Streams of Mercy

An old friend always spoke of the “glorious” golden days of fall, but today there’s a chill in the air. The warm, gentle breezes, with bright sunlight dancing through many-colored leaves have passed, and winds toss the leaves about, covering the ground, and leaving trees empty and bare.

Sister Macrina Wiederkehr offers this prayer for such days in her book, Seasons of Your Heart.

“Prayer Before An Empty Tree”

Jesus,

as you move through each season,

one by one you have taken my leaves from me;

I am the story of your emptiness

You have told me well.

The part of me that feels stripped cries out to you,

“How can I give shade with so much gone?”

You speak to me of an inner shade

whose name is peace

the gift that comes from letting go.

Your story continues to be told in me.

Your story continues to unfold in me.

And suddenly

when I look again

I realize that

what you have taken from me

has only made me

free to see.

As we move through these days, let’s think about things in our lives we need to let go of; and let’s be open to God’s movement in our lives bringing seasons of change and “glorious” new beginnings.

Elizabeth