Erev Shabbat

It is erev Shabbat, dear God,
Your gift to us each week,

the time when You send
Your angels to bring us rest,

to bring us peace,

the sound of their fluttering wings
like the sputtering of a candle’s flame.

Each week we light two candles
to welcome You, and their light swirls

into the air, and our voices fill the room
with song, and the songs form a bridge

linking us to You and the days of Creation.

And we praise You, dear God,
for creating the earth and all within it,

for taking our ancestors and us out of
Egyptian bondage and granting us freedom,

for the miracle of the Red Sea, and for listening to
our voices raised in prayer.

Thank you, dear God, for resting
on the seventh day so we might rest, too,

and for giving us light so we might kindle
candle flames,

and for blessing us with voices
so we might sing our gratitude to You.

Thank you, dear God, for the sound
of angels’ wings.

Like this post? Subscribe to have new posts sent to you by email the same day they are posted.