Each day during Refugee Week, we offer Mass with prayer and reflection. Today, we pray for for good relationships between people of different faiths
The Thought
(Matthew 6:7-15)
On 17 July 1757, Benjamin Franklin wrote to his wife after narrowly avoiding a shipwreck. “Were I a Roman Catholic, perhaps I should on this occasion vow to build a chapel to some saint but as I am not, if I were to vow at all, it should be to build a lighthouse.” He is often misquoted as writing “Lighthouses are more helpful than churches.”
There are many people in the world today who deride religion, and even those of us who are part of a certain religious tradition who may deride those who are different from us, or perhaps we will feel insecure at their presence, or intimidated by their growth. Bishop Desmond Tutu said, “Isn’t it amazing that we are all made in God’s image, and yet there is so much diversity among his people?”
In the gospel reading, Jesus gives us the model prayer, gathering in all that we need, placing God’s will at the heart of our life as we seek his Kingdom. We live in a world of diversity and difference but we also have so much in common. Each of us tries to live according to our own religion, responding to the world around us in ways that seem right for us.
In praying that God’s Kingdom will come in all its fullness, what do we hope to build? How will we achieve all that God is asking us to do? How can we give him glory and put into action the command to love God and our neighbour? Depending on our circumstances it may be a chapel or a lighthouse, or perhaps there are other things we can build. Can we build good relationships, reaching out to others with a welcome, start a conversation or extend a hand of friendship? Can we create a space where understanding and learning occur, a place in which we can give and receive openly and equally, a place in which each of us can call home?
The Prayer
Invitation to Prayer: Dear friends, let us seek God’s Kingdom of Love, seeking the Peace which he alone can give as we pray for good relationships between people of different faiths, and for all our needs and concerns
Intentions
We pray for the Church that all Christians will forgive as we have been forgiven, love as we have been loved.
We pray for our friends and neighbours of other faiths, for strong communities which respect difference, and an eagerness to learn from one another.
We pray for peace throughout the world and within the Church, and for those who work to strengthen Interfaith relations in a world that is so often divided.
We pray for the Interfaith Council of Wales, and for understanding and friendship between people of different faiths.
We pray for our church schools of St Mary’s and St Paul’s.
We pray for those who work in the mass Media, for reporting which is true and impartial and for a dismantling of false narratives and bias.
The Bible Readings
The Bible readings for today’s celebration can be found here:
The Programme
For our full programme for Refugee Week, visit https://southcardiffministryarea.co.uk/refugee-week-2024/
Mass is celebrated today (Thursday 20th June) at St Dyfrig and St Samon’s Church at 9.30am and St Saviour’s Church at 5.45pm
South Cardiff Ministry Area 