A friend sent this prayer while on retreat and last night I used it as the reflection at our Evening Prayer liturgy for the First Sunday of Advent. I read the prayer three times, slowly, letting it seep into our minds and hearts...
Lord, it is night.
The night is for stillness.
Let us be still
in your presence, O God...
It is night after a long day.
What has been done has been done;
what has not been done has not been done.
Let it be...
The night is dark.
Let our fears of the darkness of the world
and of our own lives
rest in you, O Lord...
The night is quiet, Lord.
Let the quiet of your peace enfold us,
all who are dear to us,
and all who have no peace...
The night heralds the dawn.
Let us look expectantly to a new day,
new joys, new possibilities...
In your name, O Lord, we pray...
Amen.
So delighted to see this gorgeous prayer from the New Zealand (Anglican) liturgy. A group of us on Twitter (@TheUrbanAbbey)have prayed it (along with other prayers) for Compline. Rev. Bosco Peters says it was written by a friend of his, John Williamson. Reads like ancient wisdom.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the background on the prayer, Meredith! It always gladdens my heart when I realize how the internet serves the sharing of spirituality.
ReplyDeleteStunning. Here from Blest Atheist's place. So glad I read this. What a prayer!
ReplyDeleteA powerful prayer and I can just imagine how much more powerful in the quiet and candlelight of Evening Prayer. Oh how I miss that wonderful EP at HFP. We do not have it offered in our current parish.....far away from Concord, MA and I think of all of you during Advent & Lent with longing and hope you realize how fortunate you are!
ReplyDeleteI miss you being at Evening Prayer with us APC! And you are right ... it was truly beautiful at evening prayer with this prayer being recited three times. It really hit home for me. With the candlelight, song, and quiet ... evening prayer brings something to us that nothing else can.
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