A Prayer Before Reading

Each week, after I write the main post, a few days later, I send an accompanying prayer related to the topic. I am doing in this in part for me: I always am on the hunt for more written prayers. I use written prayers often in my work to pray for larger groups, but I also love written prayers for my personal piety. Sometimes it is nice when I do not have the words to use someone else’s.

The below prayer is in response to my latest post on what I read this year.

God of Words,

Words are a beautiful thing. You are the Word. Words are partly how we know you.

Thank you for the gift of books—the gift of stories people choose to tell, knowledge people work hard to discover and then share, poetry people craft to move our spirits and souls.

May I find glimpses of you when I read these words, whether the writing is explicitly religious or not.

Through other peoples’ words, we are transported to other places we could never otherwise go. Reading makes us better, kinder, more wholehearted and understandi…