Friday Prayer, October 28, 2016

orvieto-duomo-3
The Duomo in Orvieto, Italy where I lived and studied in 2005. Filled with saints….

 

In honor of All-Saints Day next week….

 

God of welcome and warmth,

We’re a bit melancholy – or maybe it’s pensive – in approaching this All Saints Day.

It’s a beautiful day – this time to remember and give thanks for the saints who have graced our lives. These angels – raw, real, and devoted in their humanity – that have encouraged us,

emboldened us,

taught us what we needed to know to survive…

We think of parents, grandparents, partners, wives, husbands, sisters, brothers, teachers, colleagues, friends – some of them did seem pretty unlikely characters to be your saints, but the more we live, the more we realize that’s pretty typical of you and your choosing.

We are grateful for these quirky, lovely individuals who have gone before us but whose light still shines, bringing warmth and illumination to our own paths. Their whispers of wisdom help us hunger for a deeper wholeness found in you. They tell us we can be saints too…

You have called us, like those before us, to do things with a great, tidal love, covering the ache of this world. So we answer this calling, God, with all that we are. We bring you ourselves and our prayers for all those on our hearts.

We thank you, God, for the saints of then and the saints of now…for the saint that you are kindling inside of us. May we remain grateful for their impact on our lives and hearts – the truth they spoke and lived, the faith they held and passed on, the love they modeled and shared.

In the name, and light, and love of Christ we pray, Amen.

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