Presence 7: Arts That Inspire Reflection & PrayerSample

Amazing Grace

Grace is the offer to breathe

to stop here and rest,

to lay down the need

to do it my way,

the courage to risk.

Grace is a hand held, 

an invitation to surrender,

reaching beyond reason,

a re-routing of my heart.

Grace is liberation,

an ending of not good enough, 

of blame, shame and shadow;

an awakening of joy;

the emergence of hope.

Grace is the great homecoming,

the welcome of loving-kindness, 

a belonging and a becoming:

unmasked and fear free.

Grace is the challenge 

to choose kindness,

a call to join the resistance, 

when injustice 

swells triumphant

and thoughts of hatred rise;

a movement of mercy.

Grace is extravagant, 

unrelenting, tenderhearted,

removes boundaries, 

stretches horizons;

is a pearl of great price.

Amazing grace.

Chris Matthews