WATER  PRAYER

[Since both readings for today  – the 4^th  Tuesday of Lent -  talk about water – the first reading from Ezekiel 47 – which pictures rich images of a temple where water is everywhere - and then in the gospel of John 5 - where we have the Healing Pool of Siloam story – my homily this morning will simply be a poetic prayer which I wrote last night thanking God for  water.]

God,

Creator of all gifts bright and beautiful,

we praise you for this first day of  April  – this Spring Day – we praise you this day for water, water, water everywhere.

God,

Creator of all gifts bright and beautiful,

when I look up into the night sky – I see stars and planets – dead, dead, dead - because they have no water on them that we know of – as of now.

God,

Creator of all gifts bright and beautiful,

when I look at our earth, our planet – especially here on the edge of the Bay – which leads out to the ocean – we see nature – grass which will get greener and greener with each Spring rain. We’ll see flowers that are about to sprout and shout to us – in a whole cascade of colors – better than all the colors in those big box of crayons – flowers ready to Spring – ready to show us how creative You are with the fabrics of flowers -  wave after wave of so many varieties of flowers.

God,  

Creator of all gifts bright and beautiful,

we are amazed at water – its forms and flow – its twists and turns – rivers, mist, spray, waves, dew drops on spider webs and Eucharistic Bread, creeks, waterfalls, rain, water that boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 100 degrees Centigrade, water that freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, 0 degrees Centigrade – water bubbling when hot – floating when cold – amazing water, water, everywhere.

God, 

Creator of all gifts bright and beautiful,

we are aware of the water which is  in our blood, in our drinks, water that is over 70 percent of our earth and then there is so much more under our soil – millions and millions and millions  of gallons of water  – water under our deserts – water in aquifers and trees and clouds. Water – water – water everywhere.

God, 

Creator of all gifts bright and beautiful,

we enjoy watching little brothers loving puddles – especially when they can splash little sisters – wearing big rubber booths – but then again, kids sometimes hating baths – but loving pools and Ocean City and water slides – and water balloons - and water guns – water, water, water, everywhere and in everything.

So God,

Creator of all gifts bright and beautiful,

is it any wonder why we have such a sense of wonder about water? Some scientists tell us that we have the same amount of water we started with from the beginning.  We sense your presence, your parenting power, your creative presence, when we wonder about water.  May we use it well. May we always be amazed at it. May we always protect it. Remind us to be living water, refreshing cool water on a hot day, warm shower water on a cold day, the gift of a cold drink of water to each other each day. Amen.