The Way of Love (Living in Divided Times)

Grant me to recognize in others, Lord God, the radiance of your own face.
~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955)

O God of love, we pray thee to give us love: Love in our thinking, love in our speaking, Love in our doing, and love in the hidden places of our souls; Love of our neighbors near and far; Love of our friends, old and new; Love of those with whom we find it hard to bear, And love of those who find it hard to bear with us; Love of those with whom we work, And love of those with whom we take our ease; Love in Joy, love in sorrow; Love in life and love in death; That so at length we may be worthy to dwell with thee, Who art eternal love. Amen.
(William Temple 1881-1944)

The Coventry Litany of Reconciliation (Canon Joseph Poole, 1958)
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class,

FATHER FORGIVE

The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own,

FATHER FORGIVE

The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth,

FATHER FORGIVE

Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others,

FATHER FORGIVE

Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee,

FATHER FORGIVE

The lust which dishonors the bodies of men, women and children,

FATHER FORGIVE

The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God,

FATHER FORGIVE

Be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
O Lord, you are the living Flame, and burning ceaselessly with love for all: enter into me and inflame me with your holy fire so that I might be like you. Amen. (John Henry Newman, 1801-1890)

Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:2)

Give me strength to live another day; Let me not turn coward before its difficulties or prove recreant to its duties; Let me not lose faith in other people; Keep me sweet and sound of heart, in spite of ingratitude, treachery, or meanness; Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them; Help me to keep my heart clean, and to live so honestly and fearlessly that no outward failure can dishearten me or take away the joy of conscious integrity; Open wide the eyes of my soul that I may see good in all things; Grant me this day some new vision of thy truth; Inspire me with the spirit of joy and gladness; and make me the cup of strength & love to suffering souls; in the name of the strong Deliverer, our only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. (Phillips Brooks, 1835-1893)

I am fundamentally an optimist. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death. (Nelson Mandela, 1918 – 2013)