Embracing a Common Future

 

 

Edmund Rice Christian Brothers

North America

Thursday, 09 August 2007

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Community Reconciliation

“Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask for or imagine.” Eph : 3-10

First Reading from the Constitutions:

32. Brotherhood in Community is a principal source of out companionship and a privileged context for our personal growth. Our personalities develop as each of us accepts responsibility to make a unique contribution too the life and mission of the community. It is from Community that we carry our gifts to others. We in turn are enriched as the lives of others touch our own.

31. We respond in hope to Christ’s call to service in the mission of the Church. With confidence we grow as a Gospel Community characterised by a love that struggles to cast out fear. In a deepening relationship with Christ, we come to acknowledge the gifts of God in our Brothers whom we affirm and support in fraternal love. We strengthen the bonds of our brotherhood by sharing our prayer and ministry, our joys, hopes and fears.

Response:

The Hymn : “Healing is Your Touch” (Margaret Rizzo)

 

Second Reading: Luke 6 : 36 – 38

Do not judge others, and God will not judge you. Do not condemn others, and God will not condemn you ; forgive others and God will forgive you. Give to others, and God will give to you. Indeed, you will receive a full measure, a generous helping, poured into your hands – all that you can hold. The measure you use for others is the one that God will use for you.

 

PAUSE

Intercessions:

All: Jesus, as we prepare to celebrate this holy week, the anniversary of your gift of yourself to us, we appreciate the need to take seriously your call for reconciliation with each other.

 

Lord, for the times we have failed in this community to show compassion to our own brothers –

All: We ask that you forgive us, enable us, to forgive one another and to help us to appreciate the worth of one another.

 

Lord, for those times in this house when we have been judgmental of one another -

All: Forgive us and help us to express our forgiveness of one another in some practical way.

 

Lord, for those feelings of resentment and envy that may be in our hearts –

All: We pray for your healing and we pray that we may see one another with your eyes of love.

 

Lord, in many ways we have failed to follow you and to serve one another –

All: Help us to communicate freely, to become a true Christian community so that we may fully enter into communion with you and one another.

 

Leader: Heavenly Father, in this most holy week, we are conscious of our need to seek reconciliation with one another, so that we may fully share in the peace and joy of the resurrection.

Lord, we brothers turn to you and pray that we, in this community of Brothers, may make you present to the world, by the love we show one another, and to all those with whom and for whom we minister, Amen.

 

Symbolic Act and Resolution to Reconcile:

    Incense is lit.

Each Brother is invited in turn to raise the bowl of lighted incense and bless the men in the group, as a symbolic gesture of letting go of our failures to forgive. Each Brother is invited to say:

 

“My dear Brothers, I ask pardon for my failings in charity to you, and for any bad example I may have given. I request your prayers for me, and I ask God’s forgiveness.”

 

When all have finished, the Sign of Peace is now offered to one another.

 

Closing Hymn