To Act Justly

: —Micah 6:8

Reader 2
"As the seeker prayed, along past him came the crippled and the beggar and the beaten. And seeing them...he cried, ‘Great God, how is it that a loving creator can see such things and yet do nothing about them?'...God said, ‘I did do something. I made you.'": — Sufi parable

Leader
Lord, as we gather here today, we listen to the words of the prophet Micah calling us to action, calling us to justice. We invite you to pierce our hearts with these challenging words and let them ruminate there. For this world is hurting, and it is with our hands that you want to bring comfort. This world is wounded, and it is with our hands that you want to bring healing. This world is divided, and it is with our hands that you want to bring reconciliation. Acting justly is no small task in a world so fractured and polarized. And yet, this is what you ask of us as we come together: to act justly.

And so we pray:

Leader
In the debate and discussion we undertake here, Lord….

All
Show us what it means to act justly.

Leader
In our interactions with one another and those who serve our gathering, Lord…

All
Show us what it means to act justly.

Leader
In all our Catholic hospitals, nursing homes, and health systems, Lord…

All
Show us what it means to act justly.

Leader
Hear our plea, O Lord, and answer it by drawing near to us now. Bless this gathering – each and every moment of it - that at the end we may say that we leave better people: richer in wisdom, friendship, and understanding. We ask this in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit:

All
Show us what it means to act justly.