Spirit of Life, Love that calls us to love, Care that calls us to care, Presence that calls us into presence:
We give thanks that we have been brought together in this beloved place, this holy sanctuary, this sacred harbor where we bring ourselves as we are, in times of sorrow, in times of joy, in times of confusion, in times of fear, in times of clarity, in times of quiet acceptance.
In our efforts to pay closer attention to our inner lives, to each other and the world around us, may we notice divine essence today, however this essence expresses itself.
May we cultivate presence and awe while we attune to murmurs and shimmers within us and around us, whether it be the spark of a new idea, a vulnerable share from someone we love, or unexpected warmth from someone we don't know.
May we continue to attune to what Reverend Howard Thurman called the ‘sound of the genuine’ within ourselves. May we become quiet enough and still enough to notice the call deep within us that lures us towards what matters most, this call that lures us towards freedom and purpose. We ask for guidance and space and time to do just that so we can lead the lives we feel most called to live.
Today we remember the people who have paid close attention to us in our lives. These people have loved us into being through the way they witnessed us. The way they attuned to us both strengthened us and transformed us.
There may be only one person we think of who has done this for us throughout our lives. We give thanks to them today.
We say “Thank you for witnessing me. Thank you for paying close attention to the stirrings in my heart.”
We also consider someone who may want to be witnessed by us. Perhaps this is someone we haven’t been able to make time for. Someone we love who dearly wants our attention.
May we find a way to say “I’m here with you. I’m paying close attention to the stirrings in your heart.”
May we continue to cultivate the practice of paying close attention so that more people feel lovingly held in our hurting world.
May we meet this moment and all the moments ahead with spaciousness and presence.
May we deeply and lovingly witness the person in front of us, beside us, and within us.
Amen.