Blessing of the Saints*
May the communion of saints
shower you with blessings,
may you seek their guidance
in moments of illness, confusion, gratitude.
We remember their own struggles,
living their humanity, enfleshed and tender.
We ask those across the threshold to pray for us
knowing what it is to be wounded.
Call on the canonized saints,
Benedict, Francis, Ignatius, Hildegard,
Thea Bowman, Oscar Romero,
and the saints of spirit,
Howard Thurman, Dorothy Day,
and thousands of others
who witnessed to another way of being,
who helped to build a community of love.
Let them tether us to their earthiness,
and remind us of the holiness
of bone and blood, the grace of our bodies
in bringing love to the world
and the presence of heaven here and now.
Feel them stretching themselves
back across the veil toward us,
in sacred friendship
eyes shining, hearts radiant,
wisdom pouring like rainfall,
after months of drought,
coming with a reminder
that you are never alone,
never forsaken
and you dance in those life-giving
showers, celebrate Love as a visible
and invisible force, animating the world.
Dearest dancing monks, artists, and pilgrims,
Today we continue our release of the video podcasts of our Love of Thousands Prayer Cycle. The theme for Day 3 morning prayer is Embodied Love and evening is Saints & Pilgrimage. Here is one of the prayers of concern for morning prayer written by Wisdom Council member and my Lift Every Voice book club conversation partner Claudia Love Mair.
Lover of our soul, how often we get in a frenzy doing too much. We take on more than is necessary, and fail to rest and replenish our bodies, minds, and spirits. Sometimes we act as if everything is all on us. When we show up in this way, bring to mind Sister Thea Bowman, who was content to do her little bit. She said that if each one would light a candle, we’d have a tremendous light. Remind us that all we need to do is light our candle. Sister Thea, pray for us. Help us to understand that doing our little bit is an act of humility, and to give thanks for it.
This Friday, November 1st, I will be joined by Simon de Voil, Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, and Nóirín Ní Riain to Honor The Love of Thousands on the feast of All Saints and the Celtic feast of Samhain. We’ll pause together and honor our beloved ancestors and all the wise and well ones who have passed through the veil. Through ritual, song, teaching, meditation, and sharing we will weave a container together to hold our prayers and longings, and receive the gifts the saints and ancestors have to offer us for the season ahead. Join us!
I am also excited to share that we have a new dancing monk icon of Mary Magdalene by Marcy Hall! View the icon and order prints here.
With great and growing love,
Christine
Christine Valters Paintner, OblSB, PhD, REACE
P.S. My latest book, A Midwinter God: Encountering the Divine in Seasons of Darkness, has been reviewed by Jon M. Sweeney at Spirituality & Practice. Click here to read the review.
* Blessing by Christine Valters Paintner from The Love of Thousands: How Angels, Saints, and Ancestors Walk with Us Toward Holiness
