People walked through my prayers

And I never noticed,

Intent on my own affairs.

People walked through my prayers

And I saw them—

Intrusive, disrupting, distracting.

[Now] people walk through my prayers

And I include them—

Caring, giving, blessing.

People walk through my prayers

And change me—

[Sometimes] disturbing, demanding, enlarging.

People walk through my prayers

And embrace me—

Healing, loving, forgiving.

People walk through my prayers

Bearing the Christ—

Transforming me.

_{(Susan Baker-Lehne)}

Loving God, help us to look deeply into the hearts of those who walk through our prayers so that we may know our interconnectedness with one another.—AMEN.

Gracious God of mercy and compassion, this weekend, in the celebration of Juneteenth, we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States where on June 19, 1865 the people of Texas received the information that had been proclaimed on January 1, 1863 and we congratulate our U.S. Senate and Congress for passing, yesterday, the legislation to make this a national holiday.

Merciful God, we ask Your continued presence with us as we strive to make real the promise of justice and liberation of all.

May we learn to celebrate freedom from oppression and full humanity of every person on Earth.

We are grateful for the resilience and contributions of Black Americans in every aspect of our society.

And on this weekend when we celebrate freedom, may we pledge to ensure by word and deed that we will no longer be complicit in violence, abuse, and discrimination perpetrated on people of color.

We cling to the hope that unity and liberation for all are within our grasp. We ask these in Your name.—AMEN.

God of Many Colors, You once set Your rainbow high in the sky, to be a sign of the life-giving covenant between You and Your creation. Let this symbol of faithfulness resonate with us as we renew our relationships with each other, and You, during this season of PRIDE.

Creator God, we thank You for our LGBTQ+/Ally diversity because these colorful expressions of life let us see Your many faces. Although many, we come together as ONE in You.

May all of us be attentive to those who are excluded in our world. Let us manifest Your unconditional love by our extravagant hospitality and appreciation for the diversity each person brings. Let us not be complicit by our silence in the continuation of heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia.

And let us sing with Sweet Honey in the Rock:

I am sitting here, wanting memories to teach me,

to see the beauty in the world through my own eyes. 

I think on the things that made me grow into a being full of PRIDE.

I think on these things for they are true.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Dwayne Fernandes at New Ways Ministry. “Wanting Memories” in Still on the Journey by Sweet Honey in the Rock)}

“Lessons” by Rod McKuen

In imitating Christ

we mustn’t once forget

he seldom went alone.

His friends were those

who needed friends themselves.

A teacher, he was often taught

And not just by his father

But by the flock he shepherded

From torment into love.

He was the wisest of his wise men.

That didn’t come by chance;

It came from caring.

_{(“Lessons” in The Carols of Christmas by Rod McKuen)}

Gracious God, we thank You for the caring that You have placed in our hearts for our brothers and sisters. Thank You for our families and friends who give us the space to do Your work, and who support us in our joyful and difficult days. And help us to be grateful for the voices that challenge us—challenge us to go deeper into the reasons for and the consequences of our decisions. May we continue to incarnate Your vision in our world.—AMEN.

This is the prayer of Thomas Merton, from his book, Thoughts in Solitude.

Gracious God, I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You, and I hope that I have the desire in all that I am doing.

I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore, I will trust You always.

Though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for You are ever with me, and You will never leave me to face my perils alone.—AMEN.

_{(Thoughts in Solitude by Thomas Merton)}

This is known as the Prayer of St. Teresa of Avila:

Today, may there be peace within.

May you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing that you are a creation of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing and dance.

It is there for each and every one of you.—AMEN.

May you be blessed with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.

May you be blessed with holy anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.

May you be blessed with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.

May you be blessed with enough foolishness to believe that you can really make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.—AMEN.

_{(“A Four-Fold Benedictine Blessing” by Ruth Marlene Fox, OSB)}

Loving God, sometimes when we pray, You give us gifts that we didn’t ask for:

I asked for strength,

And I was given difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for wisdom,

And I was given problems to solve.

I asked for prosperity,

And I was given brain and brawn to work.

I asked for courage,

And I was given danger to overcome.

I asked for patience,

And I was placed in situations where I had to wait.

I asked for love,

And I was given troubled people to help.

I asked for favors,

And I was given opportunities.

I received nothing I asked for,

And I received everything I needed!

We give You thanks, O God, for You know what we need.—AMEN.

_{(Author unknown)}

God of our ordinary days and nights, God of extraordinary times, this day we pray:

Guide our discerning and our deciding.

Attune our hearts to the murmurings

both of peace and of disquiet,

so that, aware of risk and of promise,

we move trustfully into the future.

Uncloud our eyes to know what we need to leave,

what to seek, and what to hold for the journey,

that we will find our feet on the right track,

walking the merciful path, led by Your unerring Spirit.

We ask all that we ask in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Mary Wickham, RSM)}

Loving and merciful Creator, as Your Senators conclude their work today, may they recognize that this year, each one has been:

A protector for those without protection,

A guide for those who have lost their way,

A ship for those with oceans to cross,

A bridge for those with rivers to cross,

A sanctuary for those in danger,

A lamp for those without light,

A place of refuge for those who lack shelter,

And a servant to all in need.

May their summer be blessed with rest and relaxation.—AMEN.

_{(Buddhist Prayer of Peace)}

Gracious and loving God, You beckon to us from a future abundant in grace, full of challenge, and rich in possibility. In the coming months, we ask You for the grace:

To live deeply, with purpose.

To live freely, with detachment.

To live wisely, with humility.

To live justly, with compassion.

To live lovingly, with fidelity.

To live mindfully, with consciousness.

To live gratefully, with generosity.

To live fully, with enthusiasm.

May all we do these days be for the transformation of hearts and relationships, and the graced unfolding of all creation.

Fill us with Your peace as we look to the past with gratitude, live with the present with passion, and embrace the future with hope.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Let us pray, to be grateful for what is.

To find good amid the unwanted aspects of life,

without denying the presence of the unwanted.

To be present to one’s own small space,

while stretching to the wide world beyond it.

To search for and to see the good in others,

not looking for faults and weaknesses.

To be thankful for each loving deed,

no matter how insignificant it might appear.

To strive to be loving and caring,

in situations that consistently challenge these virtues.

To be at peace with what cannot be changed.

This we pray in faith.—AMEN.

_{(Joyce Rupp)}

Merciful and gracious God, as the COVID-19 pandemic persists, and the natural disasters of fire and flood continue to impact the lives of so many, we ask You to be present with us in our grief—

Grief for those who have lost loved ones and property;

Grief for health care workers, firefighters, and other essential workers risking their lives to protect us;

Grief for all we have to let go of as we strive to adjust to a new kind of normal.

Loving God, help us to reach beneath our grief to discover the creative force of life buried beneath our heavy hearts. May we find hope and a creative spirit to help us build anew from the ashes of death and destruction. May we experience healing and restoration as we give the best of ourselves for our fellow humans. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Let us pray from Psalm 90:

Eternal and Immortal One, You have been our refuge in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, before You had formed the Earth and the cosmos, from everlasting to everlasting, You are the Alpha and the Omega.

When our days on Earth are ended, You welcome us home to Your heart, to the city of Love, where time is eternal and days are not numbered.

You gather those You love, as friends returning from a long journey, giving rest to their souls.

You anoint them with the balm of understanding, healing wounds of the past.

Teach us, O Beloved, to honor each day that we may have a heart of wisdom.

Have mercy on Your people’s pain.

Increase Your love within us and hear our prayer.—AMEN.

God of the generations, when we set our hands to labor,

thinking that we work alone,

remind us that we carry

on our lips the words of prophets,

in our veins the blood of martyrs,

in our eyes the mystics’ visions,

and in our hands the strength of thousands.—AMEN.

_{(In Wisdom’s Path: Discovering the Sacred in Every Season by Jan Richardson)}

Gracious and merciful God, in these days of distress and turmoil, we turn to You for strength and comfort in our suffering and grief.

Daily we witness Your generosity in the courage and strength of firefighters who seek to quench the fires ravaging our state.

We witness Your love and care in the courage of those who rush to help in the recovery efforts from devastating floods.

We witness Your healing touch in the dedication of health care workers, who risk their own welfare in this continuing COVID pandemic.

We are in awe of the young who feel called to serve their country to the point of death.

Gracious God, we pray for those displaced because of fires, floods, wars, and disease.  And we ask You to give them the strength and resilience to rebuild their lives with greater intention, greater creativity, and greater love. Give all of us the strength of purpose so that out of these terrible events, wonders of goodness and grace will emerge to bring comfort and hope in the midst of so much sorrow. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Creator God, as I wear my mask today, help me appreciate the blessing in the protection of this cloth—

Let it be “an outward sign of an inward grace,” a tangible and visible way of living love for my neighbors as I love myself.

Since my lips will be covered, uncover my heart that people may see my smile in the crinkles around my eyes.

Since my voice may be muffled, help me to speak clearly, not only with my words, but with my actions.

As the elastic touches my ears, remind me to listen carefully, and full of care, to all those I meet.

May this simple piece of cloth be shield and banner, and may each breath that it holds be filled with Your love.—AMEN.

As we leave our work for the weekend, let us pray this blessing on one another:

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

May a God of Justice comfort you, daring you to see the world through their eyes.

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

May a God of Embraces hold you, encircling you in the hearth of God’s home.

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

May a God of Welcoming invite you, drawing you to the fullness of their expression in you.

And may a God who is present be with you, awakening you to God in all things, all people, and all moments.—AMEN.

For those, with those, who celebrate Rosh Hashanah, we pray:

Blessed You are, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has given us life, and sustained us, and brought us to this day.

Our day, remember us, Lord God, for good; recollect us for blessing, and deliver us for life.

In accord with Your promise of salvation and compassion, spare us and be gracious to us; have compassion on us and deliver us, for You are the compassionate.

Our God and the God of our ancestors, reign over the entire universe in Your glory.—AMEN.

The author, Margaret Wheatley, says:

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

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

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

_{(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 as we rely on the generosity and human goodness of each other. We make our prayer in Your name.—AMEN.

Arise, O Living Spirit, and help us embrace the day ahead.

Awaken our eyes and ears for revelation.

Invoke new wisdom which is our daily bread.

Protect anew these pilgrims of the dawn.

Give us the gift of courage to make us brave in heart.

Give us the gift of truth in all we say.

Give us the light of vision on which to embark.

Refresh anew these pilgrims of the dawn.

We’re stewards of Creation, gifted into life, entrusted with the care of all that is.

We’re called to work for justice, not divisive strife.

Unite as one these pilgrims of the dawn.

Each day provides a milestone on the way, surprising us with paradox and hope.

We’re grateful for the blessing of another day, embracing us as pilgrims of the dawn.—AMEN.

_{(Author Unknown)}

Leave the familiar for a while.

Let your senses and bodies stretch out

Like a welcomed season

On to the meadows and shores and hills.

Open up to the Roof.

Make a new water-mark on your excitement and love.

Like a blooming night flower, bestow your vital fragrance

Of happiness and giving

Upon your intimate assembly.

Change rooms in your mind for a day.

All the hemispheres in existence lie beside an equator in your heart.

Greet yourself in your thousand other forms

As you sail the hidden tide and travel back home.

All the hemispheres in heaven

Are sitting around and chatting

While stitching themselves together

Into the Great Circle inside of You.—AMEN.

_{(The Subject Tonight is Love by Hafiz translated by Daniel Ladinsky)}

As we begin this New Year of 2022, we ponder the words of Howard Thurman:

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flocks,

Then the work [of the new year] begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nation, [and the State,]

To bring peace among people,

To make music in the heart.

_{(The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations by Howard Thurman)}

This is the work that we are about to do in the Senate; and we pray:

May the Lord bless us and keep us.

May God’s face shine upon us, and be as gracious to us.

May God look upon us kindly and give us peace.—AMEN.

_{(Numbers 6:24–26)}

Gracious and merciful God, help all of us to believe in this New Year that is given to us—“untouched, full of things that have never been, full of work that has never been done, full of tasks, claims, and demands. Let us know the blessings that accompany our attempts to accomplish those necessary, serious, and great things.” We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke by Rainer Maria Rilke)}

In this New Year we pray:

To live deeply with purpose,

To live freely with detachment,

To live wisely with humility,

To live justly with compassion,

To live lovingly with fidelity,

To live mindfully with awareness,

To live gratefully with generosity,

To live fully with enthusiasm.

Help us, O God, to hold this vision and to daily renew our hearts, becoming ever more one with You, one another, and one with our truest self.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted Prayer by Joyce Rupp)}

We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality,

tied in a single garment of destiny.

Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.

These were the words of Dr. Martin Luther King in the Letter from a Birmingham Jail April 16, 1963.

^{(“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr.)}

Merciful and compassionate God, these words of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, resonate with us as we remember and celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Be with us this year as we work in solidarity with each other, adding our voices to the voices of those who still struggle daily for justice and equality.

May we recognize and respond to “the fierce urgency of now” as we encounter crisis upon crisis in our moving toward loving one another.

Help us understand that in this time, we are integral to helping birth the future from the crucible of the past and the present.

Gracious God, as we intensify our desire to live with integrity of word and deed, help us continue to grow into that network of mutuality that forges our unity and brings us to honor the life and time of Dr. Martin Luther King.—AMEN.

God of healing and hope, may Your love and compassion abound as we endure the continuing challenge of the coronavirus and its variants.

We ask for wisdom for those who bear the load of making decisions with widespread consequences.

We pray for those suffering from sickness and all who are caring for them.

We pray for freedom from paralyzing fear and anxiety, and at the same time, may we exercise common sense for the good of the whole.

Through this time of global concern, may Your Spirit bring out the best in us.

Make us more aware of our interdependence on each other.

Help us approach each day in faith and peace, trusting in the truth of Your goodness towards us and deepening our compassionate connection with those who are most vulnerable.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from www.holyspiritewloe.com)}

We begin with 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 God, as we enter new modes 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)}

Our Father, Holy Mother, Creator of the Cosmos, Source of Life, You are in my mind, in my garden, in my cup of wine and loaf of bread.

Blessed be Your names:

Mother, Allah, Goddess, Beloved, Great Spirit, Radiant One, Yahweh, HaShem, Sophia.

Your presence has come.

Your will is done on Earth as it is in the cosmos.

May we give each other strength, mercy, tenderness, and joy.

May we forgive the incompleteness in each other.

Lead us home to the mystery of ourselves, to clarity, to oneness, and deliver us from the shadows of our ignorance and fear. So we pray and so we receive.—AMEN.

God of mercy and compassion, we pray this prayer for each other:

May you meet mercy each day: in light of your own heart,

at the hands of your loved ones,

in the eyes of a stranger and the needy.

And if by chance you do not at first meet this mercy,

then search your heart for it,

listen patiently for word of it,

and it will tap you on the shoulder,

a quiet surprise,

a small gesture,

the tender look,

given and received

in the encounters of your day.—AMEN.

_{(Mary Wickham, RSM)}

On this most solemn of occasions, we open our hearts, our minds, and souls to You, O Holy One:

As we remember the six million, the eleven million, the indifference, and the evil;

As we honor the heroes, the martyrs, the survivors, and the victims:

We ask You to soothe our souls, to amplify our memories, to strengthen our resolve, and to hear our prayers.

We ask for Your presence in our midst; for healing, light, and love to soothe and ease our pain, as we commemorate the horrors that were committed not long ago.

Please, O Holy One, be gentle with our souls.

We ask that You help us forever remember the stories we hear. As tales of the atrocities are shared, as we re-encounter the unthinkable, we ask that these memories be strengthened and never fade, in the hope that those who remember the mistakes of the past will not repeat them. Please, O Holy One, amplify our ability to remember.

Above all, we pray for shalom—for wholeness and peace—to be in our midst, now and forever.—AMEN.

_{(Rabbi David Katz)}

Creator God, bless and affirm our belonging.

May our belonging be a healing balm and a supportive hand.

May our belonging be an encouraging voice.

May we free one another to speak the truth as well as the words that rise easily.

May we help one another to create the ordinary and the great.

May we acknowledge with joy the unique gift that is our belonging.

May our belonging empower us to reach beyond to welcome and shelter others.

May our belonging free us to live radically within the broader arena of the world.

May we treasure the companions of the past who shaped and shared our belonging, as we move together into the future with hope.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(www.marywickhamrsm.org.au)}

Holy Mystery, as we celebrate another Lunar New Year, the Year of the Tiger, help us to live into this new year with the qualities of the tiger:

Courage—May we step out of our comfort zones and challenge those assumptions that keep us in bondage to hesitancy and fear;

Strength—May we follow through to accomplish our desires for harmony, truth, and justice;

Resilience—May we persevere in hope and confidence that the transformation of our society will come to pass for the sake of future generations.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

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 needs of all mankind—

Of such I dream, my world!

Spirit of Abundance, God of Grace, Mother of Hope, in this month of remembrance, we acknowledge and embrace the power and creativity that our Black sisters and brothers have contributed for the growth of this nation. Continue to widen our vision so that together we may bring our world closer to harmony and peace, communion and solidarity.—AMEN.

Spirit of God, we long to mend the broken circle.

To heal the fractures in the world around us and within our own souls.

To transform those parts of ourselves that block our contact with our deepest realities, 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 cycles of violence—in our homes, in our workplaces, in our neighborhoods, in our country, and in our whole world.—AMEN.

The Book of Proverbs (4:23) says: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything else flows from it.

Creator God, give us a heart like Yours that inspires us to love without reservation, to step out in courageous service to one another, and never to dig up in doubt what we have planted in faith.

Fortify us with Your grace to speak kindly, to keep our actions on the upswing, and to refuse to allow any discouragement to infiltrate our spirits.

Gracious God, let Your light shine through the cracks and splinters of the less-than-perfect portions of our hearts; and may we forgive ourselves, our imperfections, and in response, return compassionate love and forgiveness to others.—AMEN.

_{(Prayer of Auburn Mercy Associates)}

Gracious God and God of our ancestors, as we celebrate Presidents’ Day, we ask Your blessings for our country—for its government, for its leaders and advisors, and for all who exercise just and rightful authority. Teach them insights from Your Spirit, that they may administer all affairs of state fairly—that peace and security, justice and freedom may forever abide in our midst.

Creator of all, bless all the inhabitants of our country with Your Spirit. May citizens of all races and creeds forge a common bond in true harmony, to banish hatred and bigotry, and to safeguard the ideals and free institutions that we desire.

May this land be an influence for good throughout the world, uniting all people in peace and freedom—helping them to fulfill the vision of Your prophet Isaiah: ‘Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they experience war any more.’

For this we pray.—AMEN.

_{(The Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism)}

Eternal and everlasting God, Creator of all humankind, as we turn aside from the hurly-burly of everyday living, may our hearts and souls, yea our very spirits, be lifted upward to You.

For it is from You that all blessings come.

Keep us ever mindful of our dependence upon You, for without You our efforts are but naught.

We pray for Your divine guidance as we travel the highways of life.

We pray for more courage.

We pray for more faith.

And above all, we pray for more love.

May we somehow come to understand the true meaning of Your love as we try to live it day by day.—AMEN.

_{(Coretta Scott King)}

As we end this month dedicated to Black History, we continue to pray for racial healing based on Psalms 19 and 139:

How can I discern my own inner racism, Lord?

Cleanse me, I pray, from my hidden errors of thinking.

Also, I ask that You restrain in me any intentional acts of racism.

Let not the habits of systemic racism rule my life.

Point out anything in me that is harmful to people of color, and lead me into a new and better future.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Psalms 19:13, 14 and 139:24 and from The Spiritual Work of Racial Justice: A Month of Meditations with Ignatius of Loyola by Father Patrick Saint-Jean, SJ)}

The Senate gathers today with our heads bowed and our hearts strong as we stand in solidarity and ask for blessings for all of those under attack in our world. May He be with us. May She see us to our glory.—AMEN.

God of infinite mercy and goodness, we pray for the people of Ukraine, including my many relatives, during these days of conflict.

Bless the leaders with the wisdom, vision, and perseverance to build a world of justice and solidarity.

To You we entrust all those who live in fear for their lives. May they not yield to discouragement and despair, but become heralds of new hope to one another in these extraordinarily challenging times.

Inspire all of us to oneness of heart and mind, so that the walls of hostility and division can be eliminated. May we work generously for the common good, respecting the dignity and fundamental rights of every person.

May Your voice resound in our hearts, as You call on us to follow the path of reconciliation and peace.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Toronto Catholic District School Board Prayer for Peace)}

Gracious God, in the women of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, You have given us strong models for life and faith:

Sarah laughed at the thought of becoming a mother in her old age: Grant us appreciation for the surprises of Your grace.

Deborah and Judith were fearless in facing the enemies of their people: Give us courage before whatever threatens us.

Ruth proved the value of relationship and fidelity: May we be loyal to our friends and faithful to our commitments.

Esther endangered herself for the sake of her people: Give us a share in her dignity and devotion.

Mary Magdalene testified to her experience of Jesus: May we speak our truth in the face of derision.

Phoebe offered sacred service to those in power: May we respond to the needs of others regardless of their status.

And Mary, the mother of Jesus, pondered God’s mysteries in her heart: May we listen attentively to God’s unique call to each of us.

May we find inspiration in the lives of these women.—AMEN.

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

I will not believe in the law of the strongest,

In the power of the powerful.

I want to believe in the right of all,

In the open hand,

In the strength of the non-violent.

I will not believe that I don’t have to concern myself

With what happens far from here.

I want to believe that the whole world

Is my home,

And that all reap what all have sown.

I will not believe that I can combat oppression out there

If I tolerate injustice here.

I want to believe that what is right is the same here and there,

And that I will not be free  

While even one human being is excluded.

I will not believe that any effort is in vain.

But I will dare to believe in the dream of God:

A new heaven and a new Earth

Where justice and love reign.

Gracious God, I want to believe; help my unbelief.—AMEN.

^{(Adapted from Essential Writings by Dom Helder Camara)}

God of mercy and wisdom, we bring before You all the women whose stories we have witnessed and whose stories have shaped our lives: our mothers, guardians, and friends.

Fill us with Your compassion that we may work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of all women—

those whose voices have been left unheard,

those who against all odds create an environment of love and peace for their families;

those whose stories are different from our own.

Fill us with Your courage that we may bring hope to those who live in fear, that our actions may be rooted in inclusivity, justice, and love, that we may contribute to the healing and wholeness of our world.—AMEN.

Spirit of Renewal, God of Many Names, and One Transforming and Abundant Love, we turn this month, in our nation’s life, to reflect on the stories,

The heritage,

and the struggles,

of women throughout the ages.

We seek to learn from all those voices that have been left unheard.

May we pause before the silence of the ages,

Find out who has been left out,

And craft new ways of inclusion,

For every week, and every month.

May this spiritual practice,

Bring out the voices of all those struggling and all of those left apart.

May we let go of our assumptions and cold comforts,

Of what is the normal to live by,

Unless it be a standard that is rooted in compassion,

In inclusivity,

In diversity.

May this month of reflection teach us to search

for those stories that are different from our own.

Mother of Possibilities,

In the finding,

May we come to know ourselves changed.

Renewed where we are dry,

Hopeful where we are lost,

And open where we are shut.—AMEN.

_{(Reverend Jude Geiger)}

As we continue to remember the contributions of women throughout the centuries, today we pray the prayers of Hildegard of Bingen, who lived in the 12th century: 

O eternal Lord,

it is pleasing to You

to burn in that same fire of love,

like that from which our bodies are born,

in the first dawn before all of Creation.

So consider this need which falls upon us, [our need for peace and justice]

and relieve us of it,

and lead us in joyous prosperity.

O Shepherd of souls,

from whose first voice and

through whom all creation was summoned,

now to You, may it give pleasure and dignity

to liberate us

from our miseries and languishing.

O leafy branch,

standing in Your nobility as the dawn breaks forth:

now rejoice and be glad

and deign to set us frail ones free from evil habits

and stretch forth Your hand

and lift us up.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

In this month of Women’s History Month, we recognize and pray for everyone that has been a trendsetter, a trailblazer, and brought us to this moment. In their name I ask that we all join in this prayer.—AMEN.

Today we pray from Psalm 103:

Bless the Lord, O my soul

And all that is within me, bless God’s holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul

And remember all God’s benefits.

It is God who heals our ills,

And redeems our life from the pit,

Who crowns us with love and compassion

And fills us with all good things.

For as the heavens are high above the Earth

So enormous is God’s mercy.

And as far as the east is from the west

So far from us does God remove our failures.

As parents have compassion on their children

So divine compassion is showered on all of us.

In all our experiences, let us praise the Lord.—AMEN.

God, who created us very good—

Every day is a day to celebrate the splendor, the wonder of all women.

For all that we carry—

Water on our heads, babies in our wombs,

The legacy of our ancestors, dreams for future generations:

We ask for strength in our bones, and love for our frames.

For all that we raise—

The children of our villages, communities of resilience,

Resistant hands, defiant voices:

We ask for the courage to keep asserting,

And a world that honors our being.

For all that we bear—

Violence both physical and emotional, injustices both known and unknown,

The inescapable weight of misogyny, the trauma of generations:

We ask for an end to the forces that tear,

And the force of love to repair.

For all that we are—

Resilient, powerful, loving, hospitable,

Creative, daring, beautiful, valuable, generous:

We ask for fullness of joy, and gladness in our existence.

Grant women around the world reminders this day [and every day]

Of our immeasurable worth,

And Your divine image within us.—AMEN.

^{(Erina Kim-Eubanks)}

On this anniversary of the assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we pray his prayer:

O God, we thank You for the fact that You have inspired men and women in all nations and in all cultures. We call You different names: some call You Allah; some call You Elohim; some call You Jehovah; some call You Brahma; some call You the Unmoved Mover. But we know that these are all names for one and the same God. Grant that we will follow You and become so committed to Your way that we will be able to establish in our lives and in this world a kingdom of understanding, where men and women will live together as brothers and sisters and respect the dignity and worth of every human being. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

As we prepare for Easter and Passover, let us pray the prayer of Howard Thurman and endeavor to bring peace to our hearts and our world.

Lord, my God,

Open unto me—

Light for my [blindness]; courage for my fear; hope for my despair; and peace for my turmoil.

Open unto me—

Joy for my sorrow; strength for my weakness; wisdom for my confusion; and forgiveness for my sin.

Lord, open unto me—

Tenderness for the toughness; love for my hates.

Thy Self for myself, Lord, Lord, open unto me!—AMEN.

Merciful and gracious God, we believe that each one of us is a spark of Your Divine Light, filled with the potential to emanate Your Spirit of love, joy, empathy, and compassion for the common good and for the building up of our world. As we transmit the best of ourselves to future generations in the ministry of education, help us to educate each individual about the dignity and worth of their person. May we as a society commit to providing all children with the resources—spiritual, psychological, and ethical, as well as physical and intellectual—enable them to reach their highest potential. May we inspire them to contribute their gifts and talents to creating communities of justice, truth, forgiveness, and peace. In these challenging times, give us the courage to witness to the possibility of hope and transformation in our anxious and suffering world. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

In Laudato Si, Pope Francis said: “The Earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor…We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the Earth (Genesis 2:7)."

Compassionate and loving God,

You created the world for all of us to share,

a world of beauty and plenty.

Create in us a desire to live simply,

so that our lives may reflect Your generosity.

Creator God,

You have us and gave us responsibility for the Earth,

a world of riches and delight.

Create in us a desire to live sustainably,

so that those who follow after us

may enjoy the fruits of Your creation.

God of justice and peace,

You give us the capacity to change,

to bring about a world that mirrors Your wisdom.

Create in us a desire to act in solidarity with all creation,

so that the pillars of injustice crumble

and all life is set free to flourish.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(School Sisters of Notre Dame)}

Creator God, we ask You to accompany us this day as we strive to make the best possible decisions for the good of Your people:

Be with us:

In our times of physical need and spiritual trial—when we are tempted to fear and doubt;

In our quest for a more just order—when we are tempted to discouragement.

Be with us:

In our encounters with the poor and needy of our time—when we are tempted to grow weary;

In our debates with persons who disagree with us—when we are tempted to misunderstanding.

Be with us:

In our successes as a governance body—when we may be tempted to self-satisfaction.

Gracious and merciful God, strengthen us on our journey of leadership, that we may witness to the value of humble service for all those who put their trust in our work.

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

On this Holocaust Remembrance Day, Yom HaShoah, we open our hearts, minds, and souls.

Ribbono shel Olam—Master of the Universe:

As we remember the six million, the eleven million, the indifference, and the evil;

As we honor the heroes, the martyrs, the survivors, and the victims;

We ask You to soothe our souls, to amplify our memories, to strengthen our resolve, and to hear our prayers.

We ask for Your presence in our midst—for healing, light, and love to soothe and ease our pain, as we remember the horrors that were committed not long ago.

We ask that our memories be strengthened in the hope that those who remember the mistakes of the past will not repeat them.

We ask that You strengthen our will, so that when we say “never again,” we will dedicate ourselves to this principle, to the idea that justice does not allow persecution, that genocide shall not be repeated, and that vigilance is the responsibility of freedom, at all costs.

Above all, we pray for shalom—Oseh shalom bimromav. Hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu—they who make peace in high places, may they bring peace upon us in our midst, now and forever.—AMEN.

_{(“A Prayer for Yom HaShoah/Holocaust Remembrance Day”)}

In the 15^th century, the Venerable Sor Juana de la Cruz said, “I don’t study to know more, but to ignore less.”

Gracious and merciful God, today we thank You that today’s Latino Spirit Awardees have not ignored the needs of Your people, but have used their education and knowledge to build up their communities and contribute to bringing justice and peace to our world.

May they continue to discover creative and daring ways to encourage thriving communities.

May they continue to witness to the values of generosity and collaboration for the benefit of all.

May their struggles be occasions of growth and transformation offering hope to our suffering world.

Loving God, may all their efforts bring them peace and joy as they celebrate the wonder and mystery of our common humanity. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

God of all peoples and nations, today we remember that Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican victory over superior French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, and we honor the hope and determination of the Mexican people, then and now.

As we celebrate Cinco de Mayo today, while we enjoy the music and food, may we appreciate the contributions of Mexican culture in the areas of business, politics, science, technology, religion, art, and much more. 

We pray that in all our current challenges we will not give up when failure appears imminent. May we count on our internal strength and in the power of Your presence. 

May we all work together to build a society of equity and justice as we strive to defend those who need Your protection, strength, and encouragement.

We invite Your healing presence in the face of all earthly troubles, past, present, and to come.—AMEN.

God of all people and nations, as we celebrate May as Asian American and Pacific Islander or AAPI Heritage Month, we pray in gratitude for the rich historical and cultural contributions of individuals and groups of Asian and Pacific Islander descent to the United States and to California in particular.

We pray for those who persevered to achieve formal recognition for their historical contributions in building infrastructure throughout the United States.

We pray for those who persevered through generations of xenophobia, racism, bias, and violence to contribute their skills and talents in the areas of science and medicine, literature and art, government and law.

We pray for those who continue today to enrich the diversity of this land, so that together we can celebrate and learn from each other in a spirit of partnership and collaboration for the common good. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Let us pray:

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 into the places

of devastation beyond belief

and despair beyond our imagining.

And there let us listen

for the Spirit that brooded

over the formless [abyss].

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 making again

and to the endless beginning

of creation.—AMEN.

_{(In the Sanctuary of Women by Jan L. Richardson)}

Gracious and loving Creator, as we recoil from the many acts of violence perpetrated each day, give us renewed hope in our ability to mend the brokenness of our world, because in the words of Denise Levertov’s poem, “Beginners”:

…we have only begun to love the Earth.

We have only begun to imagine the fullness of life.

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

How can desire fail?—we have only begun to imagine justice and mercy,

only begun to envision how it might be to live as siblings with [each other], not as oppressors...

There is too much broken that must be mended,

too much hurt we have done to each other that cannot yet be forgiven.

We have only begun to know the power that is in us

if we would join our solitudes in the communion of struggle.

So much is unfolding that must complete its gesture,

so much is in bud.—AMEN.

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

Creator God, we ask You to accompany us this day as we strive to make the best possible decisions for the good of Your people. Be with us in our times of physical need to dislocation and spiritual trial when we are tempted to fear and doubt. In our quest for a more just social order when we are tempted to discouragement. Be with us in our encounters with the poor and needy of our time when we are tempted to grow weary, in our debates with persons who disagree with us when we are tempted to misunderstanding. Be with us in our successes as a governance body when we may be tempted to self-satisfaction.

Gracious and Merciful God, strengthen us on the journey of leadership that we may witness to the value of humble service for all those who put their trust in our work. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

We begin our prayer with a quote from Harvey Milk:

“You have to give the people hope.

Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow…

Hope that all will be alright...

And you and you and you—you have to give people hope.”

Loving God, You created us in Your image:

Grant us grace to follow the example of Harvey Milk, that we may fearlessly contend with injustice and make no peace with oppression; that we may employ our privilege and our freedom in the maintenance of justice in our communities and among the nations. Ground us in Your love and in Your compassion to be agents of change and proclaimers of the hope that will never be silent. All this we ask in the name of the One who created us in love and called us to walk together in peace.—AMEN.

Let us pray:

Come, O life-giving Spirit, transform us:

Give all nations Your Spirit of Peace: may they be open to reconciling differences and building bridges of understanding.

Send into our towns and cities Your Spirit of Hope: may all of us work to dismantle unjust systems that result in people fearing and distrusting each other.

Enkindle in us Your Spirit of Atonement and Forgiveness: may we commit to the difficult work of restoring right relationships through restorative justice and reconciliation.

We trust in the power of Your transforming love.—AMEN.

Let us pray:

Come, O life-giving Spirit, transform us.

Stir up in us the flame of Love which is Your gift.

Give us wisdom to see as You see.

Give us understanding to hear as You hear.

Give us courage and strength to walk the way of justice and integrity.

Kindle in us wonder and awe that we may have grateful spirits.

You who dwell within us, fill us with love and devotion.

Guide us in our daily decisions.

Holy Wisdom, give us discerning hearts that we may choose what is necessary to the common good and for the benefit of future generations.—AMEN.

Loving God, in these days of sometimes overwhelming work to meet the needs of our world, we recall the message in Mary Oliver’s poem called “Messenger”:

My work is loving the world…

Am I no longer young, and still not half-perfect?

Let me keep my mind on what matters—my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished…

which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart and these body-clothes,

a mouth with which to give shouts of joy to the moth and the wren…

telling them all, over and over,

how it is that we live forever.  

Gracious and loving God, help us to live with patience, persistence, gratitude, and joy.—AMEN.

_{(Thirst by Mary Oliver)}

On this Memorial Day Weekend, we pray:

In memory of all the dead

who gave their lives in any war—

and of the survivors still broken

in body or spirit.

In memory of the veterans, activists, and original thinkers

persecuted, imprisoned, punished, and killed

for defending others’ rights to freedom.

In memory of teachers in every land

who proclaim every day

in a hundred ways:

Be that which you want to see in the world.

In memory of each of us, waking up slowly

to the miracle of our lives, opening our eyes

[again, and again and again] to the sacredness of the other.

Gracious God, we ask You to bless not only the great sacrifices of our brothers and sisters in uniform but every little step we take for the sake of mending our world.—AMEN.

Loving and merciful God, today we pray for that stillness that Pablo Neruda suggests in his poem, “Keeping Quiet”:

Now we will count to twelve

and we will all keep still.

For once on the face of the Earth,

let’s not speak in any language;

let’s stop for one second,

and not move our arms so much.

It would be an exotic moment

without rush, without engines;

we would all be together

in a sudden strangeness…

Those who prepare green wars,

wars with gas, wars with fire,

victories with no survivors,

would put on clean clothes

and walk about with their [siblings]

in the shade, doing nothing…

If we…for once could do nothing,

perhaps a huge silence

might interrupt this sadness

of never understanding ourselves

and of threatening ourselves with death.

Perhaps the Earth can teach us—

as when everything seems dead

and later proves to be alive.

Gracious and merciful God, teach us how to be still.—AMEN.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin spent his life being misunderstood by both his church and the scientific community. The following is a piece of advice by him:

Above all, trust in the slow work of God.

We are quite naturally impatient for everything

to reach the end without delay.

We would like to skip the intermediate stages…

And yet it is the law of all progress

that it is made by passing through

some stages of instability—

and that it may take a very long time.

And so, I think it is with you;

your ideas mature gradually…

let them shape themselves, without undue haste.

Don’t try to force them on,

as you could be today what…

grace and circumstances…

will make of you tomorrow.

Only God can say what this new spirit…will be.

Let [God’s] hand lead you,

and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself

in suspense and incomplete.

_{(Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ)}

Gracious God, help us to discern where we need to wait with patience and where we have waited long enough.—AMEN.

On the 49th anniversary of World Environment Day, we pray:

Eternal God, whose Spirit moved over the face of the deep bringing forth light and life; by that same Spirit, renew Your creation, and restore Your image in Your people.

Turn us from careless tenants to faithful stewards, that Your threefold blessings of clean air, pure water, and rich Earth may be the inheritance of everything that has the breath of life, and one generation may proclaim to another the wonder of Your works.

We ask this in Your name in whom the fullness of Your glory is revealed.—AMEN.

_{(Rt. Rev. Libby Lane)}

Loving God, calm our inner chaos.

Bring peace to our minds.

Allow us to be living vessels of Your life-giving waters

To slake the thirst of those who long for You.

Help us to be merciful to our neighbors,

And to love You above all things.—AMEN.

Spirit, giver of Life, as You care for all of creation, give us Your peace.

May our security come not from weapons, but from respect.

May our strength come not from violence, but from love.

May our own wealth come not from money, but from sharing.

May our path be not one of ambition, but of justice.

May our victory be one of forgiveness, so that unarmed and confident, we will be moved and committed to defend the dignity of all peoples.

On behalf of all creation, may we share today and always the bread of solidarity and peace.—AMEN.

Creator God, we acknowledge the 400 years of slavery endured by the people of African descent. We acknowledge the sin of racism that continues to stir up denial and violence in our midst. Hear our prayers for healing.

Creator God, we celebrate the strength of communities of color—who keep the faith, who keep the hope alive that healing is always possible, with respect for all, where every person can live securely in dignity and in peace. Hear our prayers for continued hope.

Creator God, we give thanks for the end of the enslavement of Your beloved people. Hear our prayers for the end of racism—prayers that move us to prophetic action, so that the promises of freedom will fully be realized for all.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(Jane Deren, Ph.D.)}   

Referring to her experience in the LGBTQIA community, Andrea Jenkins of the Minneapolis City Council says:

“It’s a journey and we all have a role to play.”

God of vast and diverse creation, today we pray that we may all consider our role in helping smooth the journey for LGBTQIA people.

May we continue to become better educated and participate in engaged dialogue on issues of gender identity and sexual orientation.

May we trust in the power of our positive attitudes to remove barriers and bring healing and joy to those who have been unjustly deprived of love and dignity.

May we live in greater allyship with one another, without privilege, hierarchy, or judgment—bringing closer to the reality of the oneness that we all desire.

May our deepest desires be for the building up of our diverse communities in cooperation and collaboration and with the integrity of a word and deed.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

Today we pray a psalm from the Chinook Psalter:

The garden is rich with diversity,

With plants of a hundred families

In the space between the trees,

With all the colors and fragrances.

Basil, mint, and lavender—

Great Mystery keep my remembrance pure.

Raspberry, apple, rose—

Great Mystery fill my heart with love.

Dill, anise, tansy—

Holy winds blow in me.

Rhododendron, zinnia—

May my prayer be beautiful.

May my remembrance, O Great Mystery,

Be as incense to thee,

In the sacred grove of eternity,

As I smell and remember

The ancient forests of Earth.—AMEN.

_{(Chinook Psalter)}

Merciful God, in Your wisdom, enlighten us.

Open our eyes to the needs of Your suffering people.

When we are frozen into inaction, give us a spirit of courage.

When we try our best but are misunderstood, give us a spirit of humility.

When the chaos of our lives subsides, give us a spirit of solidarity with those who are marginalized and seeking justice.

God of hope, in Your kindness, heal us.

Creator of all people, in Your generosity, guide us.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

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

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

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

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

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

Loving and merciful God, the Gospel according to Matthew tells us that the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds, but when it 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 these days of devastating crises

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)}

Gracious and loving Creator, we ask your blessing on all those who continue to labor for the common good of our state and country this session- all those within and far beyond the confines of this State Capitol.  We pray for continued hope in our ability to mend the brokenness of our world. The poet, Denise Levertov reminds us:

…We have only begun to love the earth.

We have only begun to imagine the fullness of life.

How could we tire of hope?

So much is in bud.

How can desire fail?

We have only begun to imagine justice and mercy,

Only begun to envision how it might be to live as siblings with beast and flower, not as oppressors…

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

So much is unfolding that must complete its gesture,

So much is in bud.—AMEN.

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

Let us pray in the words of the Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore:

This is my prayer to You, my God— Strike, strike at the root of penury in my heart.

Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.

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

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

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

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

_{(A Collection of Indian Songs, Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore)}

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

Loving God, may we realize how blessed we are as we reflect on this modern-day version of the Beatitudes:

Blessed are you who are convinced of your basic dependency on The Creator; your lives are emptied of all that doesn’t matter.

Blessed are you who know that all you are is gift; you are at home on this earth.

Blessed are you who wear compassion as a garment; you shall receive comfort in your time of greatest need.

Blessed are you who are hungry for goodness; you are open to God’s mercy.

Blessed are you whose hearts are free and simple; your ego is small and your love is great.

Blessed are you who work for peace; you build roads to unite rather than walls that divide.

And blessed are you who dedicate your life to others no matter the cost; you are already within the reign of God.—AMEN.

Merciful God of Creation, help us remember that You uphold and sustain us in the mystery of Your presence.  We wish to be like the swimmer or the hawk in Denise Levertov’s poem, “The Avowal,” effortlessly floating, upheld by the gift of Your grace:

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.—AMEN.

_{(“The Avowal” in Selected Poems, by Denise Levertov)}

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

Praise to the One whose love stirs the ancient embers,

And sparks the breath to prayer.

Praise to the One whose love entices the wandering,

Beckons the confused.

Praise to the One whose love grows wings on the weary,

Dreams hope in the discouraged.

Praise to the One whose love dips deeply into diversity,

Pours forth boundless beauty.

Praise to the One whose love threads the energy of friendship,

Stitches the strength of fidelity.

All praise to this Gracious One.

All gratitude to this Beloved.

All devotion to this Shaper of Hearts.—AMEN.

_{(Out of the Ordinary- Prayers, Poems, and Reflections for Every Season, by Joyce Rupp)}

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

Let us pray today in the words of Hildegard of Bingen:

Holy Spirit,

Giving life to all life,

moving all creatures;

root of all things,

washing them clean;

wiping out our mistakes,

healing our wounds:

You are our true life,

Luminous and wonderful,

Awakening our heart

From its ancient sleep.—AMEN.

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

Let us pray in the words of Howard Thurman:

Our little lives, our big problems—these we place upon Thy altar!

…War and the threat of war has covered us with heavy shadows,

Making the days big with forebodings—

…We do not know how to do what we know to do.

We do not know how to be what we know to be.

Our little lives, our big problems—these we place upon Thy altar!

Brood over our spirits, Our Father,

Blow upon whatever dream Thou hast for us

That there may glow once again upon our hearths

The light from Thy altar.

Pour out upon us whatever our spirits need of shock, of lift, of release

That we may find strength for these days—

Courage and hope for tomorrow.

In confidence we rest in Thy sustaining grace

Which makes possible triumph in defeat, gain in loss, and love in hate.

We rejoice this day to say:

Our little lives, our big problems—these we place upon Thy alter!—AMEN.

_{(“Our Little Lives”- in Mediations of the Heart by Thurman Howard)}

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

God of mercy and compassion,

Open our ears that we may hear the calls for love and justice.

Let us see beyond superficial differences and recognize one another as sisters and brothers. Free our hearts from the weeds of bitterness and anger.

Help us recognize the dignity of those who are marginalized as we work from the benefit of all. We ask this in your name.—AMEN.

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

Merciful and loving God,

As we gather today, only You truly know what we will accomplish this week. We have ideas, visions, and institutions.  We have talents, abilities, and the means to work and accomplish our plans. However, we cannot see the end of every beginning or how our plans will be transformed as they interact with the communities that are intended to serve. So, loving God, we ask You to inspire us with integrity, courage, and prosperity to our state.  And may our mistakes (if any) lead us to greater creativity and deeper understanding of the complexities of our challenges.  We trust that You are holding the interconnected unity of all our actions in the arms of Your mercy.—AMEN.

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

Holy Fire at the heart of reality,

Warm our human hearts with the energies of passion and compassion.

Illuminate our minds with the truth of our temporary and mortal state.

And give us a hint of enlightenment about the purpose of our existence.

Illuminate for us the world with all its awesome wonders,

So that we may go about our life wisely and creatively,

Ready to reject illusions,

Ready to accept facts, however harsh,

Grateful for the honor of being present to it all.

Give us enough human wisdom to cope with the gift of this astonishing life itself.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(“We Side with the Morning” in Sorin Books by William Cleary)}

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

Spirit of God, who breathes in us, the poet Danna Faulds reminds us that

It only takes a reminder to breathe, a moment to be still,

And just like that, something in us settles, softens, makes space for imperfection.

The harsh voice of judgement drops to a whisper

And we remember again that life is not a relay race;

That we will all cross the finish line;

That waking up to life is what we were born for.

As many times as we forget,

As many times as we catch ourselves charging forward

Without even knowing where we’re going,

That many times we can make the choice to stop, to breathe, and be,

And walk slowly into the mystery.—AMEN.

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

St. Paul’s letter to the Romans reminds us that we are all one body, and as such, we belong to each other.

Gracious and ever-present God, we thank You for the variety of gifts You have bestowed on this Senate body.

May we use our gift of prophecy with faith in our ability to improve the world.

May we use our gift of ministry to serve the needs of all.

May we use our teaching ability to inspire hope in our constituents.

May we use our gift of preaching to encourage active engagement of our people.

May we respond quickly and generously to give aid to those in distress.

May we exercise our leadership and authority diligently and with utmost care for those lives entrusted to us.

And may we do all we do cheerfully.

We ask this in Your Name.—AMEN.

_{(Based on Romans 12: 4-8)}

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

God of unity and wholeness,

In this moment, draw us to Yourself, and make us aware,

Not so much of what we’ve given as of all that we have received

And so, have yet to share.

In these final days of our session, send us forward

In power and gladness, and with great courage

To live out in the world, live out in what we pray and profess,

That, in sharing, we may

Do justice,

Make peace,

Grow in love,

Enjoy our life, other people,

And Your world, now.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

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

God of mystery and paradox, by Your grace and empowerment, set us free to become

Expanders of life,

Scatterers of laughter,

Singers of songs,

Makers of peace,

Spreaders of good news,

Healers of wounds,

Tellers of truth,

Practitioners of mercy,

Sharers of joy,

Weavers of community,

Walkers in humility,

Fulfillers of your dreams for us,

Spun in the complexities of our daily lives.

We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

_{(“My Heart in My Mouth” in Wipf and Stock by Ted Loder)}

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

Creator of all that is:

From the words of poet John O’Donohue, we reflect on the blessings of this past session:

This is where our life has arrived

After all the months of effort and toil:

We look back with graciousness and thanks

On all our great and quite achievements.

We stand on the shore of a new invitation

To open our lives to what is left undone.

May our hearts enjoy a different rhythm

When drawn to the wonder of other horizons.

May we have the courage of a new approach to time

May we allow it to slow until we find freedom

To draw alongside the mystery we hold,

And befriend the beauty of our own Soul.

Now is the time to enjoy our hearts’ desires;

To live the dreams we’ve waited for,

To awaken the depths beyond our work,

And enter into our Infinite Source.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from John O’Donohue, quoted by Wendy Haynes)}

Our thoughts turn to members of the Senate family who passed away this year/session.

They were persons who poured their passion and love for California into their work here in the Capitol.

They were our friends and co-workers; state leaders of enormous reputation and accomplishment; staff and committee consultants who guided us with wisdom and perspective; family members whose love is simply irreplaceable.  We remember them today and always.

In the Jewish tradition, I will offer the Mourner’s Kiddish.

But first we remember: Gabe Caswell, Matt Graver, Marc Hanson, Richard Paul,

Tyler Wilcox, Larry Luna, Nouchia Moua, Senator Tom Berryhill, Senator John Dunlap,

Senator Bob Dutton, Senator Gary Hart, Senator Betty Karnette, Senator Robert Lagomarsino,

Senator James Mills, Senator Joe Montoya, and Senator Richard Rainey.

            Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba b’alma di-v’ra

chirutei, v’yamlich malchutei b’chayeichon

uvyomeichon uvchayei d’chol beit yisrael, ba’agala

uvizman kariv, v’im’ru: “amen.”

Y’hei sh’mei raba m’varach l’alam ul’almei almaya.

Yitbarach v’yishtabach, v’yitpa’ar v’yitromam

v’yitnaseh, v’yithadar v’yit’aleh v’yit’halal sh’mei

d’kud’sha, b’rich hu, l’eila min-kol-birchata v’shirata, tushb’chata

v’nechemata da’amiran b’alma, v’im’ru: “amen.”

Y’hei shlama raba min-sh’maya v’chayim aleinu

v’al-kol-yisrael, v’im’ru: “amen.”

Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu

v’al kol-yisrael, v’imru: “amen.”

Zichronan liv’rachah. May their memories be a blessing.

In 1954, Lillian Smith posed the following questions in her book, The Journey:

A century from now

What shall be said of our journey in these times?

And who shall the shapers have been?

[Shall they have been]

The hopeful dreamers

Who were strong enough to suffer for the dream,

Or the fearful pessimists

Who were convinced that dreaming and hope

Are for sleepers only,

Not for those awake to the age?

A century from now

Shall hope have been strong enough

To enable living with unanswerable questions?

Or shall the pain

That a transitional age necessarily brings

Have caused a retreat to old answers

That no longer acknowledge new questions?

Gracious God of creativity and newness, as we begin this session, open our eyes to the immensity of our call to be shapers of our future. Let us be hopeful dreamers dedicating our strength to making the dreams of our people a reality. Help us to live into the unanswerable questions with courage and trust, acknowledging new questions as potential for the discovery of greater truth and freedom. May we listen attentively and respond generously to the needs of all our people so that a century from now all will know that our journey was not in vain. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

As we begin this New Year 2023, we ponder the words of Howard Thurman:

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
Then the work of [this new year] begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nation, [and the State],
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.

_{(“The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations” by Howard Thurman)}

This is some of the work of this Senate; and so we pray:
May the Lord bless us and keep us.
May God’s face shine upon us, and be gracious to us.
May God look upon us kindly and give us peace.—AMEN.

_{(Numbers 6:24–26)}

Loving God of Mystery, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said we are all called to be pioneers—

Pioneers who stand on the edge of great beginnings, of unseen futures—

Pioneers filled with the unwarranted confidence that visions give—

Pioneers whose eyes and ears are elsewhere, who hear an echo of possibilities as music poised to enter the universe.

The movement forward, he says, will not happen by itself.

The steps that must be taken can be summarized in five words: A great hope in common.

The future is in our hands.

So Loving God, Holy Mystery, we thank You for the energy within us that drives us toward creativity and wholeness. May our hearts be ever more hopeful as we work to create that beloved community where all can enjoy the thrill of forging life and love on our precious Earth.

And Gracious God, we also beg Your blessing on all those affected by the storms and recent earthquakes.

And all this we ask in Your name.—AMEN.

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

God of the small, the subtle, the unimportant,

God of the vague, the cloudy, the ambiguous,

open our hearts to Your presence.

Open our eyes to the little signs,

our ears to the soft murmurs.

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

Awaken us to the losses that are blessings,

awaken us to the wounds that are openings,

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

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

to witness Your drawing near, to behold Your presence,

even in these ordinary moments,

these feeble prayers,

these beating hearts.—AMEN.

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

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.

_{(“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)}

Merciful and compassionate God, these words of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. resonate with us as we remember and celebrate his life and legacy.

Be with us this year as we work in solidarity with each other, adding our voices to the voices of those who struggle daily for justice and equity.

We must recognize and respond to “the fierce urgency of now” and contest the resistance to our collective work of anti-racism and nonviolence.

Help us understand that in this time, we in this chamber are integral to the birthing of the future from the crucible of the present and the mistakes of the past.

Gracious God, as we intensify our desire to live with integrity of word and deed, help us continue to grow into the network of mutuality that forges our unity and brings honor to the life of our beloved Dr. King.—AMEN.

Gracious and merciful God, we pray this day that You will reveal Your presence through our lives.

In our efforts to be good stewards of our Earth, reveal Your creative energy in us.

As we commit ourselves to understanding the needs of our communities, reveal Your fidelity in us.

As we respond to those who suffer from the effects of poverty, illness, and lack of education, reveal Your mercy in us.

When we welcome strangers and those displaced by wars, famines, and floods, reveal Your hospitality in us.

Gracious God, may we discover Your face in all those we encounter today and may Your love be expressed through our work. We ask this in Your name.—AMEN.

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

Today, let us pray a modern day prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of Your justice.

Where there is discrimination, let me effect equity.

Where there is exploitation, let me show respect.

Where there is prejudice, let me bring awareness.

Where there is abuse, let me assist with healing.

Where there is manipulation, let me reveal truth.

Where there is violence, let me model peace.

And where there is oppression, let me share freedom.

Gracious God, grant that in all situations, with all people, I may be an instrument of Your justice, enfolding all of creation in Your love.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from Call to Action)}

Gracious and loving God, we know that we may speak plainly to You because of Your intimacy with our every thought. You are completely familiar with our life: our successes, our failures, and our frailty. None of us is made of stone or steel, of alabaster or ivory. We are people of flesh and blood, flesh that carries scars, and blood that pulses with passion to bring truth, justice, and prosperity to the people we serve. You know us well. So, in Your presence we need not be formal. Beloved Mystery, then, be near. Without our faith in Your caring, we would lack the hope that helps us continue, day in and day out, building on the successes, and failures too, of those who have preceded us. We continue to trust in You.—AMEN.

_{(Adapted from We Side with the Morning: Daily Prayers to the God of Hope by William Cleary)}