Prayer

By Timothy Shriver

Washington Post, December 25, 2007; Page A25

This Christmas, one might be forgiven for praying for the second coming of Jesus rather than for the joy to celebrate his initial appearance 20 centuries ago. Taking the long view of history, you could argue that we have collectively proved how inadequate we are in fulfilling the Bethlehem announcement of peace and justice. While we celebrate the mystery of God's coming in human form, can't we also pray for an expedited return?

That type of prayer would give many Christians common ground with our Jewish brothers and sisters during a season when we otherwise seem to part ways. We both want the Messiah to come; is it such a big deal whether we want Him for the first or the second time?

Rabbi Arthur Waskow *, 6/8/2005

American Jewish efforts to renew Judaism have been exploring new forms of tikkun olam (healing the world toward peace and social justice) and tikkun halev (healing the heart toward calm and equanimity).

In the social

Rabbis Berman & Waskow; National Organizer Lenchner, 8/25/2004

Rabbi Phyllis Berman and Rabbi Arthur Waskow have been leading prayer services and teaching in both mulltireligious gatherings (e.g. conferences called by Jobs with Justice, the Religiou

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, 10/2/2003

Sh'sh'sh'ma Yisra'el —
Listen, You Godwrestlers!
Pause from your wrestling and hush'sh'sh
To hear —
YHWH/ Yahh

Hear in the stillness the still silent voice,
The silent breathing that intertwines life;

YHW

Rabbi Arthur Waskow

Ahava -- English

You whose Unity is acted out
In the wheeling of the galaxies
And the pulsing of each atom,
In the double spiral that spins in every living cell
And in the loop of memory and imagination --

We praise You

Rabbi Arthur Waskow

AT EVERY BOUNDARY, THE WORLD IS ONE

Is there a way to reawaken a deep and intense understanding of the three paragraphs that follow the Sh'ma, to get beyond the habituated chant-'em-through (or drop-'em-out) tha