Eternal
God,
You
challenge us to remember why we are here.
We
do have our own plans, views, desires, hopes, and commitments.
Some
of them are a function of the life we have chosen.
Others
may, in some way, touch upon what we are called to do by our ancient heritage.
It
is our duty to find quiet moments on our own and to join a community in prayer
to gain an appreciation for the world, to remember our loved ones who have
died, and to rededicate ourselves to the values of learning, freedom, rest,
kindness and peace.
It
is our responsibility to reach out to people in need in a way that transcends
boundaries and differences. Do not
oppress the strangers among you, You have said, and treat them as if they were
citizens. Extend your hand to the poor among you, You have said.
If
we accept these teachings that have been handed down to us, then our
association with each other in this place could lead to reaching for some of
those goals and fulfilling your teachings about how we can act in a world that
needs our help.
Empower
us to give hope to one another, to stop hatred and bullying in its tracks, and
to seek ways to join with others in the community to accomplish these important
tasks.
And
when we have guests coming into our midst, remind us how we felt when we were
strangers and newcomers, so that we will treat recent arrivals with a sense of
embrace that will exude care and warmth.
Always
be with us as we put one foot in front of the other in our journey towards a
future that we can, together, fill with goodness and promise.
Amen.
Amen.
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