Here’s a prayer you might want to pray. It’s called the Caim prayer, or circling prayer. It speaks to the presence and love of God that surrounds us, that encircles us. I wrote about it on my blog once years ago at a time when so many needs were being prayed over. It seems a good time to offer it here again. These two variations are from the book Celtic Daily Prayer. You can insert your own words within the parentheses. Its title in this source is “Caim prayer (When I do not know what to pray).” You can pray it for yourself, and you can pray it for others.

1.

Circle (name), Lord.
Keep (comfort) near
and (discouragement) afar.
Keep (peace) within
and (turmoil) out.
Amen.

2.
Circle (name), Lord.
Keep protection near
and danger afar.

Circle (name), Lord.
Keep hope within,
keep despair without.

Circle (name), Lord.
Keep light near
and darkness afar.

Circle (name), Lord.
Keep peace within
and anxiety without.

The eternal Father, Son and Holy Spirit
shield (name) on every side.
Amen.

The book suggests that you stretch your arm out and draw a circle clockwise around yourself as you pray to symbolize the encircling love of God.

~~~

[Photo: A dreary day that was the first day of Covid-19 stay-at-home mandate here in Minneapolis. Even so, we're only weeks ago from this scene at a nearby creek, currently oh-so-brown, bursting into its green and blue color palette; more to come. There's always more to come.]