Milking Prayer
Bless, O God, my little cow,
Bless, O God, my desire;
Bless Thou my partnership
And the milking of my hands, O God.
Bless, O God, each teat,
Bless, O God, each finger;
Bless Thou each drop
That goes into my pitcher, O God!
One of my favorite small-prayer practices is that from the Celtic tradition – small prayers for smalls tasks. Part of the worldview that created these prayers is such a hearty acceptance of immanent theology: not only can God join us as we do the dishes (and wants to join us), but God is in the dishes, in the soap and grime and water basin too. Entering into small tasks with small prayers turns our eyes to the life-giving reality of how God makes and sustains these tangible things.
THERE ARE CELTIC PRAYERS FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING A DAILY CHORE-LIST WOULD ENTAIL: LIGHTING THE KINDLING, MILKING A COW, STEPPING OVER A THRESHOLD.
Blessing of the Kindling
I will kindle my fire this morning
In the presence of the holy angels of heaven . . .
Without malice without jealousy, without envy,
Without fear, without terror of any one under the sun,
But the Holy Son of God to shield me.
IN HIS BOOK CHRISTIAN SPIRITUALITY, EVAN B. HOWARD CREATES A MODERN DAY CELTIC PRAYER:
A Celtic Blessing for Receiving Phone Calls
Here is a child of God,
image of the Father,
redeemed by the Son,
invited by the Spirit,
I welcome this person,
with the heart of Christ.