Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Dearest God,

Why turn to you, Lord? Why shift from doing our own thing to doing your thing? Faith is the gesture of moving from one's self-centered life to a life open to you.

This world is grand and wondrous, filled with infinite possibilities, scenes to be seen, experiences to be lived, fun to be had. But your world, a far greater expanse, is full to the brim with agape love, grace, wonder, hope, beauty, compassion, mercy, and joy. All these make for a world of community life, acknowledging our responsibility to one another, our privilege of caring for one another. There is no experience more grand than helping another.

Basically we are self-centered individuals, looking out for ourself. We want to feed our own needs and wants. We will do this even when the world's peoples are collapsing from hunger, poverty, and injustice. Often we cannot see beyond our own skin, not even willing to take a peek at others.

But when we turn to you, our world begins to take on new hues, shapes and forms. We are able to burst out of our own skin to see the flesh of our neighbor. We begin to care. Our selfishness can be transformed. We can begin to live compassionate lives offering grace and love; we can become bearers of hope to others.

What is a beautiful life if not one that lives to help others, to aid and assist earth brothers and sisters in their plight? We cannot take responsibility from them; we must acknowledge that they have the right to live their own life. But when they need help, we are present to assist them.

Why would we want to live self-centered lives when we can help to give life to others?

Enter our souls,
Lord,
touch them
with your love.
Give us
a glimmer
of hope
that helps us
care for
one another.
Inspire our hearts
to move beyond
our own skin
so we
may be enabled
to view
the skin
of another.
Teach us
your ways,
O Lord.
Open your world
to us
in our
daily living,
we pray.

Love, Andrea