Movements to Start the Day

Movements to Start the Day

“In the quiet of this morning, I recall the prayer and gestures of the deacon as they stand ready at the lectern before reading a gospel narrative each week. I make the sign of the cross on my forehead and say, ‘Dear God, may your Word be upon my mind;’ and then the gesture again on my mouth, ‘may your Word be upon my lips;’ and then across my chest, ‘may your Word be upon my heart.’

I add the sign of the cross on my belly, and I am aware of my feet on the earth. I pray that your Word be upon all my body and soul, grounding me in your Spirit and guiding my every step. I begin my day.”—Trish Stefanik in Overlook Retreat House at Dayspring from InwardOutward.org, Church of the Savior, Washington, D.C.

Trish Stefanik reminds us of the meaning of our gestures before reading the gospel. Making the sign of the cross during my almost twenty-five years as a deacon has become a habit. However, I usually gesture with my hands and fingers without thinking about what I am doing. I typically am more concerned about whether I will pronounce words correctly in the gospel.

How wonderful to be reminded of why we do things habitually. However, I often count on God to remember the meaning. I am moved when members of the congregation also make these movements before the deacon reads the gospel. They may also be unknowingly praying these same prayers silently for themselves. Perhaps they are also praying for the gospel reader.

Trish Stefanik also adds a fourth movement to her belly, grounding her feet to the earth. Our bodies, especially our feet, ground us to the present moment. God most often meets us in the present moment.

Finally, there is one more gift from the author. She recommends these prayers and gestures to begin our day.

Today’s reading is a rich blessing, reminding us that our liturgical gestures have an even deeper meaning. When we remember why we are doing them, we can enter into a deeper communion with God. The movements can be even more powerful if done in a community. The gestures and prayers can also wake us each day to connect to the God of our understanding, who has been there all along.

Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/

The Pall of the Pristine Snow. 2025

 The Pall of the Pristine Snow

Snow Camp Mitchell 2025 Joanna Campbell

Guest Writer 
Susan Mayes, Fayetteville, AR, January 10, 2025

If only the pall of the pristine snow could gently cover the ashes created by the turbulent fires in Southern California in early 2025, right after the Rose Bowl. 

As I awaken in the Boston Mountains on the Ozark Plateau to the perfectly silent, crisp morning air, I am amazed at the loveliness the snow can bring to our landscape. Millions upon millions of tiny fluffy flakes have created this vast sea of white. The trees look like designer-painted trees, with every branch visible to the eye as the precipitation creates a clinging outline of what we don’t see when the trees are fully dressed with leaves. I wish I could paint the many shades of gray, white, and even a blueness of the scene, but alas, I will have to rely on my memory of this beauty. 

Above all, I wish angels could magically lift this mass pall of snow and cover the ash remains of property lost by wildfire. The people of Los Angeles, the “City of Angels,” need our prayers of hope and restoration. Our Mother Earth has been trying to tell us something for many years: we must be awake and follow science and solutions to avoid the tragedies we, the caretakers of God’s creation, cause. 

I pine for your loss, neighbors, and pray for the containment of fire and the calming of the winds. My hope is that you will once again relish the multiple shades of blue of the Pacific Ocean, the vastness of the sea, and its restorative waters…Peace be with you.

Fires LA Stephanie. Newport

Susan Mayes

Mark Abramson NYT

Joanna Joannaseibert.com

Three Wise Men: Epiphany Wisdom

 “Three Wise Men.”  Epiphany Wisdom  

 “The three were hermits on an island in the Black Sea, very pious and humble and loving to all men but terribly ignorant.  A bishop goes on a steamer to see them and teach them a few prayers, but finds them too old and stupid to learn.  At last, he gets—or thinks he has got—one very short and simple prayer into their heads, and leaves the island, feeling rather contemptuous.  

Then, when night falls, he sees a bright light advancing swiftly over the sea behind the steamer. The old men have come, walking on the waves, begging him to be patient with their incredible stupidity and to teach them the prayer again.”—Tolstoy.

My husband sent me this story. He tries to read it to me, but is so moved that he cannot speak. Alas, if all of us could be that way when we hear this story. I think of people I have talked with, leading retreats and classes, hoping to share the word of God with them. But instead, I learn more about God by listening to them.

I first learn this truth in recovery meetings, where I hear wisdom from people I would never have listened to before. Wisdom comes from those with no education who can barely speak intelligently. Wisdom comes from men and women who have spent most of their lives in prison. Wisdom comes from those who have lost their children because of their addiction. Wisdom comes from women who have lived on the streets. Wisdom comes from people experiencing homelessness.

I also heard this wisdom at our Food Pantry, where people come each week for just enough food to survive. They tell us how grateful they are and bless us. They tell us how blessed they are. They share what they receive with other families. They teach us how to turn our lives and our wills over to God. They teach us how to live and work in community.

In this season, after Epiphany and into a new year, may we keep our ears and hearts open to hear wisdom in “wise men” and women at all places, in each precious moment, and especially where we once least expected it.

Joanna. https://www.joannaseibert.com/