Speaking the truth in love,
we must grow up in every way
into the One who is the head,
into Christ, from whom the whole body,
joined and knit together
by every ligament with which it is equipped,
as each part is working properly,
promotes the body’s growth
in building itself up in love.
—Ephesians 4.15-16
God, I offer humility and gratitude
for being part of such a glorious gift,
the Body of Christ, in all its riotous diversity.
You have given us this vast, teeming universe,
this beloved community, in which to embody your grace.
Give me confidence to trust my part in the whole,
to honor my gifts, to give my offering,
and to relish the strange harmony we make,
even in our differences.
Give me courage to honor the ones some would exclude,
to treasure their gifts, to tend the ligaments.
Help us, O Oneness, to be whole,
to speak only truth,
to grow continually,
and to build each other up in love,
and so attain the full stature of Christ.
Amen.
—August 3, 2018