Hello, my friends!
For the past few weeks, we’ve together reflected on the importance of prayer language as we explored our relationship with money and how in new seasons of our lives, God invites us to make new commitments. But today, as we swing into the home stretch our annual pledge drive, I am simply sitting with the word radical.
According to Google, by definition radical means “(especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something.” When we experience something radical, either within ourselves or others, we experience something so deeply that who we know ourselves to be is fundamentally transformed. While I imagine most people might shy away from wanting to be known as a radical – it is not always used in the most positive of ways in our society – in the most neutral way, being a radical means that we are known and experienced as embodying our deepest convictions.
And as people of Christian faith, our deepest convictions are rooted in the counter-narrative of the Gospel. This alternative vision of life directly challenges us to imagine and embody a world that is drastically different than what we often experience. And following Jesus, the way of the Love, helps us take one step at a time towards a radical way of being in the world. And as a community, while we each might be at different places on our journey, we are both changed and encouraged by the radical transformation, radical generosity, radical gratitude, and radical love we experience in and around us. We might not always want to be known as a radical. But as followers of Jesus, that is exactly what we are called to be – radical.
For our prayer and reflection, I share with you a “Prayer of Blessing” from Praying with the Earth by John Philip Newell. As I reflected with our pledge drive theme, this prayer reminded me of the radically transformative power of beginning each day by receiving it as blessing. And as we take intentional time each day, we become more aware of these blessings working within and around us, guiding us towards new opportunities to live radically in light of our faith. May this day be a blessing to you!
Be well,
Deacon Megan
A Prayer of Blessing
May the angles of light glisten for us this day.
May the sparks of God’s beauty dance in the eyes of those we love.
May the universe be on fire with Presence for us this day.
May the new sun’s rising grace us with gratitude.
Let earth’s greenness shine and its waters breathe with Spirit.
Let heaven’s winds stir the soil of our soul and fresh awakenings rise within us.
May the angels of light glisten in all things this day.
May they summon us to reverence, may they call us to [radical] life.
How does receiving the day as a blessing encourage you to live radically?
How has your experience of someone radical transformed and inspired you?