A few days from the Creation Time begins, we share this resource to pray.

We bow before you, our hidden but beloved God as we begin this day.  An alarm rings in our hearts to awaken us to the fact that we are pilgrims who travel a sacred path.  We now answer that call to mindfulness, as we prepare to enter into silent prayer.  We join ourselves with all who are in prayer at this sacred hour when the earth once again faces its source of life, the sun.  We now turn fully to face you, O God, the source of the universe and of our lives as we enter silence.

Period of contemplative prayer

With fidelity, we have tried to still our restless hearts in you, the divine source of all we are.  May this effort bear fruit by our living more fully in the present moment this day.  We join our voices to all the awakening sounds of the earth at this hour as we pray.

Source of all blessings,
You bless us with insects – a blessing we do not appreciate when mosquitoes bite us,
Flies buzz around the table, or ants get into our food supplies; and yet . . .
May we never cease to marvel at the eyes of bees, the wings of butterflies,
the legs of grasshoppers; and may we have a deep respect for all these our older siblings
in the family of creatures that enjoy this earth and, like us, breathe its air.

These summer days are growing warmer.  Plants, animals and we humans are all solar-powered in the marvel of your creation.  May this morning prayer give us the energy to act at all times this day with love and kindness.  May we treat each person and each living being as a brother or sister, as a member of your sacred family.

We pray now for personal needs and for the special needs of this day

Let us pray

May the business of this day never eclipse our real work as pilgrims on the sacred path.
Open our eyes and ears to the miracles you have hidden along our path this day.
Let our minds find joy in the present moment, the only place where you dwell.
We bow before you, Divine Father, Holy Mother, Eternal Source of our existence.
Your heart is our home; from you we have come and to you we journey this day.
Amen.

By the International Committee of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation.

Adapted from:

• Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim: A Personal Manual for Prayer and Ritual by Edward Hays
• 99 Blessings: An Invitation to life by Brother David Steindl-Rast