“Why Gratitude?”
The world feels very polarized right now. COVID has us all rethinking so many things. Many places, all you hear is the “awfulizing” of everything and everyone. How could gratitude help us to overcome some of the biggest challenges that we are facing?
Speaker: Iyabo Onipede, Co-Director of Compassionate Atlanta
Talk only on You Tube (high-speed available)
KIDS PROGRAM ~ Sundays at 10:30am via Zoom – Contact us to register
When available, a revised transcript of this week’s talk is provided below for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Prayers, readings, and songs from this week’s service are also provided below.
Community Circle Zoom Meeting/Discussion: Wednesday, November 17. 2021.
PRAYERS
Opening Prayer
A Prayer of Gratitude and Wisdom
I asked for strength, and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom, and God gave me problems to learn to solve.
I asked for prosperity, and God gave me a brain and brawn to work.
I asked for courage, and God gave me dangers to overcome.
I asked for love, and God gave me people to help.
I asked for favors, and God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted. I received everything I needed.
~ Hazrat Inayat Khan
Community Prayer
Making Our Souls Great
To pray is to regain a sense of the mystery that animates all beings, the divine margin in all attainments. Prayer is our humble answer to the inconceivable surprise of living.
It is all we can offer in return.
Who is worthy to be present at the constant unfolding of time? Here we are amidst the meditation of the land, the songs of the water, the humility of the flowers, flowers wiser than all alphabets –
Suddenly we feel embarrassed, ashamed of our complaints and clashes in the face of tacit glory.
How strange we are in the world! Only one response can maintain us: gratefulness for the gift of our unearned chance to serve, to wonder, to love life and each other. It is gratefulness which makes our small souls great.
~ Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
TALK TRANSCRIPT – No transcript today. However, we invite you to listen to Iyabo Onipede’s talk here.
MUSIC
My Soul Is Welcome Here written by Daniel Nahmod
Kind and Generous written by Natalie Merchant
This service aired on November 14, 2021
