 Image from Catholic Relief Services |
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
God of the poor, you call us to be attentive to the things we would rather not see, the people we would rather not hear. The goodness of your creation, the generosity of your provision, has been obscured, twisted out of shape by human greed and fear. Creation groans, knowing it is not the kingdom it will be. The voice of the poor and oppressed comes to your ears, even when, especially when, it is ignored by ours. Teach us to seek your kingdom urgently, that we may share its blessing with those to whom it is promised.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
God of the hungry, in the world economy, and in our own economy, many brothers and sisters struggle with less food, worse health, and lower life expectancy. Your blessings are taken away from the poor by those who have seized them for themselves. We give you thanks for the generosity and energy of all those who staff and provision food banks, and who work for international development, yet we pray to you for the grace to fight for a world in which aid and charity are not needed, and in which all flourish and are filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
God of the desolate, our economy grows rich on cheap labor, we clothe ourselves in cheerful garments made by the sweat of the poor, delight in music played on machines made by those on subsistence labor. Our lives are full of luxuries carved out of the tears of the poor. Help us to work for a world in which the poor have equal dignity with the rich, and enjoy a fair share of the fruits of their labor. Help us to weep today with those who weep, that we might laugh with them when they rejoice in your kingdom.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man.
God of the persecuted and marginalized, we have cared so much for our peace that we have supported tyranny in far away places to keep our homes safe and secure. We have failed to invest in the education, rights, and protections of others, failed to hear the cries of the prisoners, or the words of the truth-tellers. Help us to find a fearless voice that speaks truth to power, that rebukes the torturer and abuser, brings the oppressed out of prison, and takes a place beside the persecuted, that in standing with them, we might find ourselves standing beside you.
Jesus our brother, suffering servant and righteous judge, so mold our minds in the patterns of justice and shape our hearts with the contours of love, that we may secure the rights of the poor and oppressed, challenge the consciences of the rich and powerful, and draw the hearts of all humankind to follow you in the way which leads to the liberation of the whole creation and the glorious freedom of all our Fatherโs children, in the love and glory of his kingdom, now and for ever.
Amen.
Doug Chaplin, Social Justice Resource Center
