Gracious, Holy one,
you invite us to the mountain top
and call us into the everyday.
Our lives move between being and becoming,
yearning to discover the depth of our being
and the totality of our potential yet to be.
We are grateful for your embracing spirit
as we explore and drink deeply
of the sweetness and bitterness of life.
We are thankful that
the being of Jesus revealed, touched and opened ways
to know the fullness and truth of your being.
He encouraged us to risk gladly,
to love wastefully,
to act compassionately.
We have learned that our lives can be rich
with hope and possibility
when we receive your spirit,
welcome your revelation.
Spirit of watchful care,
you have covenanted with us and with our ancestors before us
and promised your graced gifts.
We seek to act out of faith in your promise,
not to shrink back or withhold our prophetic word
offered as your good news,
not to resist the call to full humanity,
not to look for the security of the known
and so avoid the adventure
and challenge of the unknown,
but always to explore ways
we can more fully love you and others.
Source of great love and mercy,
nurture in us the vision of the poet,
the questions of the child,
the boldness of the prophet,
the courage of a disciple
that we may be faithful intercessors in our prayers
and in our lives.
February 14, 1999