Day 34

Holy Creator,
thank you for artists:
visual, verbal,
musical, kinesthetic,
spiritual.

Holy Creator,
thank you for artists
who express our impressions,
our feelings, and our hopes.

Your gospel is found
not only in scripture,
but in the stroke of a brush
or of a pen,
in melody and harmony and dissonance,
within dance and movement,
within prayer.

Bless the prophecy of artists
who charm and chide,
critique and cajole,
who prompt tears, laughter,
peace, and passion.

Within their creative process
may we recognize
the divine in all creation
and be moved to awe
and wonder and worship.

Receive all art, O Divine Creator,
as acts of prayer,
a reflection and response
of creation.
And, as the disciples requested,
continue to "teach us to pray".
Amen.

(from Coming Out to God by Chris Glaser)

A suggestion for your prayer and meditation:

Take paper and crayons or paint or pencils and create an image of what you think God looks like.  It can be a form of some kind, or simply colors; whatever strikes you as representing the Holy.  Use this "hands-on" practice as a form of prayer as you welcome and honor the presence of God.
Pastor Patty Fox 40 Days with 40 Christian Mystics

I haven't been able to create my own picture of God, and in all honesty I wouldn't even know where to begin. All I can think of is Matisse's painting of an embrace.

Advent word - embrace

Sometimes all that matters is holding each other - to celebrate the joys and comfort through the losses.
I know not everyone is comfortable with being embraced but we all need some kind of physical contact and comfort- if not from our fellow adults then from our children or pets. If you're a "hugger" it can be hard to understand those who aren't, but we need to be empathic about other people's boundaries and respect them.

We are a manifestation of Christ in the world. Our mission is not to bring Christ to people, but to help people come to know and embrace Christ already present.

-Br. Mark Brown