Dear Friends,
Thank you to all who commented on last week’s reflection on happiness. Your sentiments were greatly appreciated. This week, I would still like to share with you some of the experiences I have had with the humanity of this wonderful world we live in.
Two and some years ago when the war began in Ukraine, we began singing ‘Let There Be Peace on Earth’ at the end of Mass, as well as ‘The Prayer of St. Francis’. Interestingly, I came across some articles and prayers produced by the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) that touched upon some of the experiences I was having. People seem not only to have lost their JOY but being polite, actually civil to one another, has gone out the window. Here is a prayer that imitates the prayer of St. Francis. It is called the PRAYER FOR CIVILITY. I have actually copied it and posted it by my sink to remind me each morning to be civil. I will share it with you:
Prayer for Civility
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where uncivil words prevail, show me how to model love. Help me remember the God-given dignity of all and invite others to do the same.
Show me how to build bridges and not walls and see first what unites us rather than how we diverge.
Let me seek to understand before asking to be understood. Give me a listening heart filled with empathy and compassion.
May I be clear in sharing my own position and respectful and civil in describing those of others.
Let me never tolerate hateful ideas. May I invite all to charity and love.
Lord, help me to imitate your compassion and mercy.
Make me an instrument of your peace. AMEN
I believe that when we move out of ourselves and truly respect those we encounter each day our world can become a different place. This week check and see if you are building bridges or walls, and truly listening to another’s opinion. Can you agree to disagree and still be civil in your responses?
This is a tall order, but I pray that we all can become instruments of God’s peace and civility.
Till next week,
Sister Theresita
