Reflection “Why did God create swarms of bees, prides of lions, herds of deer, schools of fish, and flocks of birds, and only one human couple? So that no one can say to another ‘My ancestry is superior to yours.’” –The Mishnah Praye

Prayer

Love over all,

We are one human family, and we are called to act like it. We often do not. Heal us, therefore, of every inclination to assert division rather than embrace diversity. May we commit to respecting and loving our unity, precisely because it is so wondrously varied, colorful, beautiful. Give us grateful hearts and happy eyes, as we behold all the unique intersections of identities and backgrounds and families that make us the people we are. You see it and love it and call it good. Help us do the same. And we beg for your mercy, when the unity we seek is otherwise fractured by the unholy blindness of pitiful souls still trapped by hatred. Have mercy on us all, we pray. Amen.

Reflection “Unnecessary noise, then, is the most cruel absence of care which can be inflicted either on sick or well.” –Florence Nightingale Prayer Everlasting peace, We are chronically deprived of silence. And yet we know that to

Prayer

Everlasting peace,

We are chronically deprived of silence. And yet we know that to be without silence is to be alienated from ourselves. Distant from that inward space where we can return to our foundations and revive a sense of wholeness. For the sake of our own well-being, grace us today with a peaceful and grounding moment away from unnecessary noise. For the sake of others, may we likewise be mindful of the noises we make in their presence, whether our patients or colleagues or even the acquaintances with whom we share the daily routines. Let our commitment to compassionate care extend even to the atmosphere of sound around us. Amen.

Reflection “Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together.” –Eugene Ionesco Prayer Spirit of unity, The polarizations and tensions we feel in society today are symptoms of a deeper, spiritual blindness. We refuse t

Prayer

Spirit of unity,

The polarizations and tensions we feel in society today are symptoms of a deeper, spiritual blindness. We refuse to see how deeply we belong to each other and we ignore the truth of our being, that we cannot flourish in isolation and division. As a ministry, help us stand out as a people united, beyond all division, by hope and compassion. Let the mission we share with you inspire us to find new paths of dreaming and healing that can bring us together more and more. As one people, called by your name, we pray. Amen.

Feast of St. Brendan

Feast of St. Brendan

Prayer

God of earth and sky,

On this Feast of St. Brendan, we set aside time to rejoice in your spirit of creation. A spirit of life and abundance that so often surprises us with the appearance of color and grandeur in even the most unexpected places, refusing to be covered over by our pavement and buildings and roadways. Open our eyes to creation on this most amazing day, that we might see the earth and sky and all natural creatures through your eyes. Simply by being what they are, they echo your own affirmation, that to be is to be good. To be is beautiful. Amen.

Reflection “At a time when the community is suffering, no one should say, ‘I will go home, eat, drink, and be at peace with myself.’” –The Talmud Prayer God of my neighbor, In a culture reeling from what feels like one heartbreaki

Prayer

God of my neighbor,

In a culture reeling from what feels like one heartbreaking disaster to another, it is so tempting simply to shut our eyes and ears and lock our doors. How long, O Lord, must we struggle with even the most basic affirmations of dignity, respect, and belonging? Give us strength to not shut the door on others’ pain. Fill us instead with stamina and wholesome resilience, to continue expressing your heart of compassion within and for our communities. In solidarity, as one human family, so needy before you. Amen.

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day

Prayer

Eternal love,

Our mothers so often reveal to us the paradox of grace united with strength. We are right to say thanks. For their sacrificial love, for their healing and comforting presence, for the way they always know just what to say to encourage and console, but also to urge forward and move on. May our mothers be blessed. We pray also today for those who are grieving the loss of a mother, or those who are hurting because this gift of a loving, mothering presence was either absent or distorted. May these also be blessed and find healing. May we all be inspired to reflect your own maternal heart of love to those we encounter. Amen.

Reflection “The life I touch for good or ill will touch another life, and that in turn another, until who knows where the trembling stops or in what far place my touch will be felt.” –Frederick Buechner Prayer God of connections,

Prayer

God of connections,

May your human family on earth be reminded today and each day that we are truly bonded together. As one people made in your image, we share a common origin and a common destiny. And so for good or for ill, our actions always have an impact beyond us, affecting others far and wide. Give us grace to see this truth in all its dynamism, that we might live into it conscientiously. Help us choose to become a blessing to others, knowing that every action or word will make an impact upon the quality of life we are sharing together. Amen.