September Twenty-Seventeen

September Twenty- Seventeen 

The following reflection is an offering by Jan Richardson called 

"Beloved is Where we Begin" from her book Circle of Grace: 

If you would enter 

into the wilderness, 

do not begin 

without a blessing. 

Do not leave 

without hearing who you are: 

Beloved, 

named by the One

who has traveled this path 

before you. 

Do not go

without letting it echo

in your ears, 

and if you find 

it is hard 

to let it into your heart, 

do not despair. 

That is what 

this journey is for. 

I cannot promise 

this blessing will free you

from danger, 

from fear, 

from hunger, 

or thirst, 

from the scorching 

of sun

or the fall

of the night. 

But I can tell you 

that on this path

there will be help. 

I can tell you 

that on this way

there will be rest. 

I can tell you 

that you will know 

the strange graces

 that come to our aid

only on a road

such as this, 

that fly to meet us 

bearing comfort 

and strength, 

that come alongside us

for no other cause

than to lean themselves 

toward our ear

with their 

curious insistence

whisper our name: 

Beloved.

Beloved.

Beloved.