path So I Trod One by Edwina Gateley)}

Gracious and merciful God, as Muslims throughout the world observe Ramadan, we pray in gratitude for their dedication to the Five Pillars of Islam: profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage. May each of us, from our own perspective, imitate their perseverance and dedication by acting on our deepest beliefs. May the fruits of our sincere prayer result in just and generous laws that rise up the downtrodden and needy. May our empathy for the suffering of the poor remind us that we can live simply so that others may simply live. And when we travel abroad, may we approach each place with the reverence of a pilgrimage, knowing that we are on holy ground, treating each other as brothers and sisters of one Creator. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Gracious and ever-loving God, we come before You with fragile lives—with dreams, hearts, and bodies too often shattered.

What can we believe except that You will not despise our careless and broken hearts?

What can we believe except that only what is first broken, like bread, can be shared?

God of mercy, help our unbelief: that we may have the courage to love the enemies we have the integrity to make; that we may have the audacity to grow beyond our self-centered prayers and careful creeds to bring forth the just and beloved society that is ours to create; that we may learn to care for each other in tragedies great and small.

We trust in Your unfailing help.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Guerrillas of Grace by Ted Loder)}

Upon invitation of the President, the following prayer was offered by Senator Allen, as written by the Chaplain, Sister Michelle Gorman, RSM:

As we celebrate Earth Day today, let us pray this prayer of Pope Francis from Laudato Si:

All-powerful God, You are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of Your creatures.

You embrace with Your tenderness all that exists.

Pour out upon us the power of Your love that we may protect life and beauty.

Fill us with peace, that we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this Earth,

so precious in Your eyes.

Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey upon it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.

Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the Earth.

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation, to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey toward Your infinite light.

We thank You for being with us each day.

Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love, and peace.—AMEN.

_{(Laudato Si by Pope Francis)}

Gracious and merciful God, today we pray for the consolation and the compassion of the Armenian people as they recall the genocide that was perpetrated on them in 1915. 

May they not despair as we hope for reconciliation with all those who oppress others.

May all of us throughout the world not turn our heads in apathy when injustice is inflicted on any of our brothers and sisters.

May all of us learn to practice compassion by being truly present to each other.

And may we not forget that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Asdvadz Orhneh. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from “That the World May Know” in Christianity Today by Ann-Margret Hovsepian, “A Guide to Cultivating Compassion in Your Life” by Leo Babauta, and “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)}

This is a prayer by the Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh:

In gratitude, I bow to my ancestors.

I see my mother and father, whose blood is circulating in my veins.

I open myself to receive the energy of insight, love, and experience from them and from my ancestors. 

I allow their energy to flow through me, and ask for their support, protection, and strength.

In gratitude, I bow to this land.

I feel the energy of this land supporting and accepting me.

I commit to contribute my part in transforming violence, hatred, and delusion so that the future generations will have more safety, joy, and peace.

In gratitude, I bow to those I love.

All the energy I have received I now want to transmit to everyone I love, and to all who have suffered and worried for my sake.

I know I have not been mindful enough, and have caused others to suffer.

I also know that those who love me have had their own difficulties.

I desire to be one with those I love.

In understanding and compassion, I bow to those who have made me suffer.

I open my heart to all who have made me suffer. 

I pray that they experience the joy of living, and no longer make themselves and others suffer.

I radiate my love and understanding to them and to all who need healing of body and spirit.

I bow down in gratitude.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from “The Five Earth Touchings” by Thich Nhat Hanh)}

Creator God, today, we give thanks for sheltering dark places:

The rich Earth where seeds germinate,

the caves that harbor our ancient ancestors,

the cellars that keep us safe from tornadoes,

the wombs that provide our first nourishment.

We acknowledge the pain of suffering,

which can deepen our appreciation of life

and strengthen our connection to one another.

We bless mushrooms that grow in the dark

and honeysuckle that sends its luscious scents

into the night.

We are grateful for the darkness that soothes us to sleep,

the darkness that animals require for hibernation.

May we look for the positive in all the “so-called” dark places of our lives.—AMEN.

_{(Patricia Montley)}

There is no power greater than a community discovering what it cares about. Ask “What’s possible?” not “What’s wrong?” And keep asking. Assume that many others share your dreams.                                               

_{(“Turning to One Another” by Margaret J. Wheatley)}

Loving and merciful God, each year as we celebrate Cinco de Mayo we remember the Battle of Puebla and its implications for the future of the United States. 

Today, we ask Your help as we work to lead our country forward for the benefit of our descendants.

May we have the courage and determination to engage in needed courageous conversations.

May we work to forge creative solutions that will benefit all, especially those whose needs we may not easily notice.

May we trust in the generosity and human ingenuity of each other to act on our deepest desires for goodness and right.

We continue to trust in the outpouring of Your Spirit to wake us up to the new and surprising possibilities emerging from our current situation. We make our prayer in Your name.—AMEN.

Hanto Yo; Hanto Yo means “clear the way” in the Lakota language of the North American Plains.

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 the creative witness for justice, from the smallness of our horizons to the magnificence of Your vision for our world.

Clear the way in us, Your people, that we might invite each other 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 each other to the 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 reverence Your creation.

Clear the way in us, Your people, that we might all know the beauty and power of preserving our Earth for future generations.—AMEN.

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

Today’s prayer is about leaning on God.

Some people lean against fence posts when their bodies ache from toil.

Some people lean on oak trees, seeking cool shade on hot, humid days.

Some people lean on crutches when their limbs won’t work for them.

Some people lean on each other when their hearts can’t stand alone. 

God of shelter and strength, it often takes us a long time to lean on You.

We prefer to remain independent rather than acknowledge You as an oak tree of comfort, a sturdy support when the limbs of our lives are weak. Praise to You, Eternal Lean-To, for being our refuge in distress, for Your constant presence, and for continually bringing a slow end to the wars within our hearts and in our world.—AMEN.

_{(Joyce Rupp)}

In a world that is doubling down in fear and fear-mongering, and increasing in intimidation and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, each of us is called to renewed witness to the dignity of each person.

Save us, O God, from the ways in which we are complicit in racism of all sorts:

From racism so often cloaked in pious words;

From the machinations of white supremacy hiding in procedure;

From microaggressions thinly veiled in arrogance;

And macroaggressions with intent to hurt;

From regrets when they don’t give way to actions.

Deliver us, O God, from judging AAPI people by standards based in ignorance and fear:

From staying silent when words and actions of solidarity are needed;

From allowing those of non-Christian religions to be vilified;

From failing to notice that we are all one in our humanity and interdependence on one another.

Gracious God, we ask for wisdom and courage to be led by Your Spirit for the sake of the kindom that we share with each other.—AMEN.

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

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 at 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 a live moist root.

Don’t always be waiting to see what’s behind it; that wait-and-see can poison 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.

Once upon a time, in a remote unfriendly village by a mountain, there lived an old woman whose habits seemed strange to her neighbors. Often, they would see her wandering on the mountainside, which looked bleak and barren. Despite their parents’ admonitions, the children of the village sometimes followed the old woman asking her what she was doing. She would tell them, “I am changing the face of the mountain.”

Many years later, when one grown child returned to show her family the harsh environment of her youth, she was surprised to see the mountainside ablaze with colorful flowers and shady foliage. 

She asked the villagers what happened to the bleak and barren mountainside of her childhood. One replied, “Remember that old woman wandering around the mountainside?  It was she who planted all the seeds, and now they are bearing fruit.” And then she understood the meaning of the words: “changing the face of the mountain.”

Gracious Lord, we ask for Your continued blessing on all the Members of this Legislature as they work to change the face of the mountain. May they persevere with hope and courage as they transform possibilities into realities. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from “Daily Reflections on Visioning for the Future” by Leadership Conference of Women Religious)}

Gracious and merciful God, one year after the terrible murder of George Floyd, we continue to build on the calls for justice created by the protests of so many millions of Americans and millions more throughout the world. We pray for Your inspiration as we make the changes in our work and our daily lives to make justice real for all. We ask for the courage to continue the difficult work of becoming accountable for all that was previously overlooked.

May we say with Ella Baker, mother of the civil rights movement:

We who believe in freedom cannot rest

Until the killing of Black men, Black mother’s sons

Is as important as the killing of White men, White mother’s sons.

Loving God, we believe in freedom, we commit to continuing on this journey of justice and love. We rely on Your enlivening Spirit. And let us say:—AMEN.

Gracious and merciful God, we live this Memorial Day Weekend, in memory of all the dead who gave their lives in any war.

In memory of those who survived

but remain broken in body, mind, or soul.

In memory of a sermon on a mount

that blessed the peacemakers and those who mourn.

In memory of the activists and the artists

who were imprisoned and killed for the stands they took for justice.

In memory of all the teachers who said in a thousand different ways:

Bring peace and light wherever you go.

In memory of the children who need us now to grow up and get along.

In memory of the Earth and our fellow creatures

who count on us to do what’s right.

In memory of each of us, waking up slowly to the miracle of our own lives.—AMEN.

_{(Jan Phillips)}

Gracious and loving God, may we work this day as if everything depends on us, and pray as if everything depends on You.

Wendell Berry, in his poem, “This Day”, says:

Whatever is foreseen in joy

Must be lived out from day to day,

Vision held open in the dark

By our ten thousand days of work.

Harvest will fill the barn; for that

Hand must ache, the face must sweat.

And yet no leaf or grain is filled

By work of ours; the field is tilled

And left to grace. That we may reap,

Great work is done while we’re asleep.

When we work well, a Sabbath mood

Rests on our day, and finds it good.—AMEN.

Psalm 23 for Busy People—with apologies to the psalmist.

The Lord is my pacesetter; I shall not rush,

God helps me stop and rest for quiet intervals,

providing me with images of stillness,

Restoring my serenity.

God leads me in the way 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.

The following poem called “Shine” is in acknowledgement of our work for the common good:

For just this Moment, and the Next,

Do not believe that this world cannot feel the Incredible Gift that you have been given and Hold.

There is no comparison to You.

There will always be another ahead of you and just behind you on the Path.

One is beckoning for you to follow in the wake of their Wisdom,

the other is clinging to you for Hope and Guidance.

Are you to be the Student or the Teacher?

You have been granted the pleasure of experiencing both,

As they are meant to be One.

What this world has led us to believe as strengths and weaknesses,

are the Tools that have been given to Carve out our Unique Purpose.

It’s time, Dear Senators, to allow the Art of your Life to be Seen and Heard from every angle of the beautiful Sculpture you are Creating.

Consider with Love, that all who are receiving your Gift, are doing so

from the Breath of this Moment we are stepping Upon.

_{(Diane Smigielski-Schilling)}

Loving God, we ask You to be with us in this moment as we seek to carve out our unique purpose with all its challenges and creativity.—AMEN.

Merciful God who desires that all should be free: this past weekend, we remembered that 77 years ago American soldiers and other Allied forces landed and parachuted into Normandy, helping to bring an end to World War II in Europe.

We pray in gratitude for those who gave their lives for our freedom.

We pray in gratitude for World War II veterans and for all veterans dedicated to protecting our freedoms today.

We pray in gratitude for the many freedoms we possess—freedom of religion, speech, the press, freedom to assemble and petition, and freedom to cast our vote.

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.

Prayer and Poem

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.

_{(Alice Feeley, RDC)}