A bit of Torah for Shabbat Ki Tavo ...

We turn once again to the words of the Union Prayer Book for our liturgical expression. While I was raised as a Reform Jew with these words, I have experienced many different liturgical expressions over the past 50+ years becoming aware. Here are words of prayer from the UPB for this Shabbat. "In this moment of silent communion with Thee, O Lord, a still, small voice speaks in the depth of my spirit. It speaks to me of the things I must do to attain holy kinship with Thee and to grow in the likeness of Thee. I must do my allotted task with unflagging faithfulness even though the eye of no taskmaster is on me. I must be gentle in the face of ingratitude or when slander distorts my noblest motives. I must come to the end of each day with a feeling that I have used its gifts gratefully and faced its trials bravely. O Lord, help me to be ever more like Thee, holy for Thou art holy, loving for Thou art love. Speak to me, then, O Lord, as I seek Thee again and again in the stillness of meditation, until thy bidding shall at last become for me a hallowed discipline, a familiar way of life, so that I may live on in the deeds that bless other lives and leave behind me the heritage of a good name. AMEN