Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Today's artwork is Celtic Cross, Book of Kells

This week's opening and closing prayers are from Sounds of the Eternal: A Celtic Psalter by J. Philip Newell


Opening Prayer
As the day's light breaks the darkness of the night, as the first movements of the morning pierce the night's stillness, so a new waking to life dawns within me, so a fresh beginning opens. In the early light of this day, in the first actions of the morning, let me be awake to life. In my soul and in my seeing let me be alive to the gift of this new day, let me be fully alive.


A Reading from 1 Peter 2:19-25
For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. 20If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.


Closing Prayer
The strength of the rising sun,
the strength of the swelling sea,
the strength of the high mountains,
the strength of the fertile plains,
the strength of the everlasting river
flowing in me and through me this day,
the strength of the river of God
flowing in me and through me this day.