The Prayerful Path to the Convocation: 1

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“Entering the Transforming Future” draws nearer every day! Those involved in bringing the Convocation into being strive to cultivate it with all of the tools, wisdom, and joy we’ve inherited through our faith tradition, our diversity of experiences, and our vows and commitments as peacemakers. Sharing prayerful reflection is a vital practice to create the common ground needed to reap a harvest of justice. The Planning Committee invites you to pray with us—whether you are able to attend in person or not—for the Convocation to receive the inspiration of the Holy Spirit as we all strive to deeply and creatively serve the Common Good.

With all our gratitude,

-The 2014 Planning Committee

 

The philosophical underpinnings of the way we’ve organized reality no longer hold. The human family is not served by individualism, patriarchy, a scarcity mentality, or competition…Breaking through are equality, communion, collaboration…expansiveness, abundance…and love.

This shift, while painful, is good news! It heralds a hopeful future for our church and our world. As a natural part of evolutionary advance…there is no reason to be fearful of the cataclysmic movement of change swirling around us.

We need only to recognize the movement, step into the flow, and be carried by it. Indeed, all creation is growing in one great act of giving birth…

What would a prophetic response to the larger paradigm shifts of our time look like? I hope it would include both openness and critical thinking, while also inspiring hope.

We can claim the future we desire, and act from it now. To do this takes the discipline of choosing where to focus our attention…So we need to actively engage our imaginations in shaping visions of the future.

Dear God of Justice, the Divine Presence deep within:

We give thanks for the graces you give us to sustain our commitment to justice in difficult times.

Thank you for the opportunity to live this moment in history, to work with your Divine Spirit to shape history, and to shape this first gathering of JPIC promoters.

Help us counter any discouragement, or limits on our imaginings.

Help us to stir the belief that “another world is possible” and find ways to build it.

We reaffirm what is revealed in Proverbs, that: “Without vision, the people perish.”

Help us carry a vision of our desired future deep within, and offer it to all in ways that are compelling, life-giving.

We place our talents, our vision, our communal way of living, our humble resources—at Your Feet —and we join You in dancing our way into a transforming future, with joy. Amen

 

Excerpts and inspiration from LCWR presidential address of Pat Farrell, OSF, 8-10-2012