New liturgies: Tides and Seasons of the Soul
A Liturgical Reflection in Four Movements
Grief – The Ebbing Tide
Reader:
We begin in the low tide.
Where the shoreline is exposed, raw and silent.
Where what once covered us has receded,
And we are left with stones, salt, and memory.
All:
We name our losses.
We do not rush past them.
We stand in the hollow and say,
“This too is holy.”
Scripture: “My tears have been my food day and night.” (Psalm 42:3)
Gesture: A stone placed on the altar. A moment of silence.
Renewal – The Turning Tide
Reader:
The tide does not stay low.
It turns. Slowly, then surely.
New waters come. Not to erase, but to restore.
The shoreline shifts. Life returns.
All:
We welcome the new.
We do not fear its unfamiliar shape.
We say, “Behold, something is beginning.”
Scripture: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19)
Gesture: A green leaf placed beside the stone. A candle lit.
Prayer – The Rhythmic Tide
Reader:
Prayer is the tide’s rhythm.
Sometimes crashing, sometimes still.
It carries our longing, our listening, our breath.
All:
We pray not to escape,
But to enter more deeply.
We say, “Speak, Lord. We are listening.”
Scripture: “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1)
Gesture: Hands open. A shared breath. A simple chant or refrain such as Taizé:
A Liturgical Reflection in Four Movements
Grief – The Ebbing Tide
Reader:
We begin in the low tide.
Where the shoreline is exposed, raw and silent.
Where what once covered us has receded,
And we are left with stones, salt, and memory.
All:
We name our losses.
We do not rush past them.
We stand in the hollow and say,
“This too is holy.”
Scripture: “My tears have been my food day and night.” (Psalm 42:3)
Gesture: A stone placed on the altar. A moment of silence.
Renewal – The Turning Tide
Reader:
The tide does not stay low.
It turns. Slowly, then surely.
New waters come. Not to erase, but to restore.
The shoreline shifts. Life returns.
All:
We welcome the new.
We do not fear its unfamiliar shape.
We say, “Behold, something is beginning.”
Scripture: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isaiah 43:19)
Gesture: A green leaf placed beside the stone. A candle lit.
Prayer – The Rhythmic Tide
Reader:
Prayer is the tide’s rhythm.
Sometimes crashing, sometimes still.
It carries our longing, our listening, our breath.
All:
We pray not to escape,
But to enter more deeply.
We say, “Speak, Lord. We are listening.”
Scripture: “Lord, teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:1)
Gesture: Hands open. A shared breath. A simple chant or refrain such as Taizé:
The lyrics for the Taizé simple chant "O Lord, hear my prayer" are: "O Lord, hear my prayer, O Lord, hear my prayer. When I call, answer me". The chant is often repeated, with a second part being: "O Lord, hear my prayer, O Lord, hear my prayer. Come and listen to me". It is a setting of verses from Psalm 102.
Presence – The Full Tide
Reader:
And then, the tide is full.
The sea touches every stone.
Presence is not distant - it is here.
In bread, in breath, in one another.
All:
We dwell in the moment.
We do not rush past the mystery.
We say, “God is with us.”
Scripture: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14)
Gesture: We share the Peace. A final candle lit.
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