<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;"><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">A Winter Solstice Prayer</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><br></div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">The dark shadow of space leans over us. . . . .<br>
We are mindful that the darkness of greed, exploitation, and hatred<br>
also lengthens its shadow over our small planet Earth.<br>
As our ancestors feared death and evil and all the dark powers of winter,<br>
we fear that the darkness of war, discrimination, and selfishness<br>
may doom us and our planet to an eternal winter.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">May we find hope in the lights we have kindled on this sacred night,<br>
hope in one another and in all who form the web-work of peace and justice<br>
that spans the world.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">In the heart of every person on this Earth<br>
burns the spark of luminous goodness;<br>
in no heart is there total darkness.<br>
May we who have celebrated this winter solstice,<br>
by our lives and service, by our prayers and love,<br>
call forth from one another the light and the love<br>
that is hidden in every heart.<br>
Amen.</p><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Edward Hayes</div></div>
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