Litany by Rev. Gary Commins
O God, you inspired your servants the prophets with visions of a new earth, where wolf and lamb dwell together, where cries and weeping are uttered no more, and where elders are healthy and infants live in safety; inscribe your hopes in our hearts that casting away the works of darkness and putting on the armor of light, we may seek first your reign on earth, and prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ, our Deliverer. Amen.
That nation will not war against nation, that they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks
Let us cast away the works of violence
And put on the armor of peace
That the fruits of the earth will be distributed so that each will have their own vine and fig tree and none shall make them afraid
Let us cast away the works of greed
And put on the armor of justice
That our city/community will no more be called forsaken or desolate, but will be a place of light and glory
Let us cast away the works of neglect
And put on the armor of passion
That the Church will fulfill our mission to be ambassadors of reconciliation and emissaries of truth
Let us cast away the works of indifference
And put on the armor of the Spirit
That those who are ill will feel Jesus’ healing hand, those who hunger will taste the Bread of Life, and those scarred by violence will be given the balm of Christ’s wounds
Let us cast away the works of anguish
And put on the armor of love
That we may be blessed to be Christ’s hands, to share Christ’s feast, and to soothe Christ’s people; and that the blessings already in our lives and those yet to come will awaken us to your grace
Let us cast away the works of anxiety
And put on the armor of joy
That you will remember with mercy those who have died and embrace them with compassion
Silence
O God of hope, before we turn to you, you run to us, before we call out to you, you answer; by the might of your Spirit lift us from the numbing uncertainties of life to joyful expectation of Christ’s appearing that, when he comes again, he may meet us as people who anticipate his reign with eagerness and who welcome him with praise. Amen.
Peace and Justice Meditation for Advent 3 (c), by Eric Johnson:
Although the Jewish refugees in Babylon were living a miserable life, the prophet Zephaniah tells them to “be glad and rejoice with all your heart” because God will restore his people and Jerusalem’s glory. That’s the way it is with joy and optimism.They don’t depend on circumstances or feelings. Joy, as Franciscan friar Richard Rohr points out, is a decision. I can feel happy or I can feel sad, but I can always be joyful. I can make space for joy and recognize it everywhere.” Thank you, Lord, for the powerful option of joy.
Advent Reflection
by Henri J. M. Nouwen in Peacework
Love Your Enemies Here we touch one of the greatest dangers that face peacemakers: that peacemakers themselves become the victims of the evil forces they are trying to overcome. The same fear of “the enemy” that leads warmakers to war can begin to affect the peacemaker who sees the warmaker as “the enemy.” Words of anger and hostility can gradually enter into the language of the peacemaker. Even the sense of urgency and emergency that motivates the arms race can become the driving force behind the peacemaker. Then indeed the strategy of war and the strategy of peace have become the same, and peacemaking has lost its heart.
One of the reasons why so many people have developed strong reservations about the peace movement is precisely that they do not see the peace they seek in the peacemakers themselves. Often what they see are fearful and angry people trying to convince others of the urgency of their protest. The tragedy is that peacemakers often reveal more of the demons they are fighting than of the peace they want to bring about.
The words of Jesus go right to the heart of our struggle: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly” (Lk 6: 27-28). The more I reflect on these words, the more I consider them to be the test for peacemakers. What my enemies deserve is not my anger, rejection, resentment, or disdain, but my love. Spiritual guides throughout history have said that love for the enemy is the cornerstone of the message of Jesus and the core of holiness.
