Thursday, January 22
O God, you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are fixed on you; for in returning and rest we shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be our strength.
—Isaiah 26:3; 30:15
Once at a retreat center, I was given some other beautiful words in the form of a Buddhist blessing which goes like this:
May you be at peace
May you know the beauty of your own true nature;
May your heart remain open;
May you be healed.
It seems to me that this blessing can comfort, sustain and guide us in this new year.
May you be at peace. May we know deep inner peace, the kind that comes when our minds are fixed on God. This year in particular perhaps we should add, may the world be at peace. May all the nations of the world, through the grace of God, have the courage to choose peace before power.
May you know the beauty of your own true nature. This is a lovely reminder that YOU are beautiful. God created you, called you by name, and loves you, sees your beauty inside and out. Believe this, deep in your bones, and see what happens.
May your heart remain open. Here, the surprising word is " remain," isn’t it? How good to know that our hearts ARE open! With open hearts, we love ourselves, then others. With open hearts, we live without judgment. We may be more vulnerable, but an open heart, like an open hand, is able to receive the blessings God has in store for us.
May you be healed. May each of us be healed, of whatever threatens to undo us. And, as we are healed on many levels, may we offer healing to each other, and to our broken world.
Gracious and Loving God,
May we be at peace;
May we know the beauty of our own true nature;
May our hearts remain open;
May we be healed.
Amen.
