spirituality

Advent thoughts of Oscar Romero

Advent should admonish us to discover
In each brother or sister that we greet,
In each friend whose hand we shake,
In each beggar who asks for bread,
In each worker who wants to use the right to join a union,
In each peasant who looks for work in the coffee groves,
The face of Christ.

Then it would not be possible to rob them,
To cheat them,
To deny them their rights.

They are Christ,
And whatever is done to them
Christ will take as done to him.

That is what Advent is:
Christ living among us.

Archbishop Oscar Romero

Steadfast Love

When my soul is bereft of peace,

I’ve forgotten what happiness is,

I find this I call to mind

And therefore I have hope –

When injustice shrivels the soul,

In a world that’s forgotten the way,

I find this I call to mind

And therefore I have hope –

The steadfast love of God will never cease,

God’s mercies will never come to an end –

They are new every morning,

They are new every morning

God’s steadfast love will never come to an end.

Prayer for Good Friday

The healer brought pain

The one with the easy yoke brought turmoil

Just as Mary’s soul was pierced

With the death of her son

So our hearts are pierced

By the death of so many

And God’s heart is pierced

By the oppressed and forgotten

And Mary feels the pain of her dying son

And God feels the pain of the dying children

A sword of betrayal pierces the Holy Land

A sword of prejudice rejects people –

People, Lord, that you call holy –

Because all are holy in your eyes –

And our hearts are pierced as our friends suffer

As our friends are betrayed at the hands of the powerful

At the hands of the dominant and rich

And our hearts are pierced by the sword of injustice

Like the spear that pierced the side of Jesus

We cry out in pain for our wounded friends

Our prayers are not heard – the Church remains silent

The western world supports the wielding of the sword

The vulnerable are struck down

Why – why is there no healing?

A sword pierces my heart . . .

I am wounded deep.

© Garth Hewitt

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Prayer for the New Year

Everloving God it is a new year full of new opportunities

As we ask forgiveness for the past

And make resolutions for the future