Pause for Prayer: SUNDAY 2/21

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Today's pause for prayer requires two simple props:
     just open your hands in front of you...
Your open hands provide a good image
   for the three ancient exercises of Lent,
       prayer, fasting and almsgiving...

Are your hands open?

My open hands, palms up, gesture a receptivity
to what God offers me in prayer:
my praying hands are open to the Lord's Spirit...

My open, empty hands remind me of my fasting,
my giving up something for Lent, my giving something away,
in hope of finding, feeding and fulfilling
     my heart's deeper desires...

My open, empty hands reach out
to serve the needs of others, especially the poor:
hands emptied, finally free, of so many things I cling to...

Lent is a time for my hands to be:
open in prayer,
emptied in sacrifice,
reaching out to help...  

Lord, help me pray with open hands today
and let my open hands teach me
how to live this Lent... 

(Did you open your hands in front of you?
Doing so can make for a very different kind of prayer...)




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