A Prayer

This prayer is worthy of sharing. I found it in my email archive today, likely for a reason. It is stunning.

Persistent Spirit, remind us that life is tough
and love is gentle.

Prod us to grow more human,
not through lessening of our struggles
but through an expansion of them
that will free us
to rediscover our gifts.

Deepen our hurts
until we learn to share them
and ourselves openly
and our needs honestly.

Sharpen our fears
until we name them
and release the power we have locked in them
and they in us.

Accentuate our confusion
until we shed those grandiose expectations
that divert us from the small, glad gifts
of the now and the here and the me.

Expose our shame where it shivers,
couched behind the curtains of correctness,
until we can laugh at last
through our common frailties and failure
laugh our way toward becoming whole.

Deliver us
from just going through the motions
and wasting everything we have
which is today, a chance, a choice, our creativity.

Persistent Spirit,
let how much it all matters
stretch us tight beyond our security
so if we are moved inside
to tears or sighs or screams or smiles or dreams,
they will be real
and we will be in touch with who we are
and who you are
And who our sisters and brothers are.

Amen

by Jon Luopa
UU Church, Seattle
10/29/2000