It has been over 30 years and I still can recite the poem I wrote that day. “My Blue Pen” was the name of the poem. I wrote it for a workshop that I attended. The workshop was on Celtic Spirituality. That day my heart was smitten with the earthy spirituality of the Celtics.
Here is what the renowned scholar of prayer, Richard Foster, writes about Celtic spirituality.
As we researched and studied these saints [Celtic Saints Brigid, Patrick and many others] (and the Desert Fathers, who were their spiritual predecessors) we found that many of the lessons they [The Celtics] taught gave us hope and coherence on our own journey: that people matter more than things, and relationship more than reputation; that prayer and action, contemplation and involvement, all belong together. Whilst resisting the temptation to hark back to some mythical ‘golden age’ (which probably never existed)[1]
I love the coherence “that prayer and action, contemplation and involvement, all being together.” I trust that God brings our life altogether. We are alive and active in our everyday living. God cares for the details of life for all of creation both individually and within communities.
The Scripture
Look at what Jesus says about God’s care for us in Matthew 6.
“Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:25 – 27 (Italics added for emphasis)
With the knowledge that God is interested in our daily life and the struggles which may occur in and through daily life, the Celts wove these to strands together as a durable foundation for practice of earthy prayers. This is much more than piety for the sake of praise and worship. And it is even more deeply rooted then social justice action. Celtic Spirituality take everyday moments of life, the joys and sorrows and places blessing upon and through them. This makes social action, praise, and worship an outward expression of deeply rooted blessing.
My poem about my blue pen was written long before computers came to every home. The instructions were to write a blessing prayer for an object you touch frequently each day. This could be water for washing hands or dishes, clothes we wear, making the bed, cooking a meal, caring for a child, typing at the computer. You get the idea. We can create a prayer of blessing for any item that we encounter during our day. Hence, My Blue Pen blessing was penned
My blue pen, at the time, was the instrument which transcribed the notes from my Bible study in preparation for sermon writing. My blue pen outlined my sermon and then was used in the writing of the message. As I ponder the words that my blue pen wrote, I began to think about how I desired the Holy Spirt to infuse power and presence into the words written and that I would speak. My mind also realized that I desired prayer for the hearers of my sermon and the words written by my hand with my blue pen.
The result of all this pondering? A Spirit filled prayer of blessing for my blue pen.
Bless my blue pen.
Bless the words inspired by your Holy Spirit that are written with my pen.
Bless the words I speak from this written work that they may be filled with Your presence, power and prayer.
Bless those that hear the words spoken so that Your Holy Word may be made alive for those in the congregation.
Bless, O God, my blue pen.
Today’s Prayer Practice
Today’s invitation to prayer is a simple one. Consider one item you touch most often through your day. Could it be the steering wheel of your car, the keys on the computer, cell phone or house keys? Once you discern what object you will place under blessing, the prayer practice of blessing begins.
First, center yourself before God by surrendering all other thoughts and worries from your day and releasing them to God’s care. Then pray for words of blessing for your object. Let your imagination open creativity as you consider how, what, where, who, and when this object is used and the folks impacted by this object.
Next, create your prayer of blessing for the object which you touch every day. Then offering thanksgiving to God for weaving God’s presence in and through your everyday objects, actions, thoughts and words.
Invitation to Contemplation
After completion of your blessing prayer, consider if you would like to continue the discipline of Love Letter writing. If so, you may desire to contemplate what it was like to write your prayer of blessing. What new invitations and discoveries did you make about the character of God and your relationship with God through writing your blessing prayer?
When you are finished with your contemplative pause and pondering, you may close with this prayer of blessing or one of your own crafting.
Holy One, Holy Three, encircle everyday items of my life with the wholeness of your presence. Grant me eyes to see how you use even the smallest objects to make your presence, power, and energy known within my life. You are the miracle which makes all things new. Thank you, risen Christ, for breathing new life into each dynamic of my life. May my living anoint the lives of people around me so that your glory may be experienced among community and into the fullness of humanity. Thank you for the simplest and most profound blessings of my life and our community. Amen.
[1] Richard Foster, editor, 2002. Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings from the Northumbris Community, (Harper-Collins: New York), Page 7.
