Church Unity Octave

 January 18 - January 25

As long as racism exists, we live in a divided society and a divided world, so during this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity we reflect upon how these divisions impact our shared life as we pray together for the unity for which Christ prayed. But we also acknowledge how much churches have contributed to division and prejudice within our institutions and also society. As long as there is racism there will be no Christian unity!  

Reading Isaiah 1:12-18

Accusation and Appeal

The vision which Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth, for the LORD speaks:

Sons have I raised and reared, but they have rebelled against me! 

An ox knows its owner, and an ass,* its master’s manger;

But Israel does not know, my people has not understood. 

 

Ah! Sinful nation, people laden with wickedness, evil offspring,

    corrupt children!

They have forsaken the LORD, spurned the Holy One of Israel, apostatized, 

Why would you yet be struck, that you continue to rebel?

The whole head is sick, the whole heart faint.

From the sole of the foot to the head there is no sound spot in it;

Just bruise and welt and oozing wound, not drained, or bandaged, 

   or eased with salve.

  

Your country is waste, your cities burnt with fire;

Your land—before your eyes strangers devour it, 

    a waste, like the devastation of Sodom. 

And daughter Zion is left like a hut in a vineyard,

Like a shed in a melon patch, like a city blockaded.

If the LORD of hosts had not left us a small remnant,

We would have become as Sodom, would have resembled Gomorrah.

   

Hear the word of the LORD, princes of Sodom!

Listen to the instruction of our God, people of Gomorrah!

What do I care for the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD.

I have had enough of whole-burnt rams and fat of fatlings;

In the blood of calves, lambs, and goats I find no pleasure. 

When you come to appear before me, who asks these things of you?

 

Trample my courts no more!

    To bring offerings is useless;

    incense is an abomination to me.

New moon and sabbath, calling assemblies—festive convocations with

    wickedness— these I cannot bear. 

Your new moons and festivals I detest;  they weigh me down,

     I tire of the load.

When you spread out your hands, I will close my eyes to you;

Though you pray the more, I will not listen.

Your hands are full of blood!  Wash yourselves clean!

 

Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil; 

     learn to do good.

Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,

     hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow. 

  

Come now, let us set things right, says the LORD:

Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow;

Though they be red like crimson, they may become white as wool. 

  

The Prophet Isaiah calls us to learn to do good and requires us to decide to engage with the issues.  We are challenged to engage in self-reflection.  Praying together during this week of Christian Unity, allows us to reflect on what unites us and enables us to commit ourselves to confront all instances of oppression and injustice.

As Christians we must be willing to disrupt systems of oppression and advocate for justice.  Our commitment to each other requires us to engage in restorative justice.  We must speak out, dismantle unjust structures and create a society in which people can live with freedom and dignity.  We must engage in dialogue and so increase awareness and insight about the lived experience of all people.  Together, we must engage in the struggle for justice in society - because we all belong to Christ.

Made In the Image of God

We give them names:

refugees, 
asylum seekers, 
migrants, 
economic migrants, 
some more welcome than others.
But you know their human names
Because they are your kin,
Stamped with your image,
Divinely human.

Prayer

You made us, God,

In your own image,
And then became one of us,
Proud of those you have made.

        Make us proud of being part of that
Worldwide family,
And eager to discover and celebrate
Your image
In every person, every culture, 
Every nation
That we are privileged to encounter.  AMEN. 

Go and Do

Take time to learn about a culture/language/nation of which you know nothing, or very little.  Learn as much as you can about those people and, if at all possible, learn more directly from a person (s) from that group.

Include a different language in the worship of your church at your service or liturgy - it may be more effective if no one in you congregation understands it!

Are there groups of people in our nation or any nation around the world today who are oppressed, excluded, rights taken away, treated with indignity and injustice?  Find out more about who they are and their situation and how you and your Christian Community could support them and/or learn from them.

We Sing as ONE

The Church’s One Foundation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jotNbcFelX4

Celebrate and Honor Dr. Martin Luther King

MLK Day

Remember!  Celebrate!  Act!

A Day On,  Not a Day Off!

On January 16, 2023, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday will mark the 28th anniversary of the national day of service. This day was established to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King, and to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

Americans celebrated the first official Martin Luther King Day, which is the only federal holiday commemorating an African-American, on Monday, January 20, 1986. In 1994, Congress designated the holiday as a national day of service, and marking the third Monday in January every year as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service - a "Day On, Not a Day Off."

Dr. King advocated for nonviolent resistance to overcome injustice as a means of lifting racial oppression. He created change with organized sit-ins, marches, and peaceful demonstrations that highlighted issues of inequality. Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964; he was the youngest person to ever receive this high honor. He followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father by entering the ministry to become a Baptist minister. On April 4, 1968, at the age of 39, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee as he stood on the balcony of his hotel. Dr. King traveled to Memphis, Tennessee to lead a march in support of striking sanitation workers.

We remember Dr. King as a husband, father, friend, and fierce advocate for the betterment of all people. Honor his memory by organizing, volunteering, and spreading the word. Remember to MAKE IT A DAY ON, NOT A DAY OFF, for you and those around you.

Prayer for MLK Day

Holy God. Today, we remember Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s struggle for equality, justice, and dignity for African Americans that inspired so many other reform movements that seek to highlight the plight of the oppressed in society.

We pray that all of those in civil and religious authority be reminded that we all have been created in your image, and that there is an intrinsic dignity in each of us that calls for uplifting every man and woman, young and old.

We pray that your Holy Spirit remind us all that you show no partiality with regards to nationality, race, ethnicity, or gender, and to do so is to go against your great commandment of love toward one another.

We pray that the church will not be complicit of injustice by being silent, but that it can rise up with a prophetic voice that speaks truth to power and advances the values of your Kingdom.

We pray these things in the name of our blessed redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Be Aware!

 “Human trafficking is a crime against humanity. We must unite our efforts to free victims and stop this crime that’s become ever more aggressive, that threatens not just individuals, but the foundational values of society.” – Pope Francis

Scripture Reading      Isaiah 58: 6-9

“This is the sort of fast that is pleasing to me:
Remove the chains of injustice and undo the ropes of the yoke.
Let those who are oppressed go free and break every yoke you encounter.
Share your bread with those who are hungry and shelter homeless poor people. Clothe those who are naked and don’t hide from the needs of your own flesh and blood.  Do this, and your light will shine like the dawn and your healing will break forth like lightning.  Hear what God is saying to the Church.’”

Response to the Reading Human trafficking and slavery are illegal in every country, but present in every nation on Earth.  A moment of silence in solidarity with those who suffer from human  trafficking.

Moment of Silence

Psalm 34: 17-18

The just cry out, and God hears them and saves them from all their troubles. 
God is close to the brokenhearted and rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 

Intercessory Prayers

Our response to each petition is: Loving God, hear our prayer

For all of the women, men and children who will be trafficked today ….
For the parents who have lost their children through human trafficking…
For children and young people who are being exploited online…
For the conversion of heart for those who are traffickers…
For ourselves, that we may recognize and safely report human trafficking in our midst…
For all those engaged in education and advocacy to end human trafficking…

Christ Be Our Light

By Bernadette Farrell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH0FMhH7DrU

PLEASE NOTE

This day is specifically dedicated to awareness and prevention of the illegal practice. Since the Senate established this day of observance in
2007, it has drawn massive public support from individual donations to government-organized events. The horrific injustice of human trafficking can affect people of any race and background, and on this day we are all called to fight human trafficking wherever it exists. Learn more HERE.

Follow The Star in 2023

 

Feast of the Three Kings

Fiesta de los Tres Reyes Mages

Epiphany, also known as Little Christmas, or Three Kings’ Day, is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. The feast commemorates principally (but not exclusively) the visit of the Magi to the Christ child, and thus Jesus’ physical manifestation to the Gentiles.

 

Epiphany is a day of celebration and joy for millions of people around the world. It marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas, with its own unique traditions that serve to bring families together. 

The Festival of the Three Kings also known as ‘Fiesta de los Tres Reyes Mages’ is one of the important festivals for Catholic children. This is a time for them to receive gifts.

Reading from      Isaiah 60: 1-6

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem!  Your light has come,

the glory of the Lord shines upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth,

and thick clouds cover the peoples;

but upon you the LORD shines,

and over you appears his glory.

Nations shall walk by your light,

and kings by your shining radiance.

Then you shall be radiant at what you see,

your heart shall throb and overflow,

for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,

the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.

Caravans of camels shall fill you,

dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;

all from Sheba shall come

bearing gold and frankincense,

and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

 

Gospel Reading from St. Matthew 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

in the days of King Herod, 

behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 

“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?

We saw his star at its rising

and have come to do him homage.”

When King Herod heard this,

he was greatly troubled, 

and all Jerusalem with him.

Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, 

He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, 

for thus it has been written through the prophet:

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

since from you shall come a ruler,

who is to shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod called the magi secretly 

and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 

“Go and search diligently for the child.

When you have found him, bring me word, 

that I too may go and do him homage.”

After their audience with the king they set out.

And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, 

until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.

They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 

and on entering the house

they saw the child with Mary his mother.

They prostrated themselves and did him homage.

Then they opened their treasures 

and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, 

they departed for their country by another way.

 

Follow The Star of Wonder and Dreams

We Three Kings…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI9S5Pecsco

January 1, 2023

                                                

 

Mary, Mother of God Pray For Us  

Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, U.S.A. Region
Wish you and your Loved Ones,
A New Year full of Hope, Peace, Good Health
Love and New Life.
 
Join us to Reconcile our Yesterday

Bring Peace to our Today

And Say ‘Yes’ to an unknown Tomorrow

              A New Year Prayer

Let us praise the Lord of days and seasons and years, saying:
Glory to God in the highest!

And peace to all people on earth!

Our lives are made of days and nights, of seasons and years, for we are part of a universe of suns and moons and planets. We mark ends and we make beginnings and, in all we praise God for the graces and mercy that fill our days.

Reader      A reading from the book of Genesis 1:14-19

God said: “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day from night. Let them mark the fixed times, the days and the years, and serve as luminaries in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth.” And so it happened: God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night; and he made the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky, to shed light upon the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw how good it was. Evening came, and morning followed—the fourth day

The Word of the Lord.             Thanks be to God.

Response   

May God have pity on us and bless us;

may he let his face shine upon us.

So may your way be known upon earth;

among all nations, your salvation.

May God bless us in mercy.

 

May the nations be glad and exult

because you rule the peoples in equity;

the nations on the earth you guide.

May God bless us in mercy.

May the peoples praise you, O God;

may all the peoples praise you!

May God bless us,

and may all the ends of the earth fear him!

R. May God bless us in mercy.

 Pause and offer prayers of thanksgiving for the past year

                                    (PAUSE)

 Pause and  offer prayers for the year to come

                                    (PAUSE)

 

In Oneness with all peoples let us pray the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi for peace throughout 2023.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.    AMEN.

      Blessing

May the Lord bless you and keep you!                       

May the Lord let his face shine upon

you, and be gracious to you!

May the Lord look upon you kindly and

give you peace!       AMEN.