Discovering a New Way to Pray

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I received a copy of Henri Nouwen’s With Open Hands. Until that point, I had read plenty of daily devotionals for Christian youth. I regularly shared all my teen-aged angst with God. I felt God’s presence during sticky, mosquito-filled Bible studies at youth camp. I knew the Lord’s Prayer and the Doxology. I had won enough Bible drills to quote all kinds of scripture.

I knew all about asking for God’s guidance—and then advising God on what that guidance should be. What I did not know was how to be still with God. In fact, I would not have considered stillness as prayer. To me, prayer was a speech—something I said to God. Prayer was certainty. Prayer was a white-knuckled grip on something I could not even name. Prayer was just something to get through with gritted teeth.

The Power of Open Hands

But then, I read With Open Hands. I learned about prayer as an opening to God—not just an offering of my words and situation but also a mysterious receiving.

When Well of Mercy reopened after COVID, things were different. Instead of engaging in witty repartee and laughter before dinner, we masked up and stood six feet apart. Then it happened. Instead of holding hands for our blessing, we held up our open hands—offering ourselves to God and affirming our faith that even during a pandemic, God is as close as our breath. The Spirit is ready to be received when we are ready to do the receiving.

Leading with Open Hands

As I continue in my new role as Executive Director, I do so with open hands. I open my hands as an offering to this ministry—my skills, talents, and even quirks that might be useful. I open my hands and offer my best intentions as I take on tasks I do not fully understand. I open my hands and offer myself.

In the prayerful words of St. Ignatius:
“Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all I have and call my own. You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will.”

With open hands.

Receiving God’s Presence

But wait, there’s more!

I also open my hands to receive what God might pour into them. Isn’t that what happens at this sacred place called Well of Mercy? We open our hands and offer our best and our worst, our fatigue and our energy, our anxiety and our calm, our certainty and our sacred longing. And we open our hands to receive the quiet and presence that are there for the taking.

God’s love never runs low. God’s love never gives us the cold shoulder. God’s love never turns us away. We are all welcome to go to God with open hands, and the Spirit will arrive in both the offering and the receiving.

That’s the theme as we continue in this time of transition—with open hands. May our white knuckles relax as we step into what comes next—encouraged that our Creator’s hands are always hands we can trust.

Lea Slaton
Executive Director