Image by Green Lover
Perhaps I depend too much upon the motion of parish life for the energy that drives my days and my work. That could account for the fact that every year at this time I experience a certain sluggishness in activity and spirit. There's a good deal of movement that leads to the brink of Christmas and its celebration but then there's the post-holiday emotional denouement and the quieting of the demands of parish ministry with children on vacation, many families traveling and parish activities enjoying a well deserved New Year's hibernation.
It's these in-between days I find difficult...
I'm grateful, then, to know that this weekend some things will ramp up to normal parochial speed! The first of our First Reconciliation services is on Saturday afternoon and in addition to the weekend liturgical schedule we'll have the first of our four January Faith Festivals on late Sunday afternoon - this one focusing on women in the scriptures.
You know, I'm feeling better just writing about it!
How about you? How does this time of year touch your spirits? your prayer? your get-up-and-go? If you live north of the equator, do the gray skies and grayer snow begin to get to you? What helps you out of whatever doldrums you may experience?
God of gray days,
lighten my heart
to spark my prayer,
and come with fire
to ignite my spirit!
Lift me out of my slump
and set my steps again
along the path of your love...
Open my eyes to the beauty around me,
open my ears to your good news
and open my heart to the joy of your presence...
Even in the grayness
let the light of your love burn through
and touch me with warmth...
Wake me, Lord,
and quicken in me
the power of your Spirit...
Amen!
-ConcordPastor
What a thought provoking piece... It makes me confront my ennui and for that I am grateful.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this I realize that I - and I speak of someone very involved in parish life(both where I worship and where I work), but without the intensity of your role - I realize that this time of year is kind of disorienting to me.
It is as if I have been on a ride that is spinning and I have surrendered to that energy and now suddenly - still.
For me this is an invitation of sorts and one that I am not always able to respond to. Which is so often the case...
Fran
I imagine there are many of us out there feeling the let down of the holidays and the darkness of January. I sometimes wish I were a bear, and could just curl up and hibernate through winter! Thanks for this most appropriate prayer to help lift this darkness I feel in my heart, your heart, and in the hearts of so many.
ReplyDeleteCP,
ReplyDeleteThere's plenty to do at my house.
Why don't you come over EARLY Saturday morning and help me paint my livingroom ceiling!
I don't have a fireplace, but if I did, I know what I would do on these gray days or on days that we have snowstorms and cannot go anywhere anyway. I would curl up in front of a roaring fire and read a good book!
ReplyDeleteA couple of squares of dark chocolate every day in the hour before sunset
ReplyDeleteOnce or twice a week, a glass of good red wine with dinner
and LOTS of good books! Particularly ones set in places like India.