I know this about myself, O Lord:
You have created me
as one who best flourishes
with daily rhythms of solace
and long moments for quiet reflection.
When I find myself instead
in noisy, crowded spaces
amidst constant social interactions,
my energies are soon depleted,
and I am left feeling inadequate,
awkward, uncomfortable.

I know this about myself, O Lord:
In a room full of people,
I would rather retreat into a quiet corner
and flip through the pages of a book
than step beyond the walls of my self
to engage another person in conversation.

And this desire, in and of itself,
is neither a sin nor a virtue, but simply
a description of my feelings—and yet
it presents me with a choice.

For you have not called me
to insulate my heart from others,
or from the discomfort
I might feel in the presence
of acquaintances and strangers.

You have called me instead
to learn to love
by small actions and choices,
those whose paths I cross,
moment to moment,
in all settings.

And so, despite my shyness,
I would rather learn to emulate your mercies
by entering the lives of others,
affirming their dignity and worth simply
by showing interest in the details of their lives,
however awkward I might feel in the process.

Give me grace therefore, O God,
to love others, to move toward them
when my instinct is to run.

Here is my social clumsiness, my insecurity,
my weariness, my fear of rejection.
And here also is my desire to be your emissary and your child.
Use them as you will.

You do not call me to be cool,
to be sophisticated,
to be charming, to be the life of the party.
You do not call me to be a social butterfly
or to work the room.
You call me simply to love,
even in my own bumbling way.

Somehow use my very weakness, O God,
in the service of your kingdom.

When next I find myself in a room filled
with people, where the din of conversation
is disorienting, do what I cannot:

Quell my discomfort
enough that I might consider
with true compassion
the needs of another human being.

Then let me consciously,
and as an act of love and choosing to love,
move toward that person.
Let your grace compel my movements.

In such moments, let me think less of myself
and my own awkwardness.
Let me think more of others.

In all moments, let me think less of myself
and my own awkwardness, O Lord,

and let me think more of you.

Oh God beyond time, beyond the number line, the hourglass. Beyond moons that wax and wane and waves that push and pull along our fragile ground. Oh God beyond days and weeks and months, God uncontained by our twenty-four hours, free of our boarders and yet still within them.

God who is here. God of the meetings, the emails, the PTA, the neck ache, the child crying over homework, the car leaking oil, the head lice, and the sheets to wash. Oh God of the groceries and the knife against the butcher block moving slow across the cucumber. God of the sun’s path across a sky we cannot reach. God of midday, God of afternoons and the laughter of children, the clap of a ball on concrete. God of evening colour and the muted spread of light in the clouds as the night leaks in. God in the hand I hold, God of the one I love.

God beyond time, we come to you pulled by the bullet points in our calendars, by the titles we keep beside our names, by the goals we’ve charted and the accomplishments we list to define our value. You see each image we upload to our pocket screens; altered, filtered, and pinned to virtual walls. You, God, touch our distortions and soothe the edges of our efficiency, and only you can make us real.

God beyond the boxes we build to contain our lives, the hours we track and tally. God outside of time, yet here: Come to us, relieve our ragged breaths, slow our steps, relax the red lines that spike in our brains. Tell us what is true. Show us how time rolls like calm water, let us cup it quiet in our hands.

God, teach us to pause in this moment, to tuck ourselves into the curve of your slow arm, that we may know the miracle of now, the gift of this moment: you beside and beyond us, welcoming us outside of all we measure, and standing with us in it. May we see the goodness of our still hours and days, sunrises, sunsets, and the darkness where our rest is found.

Order us, that we may stand within time holding your hand. That we may know we are enough, not because of what we make of these hours, but because within these hours – with you – we are being made.

Spirit of Jesus —
Come with fire that refines,
Water that refreshes,
Wind that topples,
Breath that fills.

Kindle a global revival of empathy, justice, and active peacemaking.
Birth a witness of Love that is bigger and better than we inherited.
Liberate us from privilege and oppression.
Unshackle the gospel from nationalism, colonialism, white supremacy, and every other lens that shrouds the Good News.
Give us an abundance of grace for others and ourselves.
Grant us compassion for those who suffer.
Free us from the influence of money, power, and acclaim.
Restore our reputation for caring for the poor, loving our neighbors, being ambassadors of peace and stewards of the earth.
Unlock the immense resources hoarded in the Western Church and release them for your name’s sake.
Encourage us, so we do not grow cynical, isolated, and burnt-out.
Fan our hopes, our joys, and our connections.
Allow us to rest when we need rest.
Enable us to see you in each person we encounter.
Show us mercy, in our humanity.

Let us love more fully than we thought possible.
Let us not be quick on the draw, ready to retaliate, escalate, assassinate.
Let our collective fervor for justice eclipse institutional concerns.
Let us trust and follow the wisdom of those who have been marginalized.
Let us persevere in creating safe places of worship to eat bread and drink wine together.
Let us stand for Love and with Love, following the way of your Son as best we're able.
Let us not fear an experiential spirituality.
Let us listen to the wondrous bodies you gave us.
Let us hear your voice and tangibly feel you with us.
Let us discern your guidance.
Let us abide in and with you.

Show us what you’re doing, so we can work together.
Move where you will, when you will, in whatever way you will.
Come, Holy Spirit and restore your Church.
Amen.

O Vahiguru (Divine), please help us
remember our origin, that we come from you, that you are the original source of us all. In remembering this,
we are reminded that we are all
interconnected, and that each of us
is divine. That to care for one another
is your worship, that to serve one another is prayer. Let us remember that you are in each and every one of us, that you reside in our hearts, and that when we can recognize this, we can live in such a way that promotes liberty and justice for all.

You [Teresa] lived that beautiful balance
Between active service
And quiet contemplation.
Teach us to be of use in this troubled world
At the same time that we cultivate
Joyous intimacy
With the Beloved who lives inside us.

Our Holy Mother,
in your glory, we rise to courage.
Your gentle power uplifts.
Your ferocious care protects.
As empires rise and fall,
your brave love sustains
all the earth, era after era.
Provide for us and all –
let every basic need be met
and all excess be redistributed.
May your graciousness move us
to be gracious with others
in accountability and repair.
We strive to live in alignment
with ourselves, each other, and the land.
Keep us from all that deceives and destroys.
On your paths, we find life abundant.
In your company, we return to ourselves.
Under your wings, we shelter each other.

Weaver of Life, Ancient and Unfolding,
How sacred is your Presence!
We lean on your guidance.
We seek your love.
We open to your transformation.
Provide us bread in body and spirit
to sustain us in faith and solidarity.
Companion us with grace
as we seek to live lives of forgiveness and compassion,
repair and accountability.
We remember those who have supported us
as we seek to support others
in all the mess and glory of this human journey.
Guard our minds and hearts from the temptations of domination
and turn our loyalty away from all systems of evil.
For the whole cosmos hums with your wisdom.
Everything that lives, returns to your care.
Our thanks and honor to you,
Gracious Web of Existence,
Our Source and our Home.

Mother of us all,
who dwells within and beyond,
Sacred is your name.
May your holy vision for collective flourishing
come to fruition among us.
May your dreams of justice, love, compassion, and connection be enfleshed on earth.
Provide us today with what we need to be nourished in body, soul, and heart.
Forgive us for the harm we cause as we seek to forgive those who have harmed us.
Lead us away from everything that destroys and liberate us from the hands of evil.
For you are the ultimate source of hope.
Your power-with exceeds all power-over.
Your presence incites eternal wonder.
All praise to you, our comfort and strength.
Amen.

I pray in order to be in touch with
the parts of myself buried under the pace of things,
the mystery that spills over rigid rationalities,
the lives of people and creatures I cherish,
the values that ground me,
the aches and joys of our world,
the wisdoms whispering from past & future,
the story that is larger than my own,
the embrace of a cosmic love that holds me.
A small practice of resistance against
all that dampens and disconnects, deadens and distracts.
I am present, I am honest, I am held, I am a part of
– and I find that I still believe in us

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, 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.

Nada te turbe,
nada te espante,
todo se pasa,
Dios no se muda,
la paciencia
todo lo alcanza.
Quien a Dios tiene
nada le falta.
Sólo Dios basta.

/

Let nothing disturb you.
Let nothing upset you.
Everything changes.
God alone is unchanging.
With patience all things are possible.
Whoever has God lacks nothing.
God alone is enough.

May today offer you what your spirit needs
to evolve, to expand, to unfold.
May it stretch you, but just enough.
Not by force nor demand,
but like an invitation that opens slowly,
too careful to be rushed.
May you be brave enough to loosen your grip
on what you know and perceive –
on what you have learned from fear
or inherited from lineages of cruelty.
May you give thanks for all the sources that gifted you
with survival and wisdom, perspective and protection –
but not let your gratitude unnecessarily wed you to them forever.
Everything has a season, a context, a place and a time – even truths that have freed you.
Maybe there are some things that served you well for an era,
but not any longer.
Maybe it’s time to rethink, reshape, review.
Maybe you’re ready to release another untruth
handed to you early on,
meant to keep you in line, in order, in compliance.
What might be replaced with acceptance
of your power and potential?
For the sake of your own becoming,
and also, us all.
Your soul-work is essential to the labors of love –
collective and eternal.
Material, relational, and communal repair are all forms of healing
made possible by souls entangled
in shared longings and commitments.
So may this day feed you and challenge you,
surprise and comfort you,
that you might have what you need
to be courageous, to be humble,
and to let your soul grow.

Blessed are we who see the impossibility
of solving today.
I can’t be done.

God, there are lists on lists
and errands on errands
and a taste, like tin in my mouth,
of the unfinishedness of my life.

Am I counting items
instead of knowing what counts?

God, help me live here,
seeing the whole truth of what is.

Blessed are we who walk toward the discomfort,
bringing what gifts we have,
and our sufferings too,
whether of illness or loss,
grief or betrayal,
confusion or powerlessness.

Blessed are we who scoot up close
so we can whisper our loves, our fears,
all that feels to heavy to carry alone,
and all that we wish we could hold onto for longer.

Show me what I love.
Show me what I never want to lose.
Show me what I no longer need
here in this beautiful, limited day.

An intro by Sarah Bessey:

“Breath Prayer is an ancient form of prayer, passed down through the Church in many streams and still widely practiced today. It is easily adaptable.

Simply choose one or two lines to meditate on and inhale and then exhale through them in a way that feels steady to you. It really is that simple.

• You can pray a breath prayer literally anywhere without any special rituals or whatever but I’ve found that I like to find a quiet corner for a few minutes and I usually start by lighting a candle. But these days? Pray them in the street, in your minivan, on the train, at the courthouse, wherever.

• Then just quietly become aware of your body. Sit in a way that is comfortable for you, a position that will allow you to take a deep breath in and out. Close your eyes.

• Breathe slowly and deeply for a moment to slow your racing thoughts.

As an example, one historic form of breath prayer is known as The Jesus Prayer. So, with that as our basis, here’s how it works:

Inhale. Fill your whole self with breath. Feel the air in your lungs. And then pray aloud or to yourself:

‘Jesus Christ, son of God,’

Exhale slowly and fully.

‘Have mercy on me.’

And then simply repeat this practice. Start with ten good breaths in and out, with the words being spoken aloud or quietly held in your mind, it’s up to you.”

Each couplet of inhale/exhale stands is its own stand-alone prayer. Don’t see this as a litany of words to just gallop through as a huge recitation, but simply pick one or two that speak to you and adapt it you like for your own prayer practice.

Inhale: Braid our righteous anger together,
Exhale: with steady love and defiant hope.

Inhale: Equip us for what lies ahead,
Exhale: prepare our hearts for peace making.

Inhale: I embrace what is true,
Exhale: I resist what is false.

Inhale: Heal what is broken
Exhale: around us and in us.

Inhale: Your peace is disruptive,
Exhale: Jesus, disrupt us.

(inspired by MN pastor and chaplain Matt Moberg's sermon)
Inhale: Sometimes the most faithful thing I can do
Exhale: is to stop praying around the pain and start standing inside it.

Inhale: May we be peace makers,
Exhale: never just peace keepers.

Inhale: Awaken love in us,
Exhale: Your love never fails.

Inhale: Remind us who we all are,
Exhale: beloved and free.

Inhale: Every empire falls,
Exhale: Jesus, You remain.

Inhale: May our voices rise,
Exhale: in a song of liberation.

Inhale: Bring us to wholeness, God,
Exhale: heal all that is broken.

Inhale: Bring justice to our streets,
Exhale: bring mercy to our hearts.

Inhale: May we be loving and generous,
Exhale: compassionate and courageous.

Inhale: My roots go down deep into your love,
Exhale: I will not be moved or shaken.

Inhale: I bear witness and serve joyfully,
Exhale: I will not turn away from those you love.

Inhale: May we never settle for silence or chaos,
Exhale: may our song of freedom rise over the noise.

(The following is excerpted from The Breastplate Hymn of St. Patrick:)
Inhale: Christ above us, Christ beneath us,
Exhale: Christ beside us, Christ within us.

Inhale: Awake, my soul,
Exhale: and know the sacredness of all.

Inhale: Make us your midwives,
Exhale: for the new world being born.

Inhale: We do not wait for permission,
Exhale: we will be faithful and courageous.

(inspired by Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1)
Inhale: He bring down rulers from their thrones
Exhale: and have lifted up the humble.
Inhale: You have filled the hungry with good things
Exhale: but have sent the rich away empty.

Inhale: May we love our enemies,
Exhale: I pray for those who persecute us.

Inhale: We will not deny what our soul knows,
Exhale: You have placed eternity and truth in our hearts.

Inhale: We practice rest as resistance,
Exhale: Joy is our birthright and our rhythm.

Inhale: May our lives cooperate
Exhale: with all the Spirit is doing here.

(inspired by Romans 12:9 MSG)
Inhale: I will love from the centre of who I am;
Exhale: I run from evil and hold onto good.

Inhale: This place is your cathedral,
Exhale: our worship is on the streets.

Inhale: We will tell the truth,
Exhale: Your truth will set us free.

(inspired by Psalm 3:3)
Inhale: You are a shield around me,
Exhale: You lift my head high.

Inhale: Peace in our hearts,
Exhale: True peace in our streets.

Inhale: Bless the peacemakers,
Exhale: Protect the peacemakers.

Inhale: I place my body in Your hands,
Exhale: I place my spirit at Your feet.

(inspired by Psalm 34:18)
Inhale: You are close to the brokenhearted
Exhale: You rescue all who are crushed in spirit.

Inhale: We believe, help our unbelief,
Exhale: May our prayers move mountains.

Inhale: Hope can see in the dark,
Exhale: Give us eyes to see what is good.

Inhale: You hear the cries of the helpless,
Exhale: You bring justice to them.

(inspired by Prime Minister Mark Carney's speech at Davos last week:)
Inhale: May we name reality,
Exhale: and act consistently.

Inhale: I will not surrender my hope,
Exhale: You are making all things new.

Inhale: We behold the image of God,
Exhale: in every person we encounter.

Inhale: May we be found faithful,
Exhale: joyful and courageous.

Inhale: Resolute and steady,
Exhale: I will love without surrender.

Inhale: Awake in us your sacred compassion,
Exhale: may we love others as You have loved us.

(inspired by Psalm 5:8)
Inhale: Tell me clearly what to do,
Exhale: and show me which way to turn.

Inhale: Keep our hearts steady,
Exhale: You are our refuge.

(inspired by Jesus' instructions in Matthew 10:16)
Inhale: May we be innocent as doves,
Exhale: and as wise as serpents.

Inhale: Nothing is impossible for you,
Exhale: bring the wicked to repentance.

Inhale: Make a pathway in this wilderness,
Exhale: create rivers in this desert.

Inhale: Melt the hardness of their hearts,
Exhale: as the spring melts the ice.

(inspired by Ephesians 5:16)
Inhale: I make the most of every opportunity
Exhale: for doing good in these evil days.

(inspired by civil rights activist Dorothy Height)
Inhale: I want to be remembered
Exhale: as someone who tried.

(inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:13)
Inhale: Faith, hope, and love,
Exhale: these will endure.

Inhale: Develop courage and resilience in us,
Exhale: that we may walk in love and bring forth justice.

Inhale: This is too much to hold.
Exhale: So we hold it together.

“It is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplation, that ‘luminous seeing’ where we experience God’s presence beyond words, thoughts, or emotions.”

Practice Guide

Hello, anger. Welcome, lump in my throat. Fear, we can be each other’s companions today.

“…by welcoming it instead, you create an atmosphere of inner hospitality. By embracing the thing you once defended yourself against or ran from, you are actually disarming it, removing its power to hurt you or chase you back into your smaller self.”

Practice Guide

Be still and know that I am God
Be still and know that I am
Be still and know
Be still
Be

Video Guide

Video Guide

Video Guide

Video Guide