This day I give thanks for the pilgrim’s way.
For cobblestone streets that connect me to the footsteps of others:
those who pray to walk,
those for whom each step bears pain,
those whose strides are punctuated by cadences of joy.
For ancient churches with crumbling stone or plaster walls that hold the prayers of the faithful, the helpless, the hopeless, and the hopeful.
For church bells that toll the hour, the joys and heartbreaks of a community beckoned by its resonant call.
For weathered faces and time-tested hearts that keep the faith of the God of their ancestors and their families.
For roots that follow the trajectory of their DNA into soil rocky, shallow, rich, and deep, persistent in their quest for purchase and nourishment.
For rocks that hold the secrets of young love, the strategies of warriors, and generations of hope and toil.
For the breath that expands my heart and the mysteries that open my mind to seek pathways into the core of divine light and love, I offer humble thanks.
May the God of all being being praised.
Anne Fraley is rector of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in South Windsor, CT. A life-long dog-lover, she escapes the demands of parish life volunteering for animal rescue groups. She occasionally succeeds at reviving her blog at reverent irreverence.
RevGalBlogPals encourages you to share our blog posts via email or social media. We do not grant permission to cut-and-paste prayers and articles without a link back. For permission to use material in paper publications, please email revgalblogpals at gmail dot com.