Evening Prayer: August 10, 2014 Good Evening to my Casa friends. As we have now arrived at the end of our week together, I would like to reflect on the words of Pope Francis, a man who has inspired more hope for our future as people of God and as citizens of the world than anyone in many years. On Sunday, May 25, 2014, during his historic visit to the Holy Land, he called out the leaders of Palestine and Israel to move forward on a path of peace through prayer, and offering himself as a conduit. Let us listen to his invitation to the leaders offered in his mass held in Manger Square in Bethlehem. “In this, the birthplace of the Prince of Peace, I wish to invite you, President Mahmoud Abbas, together with President Shimon Peres, to join me in heartfelt prayer to God for the gift of peace. I offer my home in the Vatican as a place for this encounter of prayer. All of us want peace. Many people build it day by day through small gestures and acts; many of them are suffering, yet patiently persevere in their efforts to be peacemakers. All of us – especially those placed at the service of their respective peoples – have the duty to become instruments and artisans of peace, especially by our prayers. Building peace is difficult, but living without peace is a constant torment. The men and women of these lands, and of the entire world, all of them, ask us to bring before God their fervent hopes for peace.” Reflect on these words, in light of what has happened since they were spoken, and then please join me in prayer. O God, we listen to these words, spoken with love and evoking so much hope. They were part of a tour whose motto was “Ut unum sint” or “So they may be one”. We know that in his “Farewell Prayer” Jesus prayed similar words to you, on behalf of his disciples. With your help we will keep that prayer alive by taking care of the widows and orphans, washing the feet of the sick and infirmed, feeding the poor and hungry, and advocating for peace. We pray that your spirit of peace, love and compassion will enter into the hearts of all who are involved in the conflict and suffering in the world and bring with it a quick end. Let us keep the goal that has been set before us a priority - so we may be “One in the Spirit” and so all of your people of faith with recognize each other by our love. This we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen and Amen. (In a learning circle I attended recently, we sang this song substituting “God’s People” for “Christians” which allowed us to include everyone.) youtu.be/o7_wHi0PNHg
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:54:10 +0000