Walk With me on Our Journey: The Revolutionary Message of Jesus to this Fragile and Broken World is Needed Today now More than Ever!

Good Evening Beloved Community!

Happy Keeping the Faith Friday Fearlessly without fretting. It's time for a revolution! A revolution that is based on Jesus' principles. Nothing more, nothing less. Everyday we keep seeing an inordinate amount of cruelty being visited upon God's children and God's Cathedral of Life. I don't know about you but this needs to stop. This needs to stop now. If we expect to become a united people, we need to be CALM (Compassionate, Accepting, Loving, and Merciful). Jesus has given us principles that are rooted in love, caring for the least of these, not to mention sharing all that we have with others. Walking this road requires great work daily. We are called to listen to one another, tear down walls and build bridges, cut the need to create borders where there are none (Hint look at the planet earth). We are all God's children and there isn't any place for hatred, bigotry, isms, and obias. It is time for a revolution that will evolve into a love-alution. Let us begin with the words from Luke Nephew:

Unsettling force:

We’re a new unsettling force
And we are powerful a new
unsettling force
And we’re here, we’re a new
unsettling force
For liberation and we’ve got nothing
to lose but our chains
And we’ve got nothing
to lose but our chains

Be still and know that God is Love.
Be still and know that God is.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be

Peace be still.

Peace be.

Peace.

Be still and know that I am God.

Be still and know that I am.

Be still and know.

Be still.

Now let us ponder these revolutionary quotes.

"My growth depends on my walls coming down." ~ Evelyn Underhill

"The true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love." ~ Che Guevara

"Use me, God. Show me how to take who I am, who I want to be, and what I can do, and use it for a purpose greater than myself." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

"God is always coming to you in the Sacrament of the Present Moment. Meet and receive Him there with gratitude in that sacrament." ~ Evelyn Underhill

"Every day People straighten up the hair, why not the heart?" ~ Che Guevara

"If we wish to serve God and love our neighbor well, we must manifest our joy in the service we render to Him and them. Let us open wide our hearts. It is joy which invites us. Press forward and fear nothing." ~ Katharine Drexel

"Have you ever noticed that Jesus is never recorded as taking a holiday? He retired for the purposes of his mission, not from it. He was never destroyed by his work; he was always on top of it. He moved among people as the master of every situation. He was busier than anyone; the multitudes were always at him, yet he had time, for everything and everyone. He was never hurried, or harassed, or too busy. He had complete supremacy over time; he never let it dictate to him. He talked of my time; my hour. He knew exactly when the moment had come for doing something and when it had not." ~ Evelyn Underhill

"Let the world change you and you can change the world" ~ Che Guevara

"It is not fitting, when one is in God's service, to have a gloomy face or a chilling look." ~ Francis of Assisi

"Love makes the whole difference between an execution and a martyrdom." ~ Evelyn Underhill

"Above all, try always to be able to feel deeply any injustice committed against any person in any part of the world. It is the most beautiful quality of a revolutionary." ~ Che Guevara

"The Holy Spirit upon my left leads my feet without ceasing into the camp of the righteous and into the tents of the free." ~ Maya Angelou

"If you have the capacity to tremble with indignation every time that an injustice is committed in the world, then we are comrades." ~ Che Guevara

"We cannot be part-time Christians! We should seek to live our faith at every moment of every day." ~ Pope Francis

"Words that do not match deeds are not important." ~ Che Guevara

"In the mercy of God, the little thing done with humility will enable us to be found in the same place as the saints who have labored much and been true servants of God." ~ Dorotheus of Gaza

"The best form of saying is doing." ~ Che Guevara

"The servant of God earns half a doctorate through illness" ~ Ignatius of Loyola

"One must endure without losing tenderness." ~ Che Guevara

"To the servant of God... every place is the right place, and every time is the right time." ~ St. Catherine of Siena

"A country that does not know how to read and write is easy to deceive." ~ Che Guevara

"The nonviolent man automatically becomes a servant of God." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Come let us worship.

Stay with us, Christ, for it is evening.
Make your Church bright with your radiance.

Joseph Barth: A Grace

We give thanks for Being;
We give thanks for being here;
We give thanks for being here together.

From the Arusha Call to Discipleship:

Loving God, we thank you for the gift of life in all its diversity and beauty. Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we praise you that you came to find the lost, to free the oppressed, to heal the sick, and to convert the self-centred. Holy Spirit, we rejoice that you breathe in the life of the world and are poured out into our hearts. As we live in the Spirit, may we also walk in the Spirit. Grant us faith and courage to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus: becoming pilgrims of justice and peace in our time. For the blessing of your people, the sustaining of the earth, and the glory of your name. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

The disciples were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke of the great things God had done. Acts 2:4, 11

God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. Romans 5:5

The wind blows where it wills and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from or where it is going; so it is with everyone born of the Spirit. John 3:8

The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5

You Lord are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name. Leave us not. Jeremiah 14:9

Light of the World Phos hilaron

Light of the world, in grace and beauty,
Mirror of God’s eternal face,
Transparent flame of love’s free duty,
You bring salvation to our race.
Now, as we see the lights of evening,
We raise our voice in hymns of praise;
Worthy are you of endless blessing,
Sun of our night, lamp of our days.

THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES -Anonymous

Lest we forget the great traditions of freedom and faith which are the heritage of humanity; lest we forget the pioneers, the statesmen, the bridge builders, the artists; and lest we forget You, the God of our fore bears who is our God also:

We light this candle of remembrance.

For the hope of a better world, in which righteousness and peace shall prevail among the people of the earth, and to create which is the task of the generations in which we stand, as well as for the courage and faith we shall need if we are to carry on this unfinished work:

We light this candle of consecration.

May the flame upon the altar of free faith shine in our hearts al ways, reminding us of the dark places to which we may carry light and strengthening us in every moment of doubt and discouragement with unwavering faith in You whom we serve and whose we are.

Let us light our candles and be at prayer. Tonight let us pray the Beatitudes and Prayer of St.Francis. Before we do this let us pray for peace in the world and an end to violence and terror. Let us remember the people throughout the world who in the last week have been victimized by terror all over the world. We pray for an end to gun violence and for sensible laws to protect God's children. Let us remember that if we lay down all our weaponry of hate and that includes our voices we will be on the way to safety and learning to love our neighbors who are our family members too.

The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (5:3)

Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted. (5:4)

Blessed are the meek: for they will inherit the earth. (5:5)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they will be filled. (5:6)

Blessed are the merciful: for they will be shown mercy. (5:7)

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. (5:8)

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they will be called children of God. (5:9)

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (5:10

The Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is

in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen

Psalm 141:1-3,8ab Domine, clamavi
O LORD, I call to you; come to me quickly; *
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, *
the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before my mouth, O LORD,
and guard the door of my lips; *
let not my heart incline to any evil thing.
My eyes are turned to you, Lord GOD; *
in you I take refuge.

IN LAK’ECH

TÚ ERES MI OTRO YO.

YOU ARE MY OTHER ME.

SI TE HAGO DAÑO A TI,

IF I DO HARM TO YOU,

ME HAGO DAÑO A MI MISMO.

I DO HARM TO MYSELF.

SI TE AMO Y RESPETO,

IF I LOVE AND RESPECT YOU,

ME AMO Y RESPETO YO.

I LOVE AND RESPECT MYSELF.

LUIS VALDEZ

Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love?' These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will be many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.

Henri Nouwen

A Smudging Prayer (Metis Aboriginal Ministries)
Creator,
our Father in heaven,
we come to you as your children.
We confess that we are weak and broken images of you.
We pray for the forgiveness and healing you give in Jesus Christ. May his Spirit clean our spirits, minds, hearts, and bodies.
We pray that your Holy Spirit will help us to worship in spirit and truth.
We pray in the name of Jesus, so that his Spirit will carry our prayers to you. Amen.

We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust. We must dissent from a nation that has buried its head in the sand, waiting in vain for the needs of its poor, its elderly, and its sick to disappear and just blow away. We must dissent from a government that has left its young without jobs, education or hope. We must dissent from the poverty of vision and the absence of moral leadership. We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better." - Thurgood Marshall

O God our shield and armor of light, whom we adore with all the angelic host: defend us from evil; watch over any who are in danger this night and give your angels charge over them; and grant that we may always rejoice in your heavenly protection and serve you bravely in the world; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

A Song of God’s Love
1 John 4:7-11

Beloved, let us love one another, *
for love is of God.
Whoever does not love does not know God, *
for God is Love.
In this the love of God was revealed among us, *
that God sent his only Son into the world,
so that we might live through Jesus Christ.
In this is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us *
and sent his Son that sins might be forgiven.
Beloved, since God loved us so much, *
we ought also to love one another.
For if we love one another, God abides in us, *
and God’s love will be perfected in us.

8 Domine, Dominus noster

1 O Lord our Governor, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!

2 Out of the mouths of infants and children *
your majesty is praised above the heavens.

3 You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries, *
to quell the enemy and the avenger.

4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, *
the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,

5 What is man that you should be mindful of him? *
the son of man that you should seek him out?

6 You have made him but little lower than the angels; *
you adorn him with glory and honor;

7 You give him mastery over the works of your hands; *
you put all things under his feet:

8 All sheep and oxen, *
even the wild beasts of the field,

9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, *
and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.

10 O Lord our Governor, *
how exalted is your Name in all the world!

1 Chronicles 29:10-13

David’s Praise to God

10 Then David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly; David said: ‘Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, for ever and ever. 11Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12Riches and honour come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. 13And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name.

A Song of Ezekiel
Ezekiel 36:24-28
I will take you from among all nations; *
and gather you from all lands to bring you home.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you; *
and purify you from false gods and uncleanness.
A new heart I will give you *
and a new spirit put within you.
I will take the stone heart from your chest *
and give you a heart of flesh.
I will help you walk in my laws *
and cherish my commandments and do them.
You shall be my people, *
and I will be your God.

1 Corinthians 15:50-52

50 What I am saying, brothers and sisters,* is this: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die,* but we will all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

A Song of Christ’s Goodness
Anselm of Canterbury
Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you; *
you are gentle with us as a mother with her children.
Often you weep over our sins and our pride, *
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.
You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds, *
in sickness you nurse us and with pure milk you feed us.
Jesus, by your dying, we are born to new life; *
by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.
Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness; *
through your gentleness, we find comfort in fear.
Your warmth gives life to the dead, *
your touch makes sinners righteous.
Lord Jesus, in your mercy, heal us; *
in your love and tenderness, remake us.
In your compassion, bring grace and forgiveness, *
for the beauty of heaven, may your love prepare us

John 1:43-51

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ 46Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ 47When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ 48Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ 49Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ 50Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ 51And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you,* you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

The Song of Mary Magnificat

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior, *
for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,
and holy is your name.
You have mercy on those who fear you *
from generation to generation.
You have shown strength with your arm *
and scattered the proud in their conceit,
Casting down the mighty from their thrones *
and lifting up the lowly.
You have filled the hungry with good things *
and sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the help of your servant Israel, *
for you have remembered your promise of mercy,
The promise made to our forebears, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

O God of earth and altar, you gave G. K. Chesterton a ready tongue and pen, and inspired him to use them in your service: Mercifully grant that we may be inspired to witness cheerfully to the hope that is in us; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Tonight we enter into prayers for all God's Children as we light our candles and be one with another.

Gracious Spirit Come among us in the quietness of this night so that we may hear God's still small voice calling us in love to be a family united in peace, love, and justice.

We pray this night for all earthly creatures and God's Cathedral of life. May we always remember that every living thing is a family member that sustains us.

Gracious Spirit guide us to take care of the least of these and all of our fragile family members and the world .

We pray for all who are ill that we may step up to help give aid and comfort.

Gracious Spirit, bend our ears so that we may listen to our family members' unspoken cries for love, help, and acceptance.

Gracious Spirit, we pray for all who are dying and those who have died and have entered the Thin Places today. We pray that your comforting presence and loving arms carried them into the arms of God.

We pray for the newly grieving and those who continue to mourn.

We pray for all who have fallen through the cracks, may we reconnect with them and be mindful of fragile souls who become invisible to us and that we may keep our eyes, hearts, and ears open.

Gracious Spirit, we pray for all those who are discerning vocations and new life paths that they may have courage to change course and say yes to whatever your are calling them to do and to be.

We pray for all refugees, political prisoners, victims of abuse and violence, and those who have died by all acts of violence and terror.

Gracious Spirit we add our own prayers and those we pray on behalf of others especially__________

We pray lift up all these petitions in Jesus most Holy and Redeeming Name. Amen.

+++++++

A Prayer of the Four Directions - Chief Seattle

Great Spirit of Light, come to me out of the East (red) with the power of the rising sun. Let there be light in my words, let there be light on my path that I walk. Let me remember always that you give the gift of a new day. And never let me be burdened with sorrow by not starting over again.

Great Spirit of Love, come to me with the power of the North (white). Make me courageous when the cold wind falls upon me. Give me strength and endurance for everything that is harsh, everything that hurts, everything that makes me squint. Let me move through life ready to take what comes from the north.

Great Life-Giving Spirit, I face the West (black), the direction of sundown. Let me remember everyday that the moment will come when my sun will go down. Never let me forget that I must fade into you. Give me a beautiful color, give me a great sky for setting, so that when it is my time to meet you, I can come with glory.

Great Spirit of Creation, send me the warm and soothing winds from the South (yellow). Comfort me and caress me when I am tired and cold. Unfold me like the gentle breezes that unfold the leaves on the trees. As you give to all the earth your warm, moving wind, give to me, so that I may grow close to you in warmth. Man did not create the web of life, he is but a strand in it. Whatever man does to the web, he does to himself.

Let us Pray,

Holy God you sent angels to be messengers of hope, health, healing and good news to all who need it, may we become angels and messengers in human form so that this world may know you, your love, and the gifts you bring to us through the voices and actions of many. Help us we pray as we answer your call to be daily messengers of Good News as we respond in the words of this mini litany.

Will you be an angel in human form to help bring peace to this hurting world?
I will with God's help.

Will you be an angel in human form spreading the Good news daily in both words and deeds?
I will with God's help.

Will you be an angel in human form comforting and loving our enemies when they need it the most?
I will with God's help.

Will you be an angel in human form seeking to be peace makers and children of God?
I will with God's help.

Will you seek to be a messenger of hope?
Yes, Loving and hope bearing God, every day that I live, move, and just be! May my words and deeds be loving reflections of you .

Will you seek to be a messenger of love?
Yes, Loving God who is Love, every day that I live, move, and just be! May my words and deeds be loving reflections of you .

Will you seek to be a messenger of joy?
Yes, Loving God and bringer of Joy, every day that I live, move, and just be! May my words and deeds be loving reflections of you .

Will you seek to be a messenger of comfort?
Yes, Loving God and Holy Comforter ,every day that I live, move, and just be! May my words and deeds be loving reflections of you .

Will you seek to be a messenger crying out for Justice, mercy and unity?
Yes, Loving God of Justice, mercy, and unity, every day that I live, move, and just be! May my words and deeds be loving reflections of you .

Will you seek to be a messenger of healing and voice for the voiceless and marginalized?
Yes, Loving God and healer of us all, every day that I live, move, and just be! May my words and deeds be loving reflections of you .

Will you strive to do these things for God and our family members?
Yes, Loving God, every day that I live, move, and just be! May my words and deeds be loving reflections of you and to our family members throughout the world.

The Lord’s Prayer or the alternative is said. From A New Zealand Prayer Book

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours

now and for ever. Amen.

Eternal Spirit,

Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver,

Source of all that is and that shall be,

Father and Mother of us all,

Loving God, in whom is heaven:

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!

The way of your justice be followed by the peoples

of the world!

Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!

Your commonwealth of peace and freedom

sustain our hope and come on earth.

With the bread we need for today, feed us.

In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.

In times of temptation and test, strengthen us.

From trials too great to endure, spare us.

From the grip of all that is evil, free us.

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love,

now and for ever. Amen.

God our rock and refuge: keep us safe in your care and strengthen us with your grace, that we may pray to you faithfully and love one another boldly, following the example of Jesus, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives for ever and ever. Amen. (source: Veronese Sacramentary

Holy Wisdom, in your loving kindness you created and restored us when we were lost: inspire us with your truth, that we may love you with our whole minds and run to you with open hearts, through Christ our Savior. Amen. (source: Alcuin of York, Mass of Wisdom)

A Collect for Peace

Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right

judgements, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that

peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be

fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered

from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness;

through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Our Closing Vigil Prayers

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

LOVE REFUGEES AS YOURSELF

When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. (Leviticus 19:33-34)

"I urge you to celebrate the extraordinary courage and contributions of refugees past and present." - Kofi Annan

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

LEAVE FOOD FOR THE POOR AND THE FOREIGNER

When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. (Leviticus 19:9-10)

"Migrants and refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity" - Pope Francis

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

GOD LOVES THE FOREIGNER RESIDING AMONG YOU

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt. (Deuteronomy 10:18-19)

"You cross a border and the policeman or the frontier policeman look at you, What are you doing here? Why are you coming? How long will you stay? Well, if I had nearly enough years, I would write a novel about being a refugee." - Elie Wiesel

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

THE SIN OF SODOM: THEY DID NOT HELP THE POOR AND NEEDY

Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. (Ezekiel 16:49)

"I've never stopped being a refugee." - Nguyen Viet Thang

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

DO NOT OPPRESS A FOREIGNER

Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt. (Exodus 23:9)

"Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

DO NOT DEPRIVE FOREIGNERS AMONG YOU OF JUSTICE

“So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:5)

"I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong." - George Washington

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

DO WHATEVER THE FOREIGNER ASKS OF YOU

“As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name. (1 Kings 8:41-44)

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." - Emma Lazarus

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

LEAVE YOUR DOOR OPEN TO THE TRAVELER

No stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler (Job, discussing his devotion to God) (Job 31:32)

"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door." - Emma Lazarus

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

INVITE THE STRANGER IN

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ (Matthew 25:25-36)

"[Let] the poor the needy and oppressed of the Earth, and those who want Land, resort to the fertile lands of our western country, the second land of Promise, and there dwell in peace, fulfilling the first and great commandment." - George Washington

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

WE WERE ALL BAPTIZED BY ONE SPIRIT

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14)

"A smile is the universal welcome." - Max Eastman

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF

For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14)

"Extend
your arms
in welcome
to the future.
The best
is yet to come!" - Anthony de Mello

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy.

HAVE MERCY ON YOUR NEIGHBOR

He asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:29-37)

Like the Good Samaritan, may we not be ashamed of touching the wounds of those who suffer, but try to heal them with concrete acts of love.

Pope Francis

God help us to be faithful to this baptismal promise:

Will you strive for justice and peace among all
people, and respect the dignity of every human
being?
I will, with God's help.
God give us courage and strength to carry this out in compassion, acceptance love and mercy. Amen.

The Wisdom of God

the Love of God

and the Grace of God

strengthen us

to be Christ’s hands and heart in this world,

in the name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.

(source: Celtic)

Blessing

See that ye be at peace among yourselves, my children,

and love one another.

Follow the example of the wise and good

and God will comfort you and help you,

both in this world

and in the world which is to come.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

++++

Bonus Prayers

Let us pray and reflect upon these quotes of St. Oscar Romero and respond with these words of his:
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"Let us not tire of preaching love; it is the force that will overcome the world." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"The ones who have a voice must speak for those who are voiceless." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"A church that doesn't provoke any crises, a gospel that doesn't unsettle, a word of God that doesn't get under anyone’s skin, a word of God that doesn't touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed — what gospel is that?" ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"When the church hears the cry of the oppressed it cannot but denounce the social structures that give rise to and perpetuate the misery from which the cry arises." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"I will not tire of declaring that if we really want an effective end to violence we must remove the violence that lies at the root of all violence: structural violence, social injustice, exclusion of citizens from the management of the country, repression. All this is what constitutes the primal cause, from which the rest flows naturally." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"There are many things that can only be seen through eyes that have cried" ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"We must not seek the child Jesus in the pretty figures of our Christmas cribs. We must seek him among the undernourished children who have gone to bed at night with nothing to eat, among the poor newsboys who will sleep covered with newspapers in doorways." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"Peace is the product of justice and love." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"Beautiful is the moment in which we understand that we are no more than an instrument of God; we live only as long as God wants us to live; we can only do as much as God makes us able to do; we are only as intelligent as God would have us be." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"There is no dichotomy between man and God's image. Whoever tortures a human being, whoever abuses a human being, whoever outrages a human being, abuses God's image." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"Each time we look upon the poor, on the farmworkers who harvest the coffee, the sugarcane, or the cotton... remember, there is the face of Christ." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"We suffer with those who have disappeared, those who have had to flee their homes, and those who have been tortured." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"The church would betray its own love for God and its fidelity to the gospel if it stopped being . . . a defender of the rights of the poor . . . a humanizer of every legitimate struggle to achieve a more just society . . . that prepares the way for the true reign of God in history." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

""Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all. Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity. It is right and it is duty."" ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"If some day they take the radio station away from us, if they close down our newspaper, if they don’t let us speak, if they kill all the priests and the bishop too, and you are left, a people without priests, each one of you must be God’s microphone, each one of you must be a messenger, a prophet. The church will always exist as long as there is one baptized person. And that one baptized person who is left in the world is responsible before the world for holding aloft the banner of the Lord’s truth and of his divine justice." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"Those who surrender to the service of the poor through love of Christ, will live like the grains of wheat that dies. It only apparently dies. If it were not to die, it would remain a solitary grain. The harvest comes because of the grain that dies. We know that every effort to improve society, above all when society is so full of injustice and sin, is an effort that God blesses; that God wants; that God demands of us." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"I don’t want to be an anti, against anybody. I simply want to be the builder of a great affirmation: the affirmation of God,who loves us and who wants to save us." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"Let us be today's Christians. Let us not take fright at the boldness of today's church. With Christ's light let us illuminate even the most hideous caverns of the human person: torture, jail, plunder, want, chronic illness. The oppressed must be saved, not with a revolutionary salvation, in mere human fashion, but with the holy revolution of the Son of Man, who dies on the cross to cleanse God's image, which is soiled in today's humanity, a humanity so enslaved, so selfish, so sinful." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"Ask and it shall be given you; Seek and ye shall find; Knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh, receiveth; And he that seeketh, Findeth; and to him that knocketh It shall be opened. Aspire not to have more, but to be more." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"God is not satisfied with appearance. God wants the garment of justice. God wants his Christians dressed in love." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

"Peace is not the product of terror or fear." ~ Oscar Romero
"We are prophets of a future not our own." ~ Oscar Romero

Prophets of a Future Not Our Own

The following prayer is written by then-Fr. Ken Untener and often attributed to the story of Archbishop Oscar Romero because they summarize his ministry and commitment to the people of El Salvador and to Christ.

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.

The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision.

We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the magnificent

enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of

saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.

No statement says all that could be said.

No prayer fully expresses our faith.

No confession brings perfection.

No pastoral visit brings wholeness.

No program accomplishes the Church’s mission.

No set of goals and objectives includes everything.

This is what we are about.

We plant the seeds that one day will grow.

We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise.

We lay foundations that will need further development.

We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.

We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.

This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.

It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an

opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.

We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master

builder and the worker.

We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.

We are prophets of a future not our own.

This prayer was first presented by Cardinal Dearden in 1979 and quoted by Pope Francis in 2015. This reflection is an excerpt from a homily written for Cardinal Dearden by then-Fr. Ken Untener on the occasion of the Mass for Deceased Priests, October 25, 1979. Pope Francis quoted Cardinal Dearden in his remarks to the Roman Curia on December 21, 2015. Fr. Untener was named bishop of Saginaw, Michigan, in 1980. (From Ignatian Solidarity Network)

Praying with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as Set forth by the United Nations.

Preamble

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Article 1.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 2.

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 3.

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 4.

No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 5.

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 6.

Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 7.

All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law.All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 8.

Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 9.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 10.

Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 11.

(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.
Article 12.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 13.

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 14.

(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 15.

(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 16.

(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 17.

(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 18.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 19.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 20.

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 21.

(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 22.

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 23.

1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 24.

Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 25.

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 26.

(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 27.

(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 28.

Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 29.

(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

Article 30.

Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

Amen and Let it be so O, God. God hear the cries of your people.

++++

Tonight I ask us all to take the Matthew 25 Pledge again and again until poverty at home and abroad is vanquished. Here is the pledge.