by Rev. Diane Rollert
February 25, 2024
Spirit of life,
Ground of our being
Named and unnamed,
known and unknown,
we give thanks today
for courage,
for compassion that comes
shaped in ways
that don't always feel perfect,
that can be awkward,
uncomfortable,
even heartbreaking
when we are called to set limits.
We want to love,
we want to be loved,
we want to welcome diversity,
we want to be welcomed for our differences,
we want to be fair,
we want to be just,
but justice is not always easily found
or named,
or enacted without sadness,
or without the pain that comes
in caring for the whole,
when there are parts that can feel
misunderstood.
May we forgive,
and be forgiven,
for being less than practiced
in what to say or do.
May we forgive,
and be forgiven,
when we fall short of the aspirations
we have set for ourselves.
May we forgive,
and be forgiven,
when we find ourselves wavering,
or losing touch with our resolve
to search for justice and equity.
May we be open to new ways of being.
May we be open to new ways of belonging.
Amen.
A Prayer for Courage, Compassion and Forgiveness