Saint Francis of Assisi gives us this mantra about the basis of zeal.
Breathing in: My God . . .
Breathing out: and my all.
A Blessing for Zeal
May you grab all the gusto out of your one and glorious life.
May you squeeze it dry so that not a drop is left to live.
May you be filled with a zealous passion that feels each moment fully and embraces all the spectrum of colors and emotions.
May you follow what gives you joy and purpose and meaning, trusting that this is where you are being called to fully live your life.
May your voice be the loudest in the choir even if it is off-key.
May you dance with freedom and energetic abandonment.
May you shout out defiantly “l’chaim!” when faced with adversity and suffering.
May you sing hallelujah with zeal and zest for the new day.
May you send out good vibrations that reverberate to the far corners of the world and beyond.
May you come to know deep in your heart that the end is only the beginning
— Kaki Grubbs, Spiritual Literacy Certificates Program, 2024 Cohort
Other Prayers
A Prayer for Zeal
Implant within my heart, O God,
the fiery zeal of a Jeremiah,
the conviction of a Ruth or Rebecca
and the zest of a Francis of Assisi.
Stir my slumbering soul,
that it might sing a song of passion and devotion,
drunk with dancing joy and desire for you,
my divine and loving Friend.
May my heart be as hot as the heart of Moses
for all your children burdened by slavery,
for all who feel oppression's steely heel
or suffer rejection in an alien land.
May I, like your son Jesus,
be consumed with zeal for you, Divine Beloved,
for life, for justice and for peace;
for all that I know in faith.
Fill me with zeal, O God.
Amen.
— Edward Hays in Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim
Endless Joy
Endless Joy,
infuse my wilting spirit
with radiant vitality
and the sweet savoring of life.
— Joyce Rupp in Out of the Ordinary
