Weaving in prayer and penitence
Today I started weaving the purple Star of Bethlehem stole. It seems appropriate on this day to weave in the color of prayer and penitence.
As I weave, I am listening to Taizé chants, and I pray.
I pray for my enemies - as we are commanded to do. May they experience God’s mercy and compassion, who have shown neither. I pray for the grace to forgive them, for as we forgive, so shall we be forgiven.
I pray for forgiveness - for myself and our nation. In the madness of grief and anger we repaid death for death, and a hundred times over. We rained down vengeance on the guilty and the innocent. May the words “Never again” reflect not only our resolve to protect lives and our shores, but our resolve to behave justly and with mercy to all people and all nations.
I pray for everyone everywhere who has suffered loss, and pain and injury as a result of that terrible day. May God grant them new life, and that abundantly.
These are the prayers that are woven into this stole on this day.
As I weave the Taizé choir sings:
Wait for the Lord, Whose day is near.
Wait for the Lord. Keep watch, take heart.
