Holy One, burn down to embers
the fires that rage within us
of anger, jealousy, self-righteousness.

Burn down to embers
the fires that rage within our communities
of prejudice, resentment, fear.

Burn down to embers
the fires that rage in our world
of violence, pollution, possessiveness.

Turn us to ashes and dust, we pray:
soft and yielding,
material you can shape and recreate
and breathe new life into once again.

Cool our hot-headedness,
soften our hard-heartedness
and shape our scattered thoughts
that we might become people you would have us be:

children of dust,
and children of God.

Your good creations,
created for good.

Amen. (time for silent reflection)