National Day of Prayer

Prayer is always active in the deepest recesses of our souls.

The prayer is not always voiced or brought to conscious attention, but it is very real and always present. If we were to put the prayer of our hearts into words, it would take the form of one of several phrases, such as, “let there be peace on earth” or

“let my hope be renewed” or

“comfort and strengthen my loved one” or

“may justice prevail” or

“grant us wisdom” or

“may something good come from this situation.”

But whatever the words would be if we were to choose words, the real prayer is simply the wordless longing to know that we are held forever safe in the embrace of unconditional, everlasting, divine Love.

And so it is that on this National Day of Prayer we turn within to recognize the prayer of our hearts, the holy desire to know that ultimately all is well, the silent affirmation that we are forever part of the universal Life that is the source and substance of every life.

Ocean of wisdom,

Light of hope,

Warmth of holy Fire,

Love that will not let us go,

Breath of life,

Field of unlimited possibilities,

Today may we be aware of our unity with all beings, with all worlds, with the universe and all that is beyond.

Today, may our willingness to trust that we are one with All That Is give us courage, peace, gratitude and joy.

And today, as the Hindu and the Humanist, the  Mormon and the Muslim, the Jew and the Jain, the Protestant and the Pagan, the Catholic and the Christian Scientist, the Buddhist and the Baha’i express hope, awe, wonder, gratitude, and goodwill, as each prays in her own way, as each reveres That which he calls Sacred, may we know that not only are we one human family, but we are sharing the universal experience that we call prayer; and in this remembering, in this  sharing of the power of prayer, may we love more and may our love motivate us to live in ways that will bless the whole world.

Amen.