Dear Family of Love,
For the past few days we have been grappling with the use of phrases, words, and how we describe things and people such as "is it a hate crime or is it terrorism"? In this case it was both and we should just leave it at that. Watching our president today meticulously choose the words in his speech today, should be a model for us to follow. The words we use can define who we are as a people and also can show who we are as people of faith. When I see hate speak every day, I become exhausted to the point of anger and feel like I want to lash out in the same words but that's when I feel God's gentle tap on my shoulder drawing me back in. Seeing Donald Trump constantly belittle and abuse people by the words he says it hurts my heart and certainly makes me nervous and scared to say the least. We are better than that people! We are a better nation than that and we must regain our solid footing and learn to use our words carefully and reverently. This isn't a time to be flip and hate filled. We must think before we speak and in the same way when we act. The next few months we must set our feet on a path where our faith matches our words. We might want to ask ourselves this What Would Jesus Say and How Would Jesus Say it? You may replace Jesus with G_D if you are Jewish and if you practice Islam, Allah is fine too. I wanted everyone to know that you certainly may adapt the prayers and the vigils to be in line with your faith community. We all are family. From time to time I forget that we are a multi-faith family.
Gracious God we light our candles this night as we pray that we may learn from each other and choose our words reverently and in the spirit of Your compassion, acceptance, love, and mercy. May our words provide comfort and guidance when needed. We pray that as we speak we may earnestly listen to what we are saying and how we say it. We pray that we may drop the use of negative labels that serve only incite fear, violence, and hate. We pray that the words we say may speak truth to power . We pray that the words we say may unite and not divide and lead us to a peaceful and healed world. We pray that we may walk the walk and talk the talk as members of one family and act to benefit of all people. We pray for our LGBTQI, Muslim, and Latino family members and wrap our loving prayers and words around them with grace, love, and care. We pray that we may seek to love one another and yes that means our enemies and those who hate us. Let us this night listen to what our world is saying and with listening ears and open hearts pray for solutions and guidance so that we may act accordingly with God's help and change the world for the better. We pray that we may in the words of St. Francis " Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." We lift up these our prayers and remember these words" The Light of Christ in Me recognizes the light of Christ in you!" Amen,
A different kind of meditation and prayers
This was a Verse of the Day from Sojourners. Ponder the scriptural text and ponder and meditate one the questions:
But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.
- Luke 10:33
This made me ask the following questions using the words "Would you/I?" #AllLivesMatter
Would you/I accept help from a Muslim, LGBTQ, African American, Latino , or anyone who differs from you/us?
Would you/I welcome the above into your family, faith community as a visitor, neighborhood, and show them/ us radical hospitality and love?
Would you/I accept a blood or organ donation from any of the above persons?
Would you/ I be able if We/I were in their neighborhood to go and knock on the door for help?
Would you/I turn y/our/my back on the above family members if they were on the side of the road?
Finally, what kind of Samaritan are you or am I?
God we give thanks to you who challenges us each day to be better than we are.
Challenge us God so that we may be changed fully into your loving likenesss.
Challenge us we pray O God to rise and speak for the voiceless ones.
Challenge us we pray O God, to Open our hearts wider to make more room for more family members in our heart homes.
Challenge us we pray O God, to take risks and serve you each and every day in your kingdom.
Challenge us we pray O God, to make peace with our personal enemies and those who wish us harm. We pray that we may love them as you have taught us to love.
Challenge us we pray O God each day to love the unlovable and the least of these and come to their aid as the Good Samaritan did.
Challenge us we pray O God, to make the world in which you have entrusted to us safer, peaceful, cleaner, and may we honor and conserve your Cathedral of Life.
Challenge us we pray O God, to seek out the lonely, lost, and all of the marginalized and most vulnerable.
Challenge us we pray O God, to remember Orlando and all places of violence and pray for an end to violence of any kind.
Challenge us we pray O God, to care for each other as we grieve together and alone the loss of loved ones and friends.
Challenge us we pray O Jesus to keep on the path you have set for us and think what you would have us do and that the answers to the Would you/I questions would be a resounding "Yes!" and that we would be truly Good Samaritans who wouldn't pass anyone by on the road. We lift up these our prayers in your most Holy Name. Amen.
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Good Night Dearly Loved Ones! I love you and give thanks to you always!
With love and blessings,
Sara
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