*Image generated with AI, September 2024

O Maker of the heavens and the earth,
In whose breath my soul was born,
I’ve wandered far, adrift in shadows,
Seeking truth in fractured mirrors,
Forgetting the light that first shaped me.

In my quest for self, I’ve lost the truth,
For how can I be true without Your touch?
You, who etched my being with divine hands,
Fashioned in Your likeness, pure, whole, and free
Yet I, in my pride, forge cages for myself.

Turn my heart, O Lord, back to You,
To the wellspring from which my life flows.
Strip away the masks, the veils of pride,
That I may stand before You, unashamed,
Authentic, as I am meant to be.

Teach me to see, with eyes unclouded,
The divine spark within, that mirrors You,
And in that sight, let me find my peace,
Returning home to my Creator’s embrace,
Whole, and true, in the image of God.

Amen