Day Two, July 2
The bones of the weary ache for an answer,
searching for vision, shout out with new strength.
We are redeemed in the blood of Christ.
We are washed in love.
Sent by the blood, stained by the blood;
we are servants of the blood of Christ.
THE CUP THAT MAKES US REEL
“Awake, awake! Arise, O Jerusalem, you who drank at the Lord’s hand the cup of God’s wrath; who drained to the dregs the bowl of staggering.” Isaiah 51:17
With the poor and marginalized, with victims of war and violence, with immigrants and those on death row, we commit ourselves to sharing their cup. We trust that you have not rejected any of us, and it is you who work with us.
“May the divine blood be for us the fountain of ample blessings and you, through this devotion, have reason to be consoled.” St. Gaspar
Today’s Action: Read Fr. Ron Will’s reflection on George Floyd’s murder. (See: The times call us to ‘Step out, stand up, and speak clearly’) We are called to be more than agents of change. We are called to be agents of transformation. Transformation is like metamorphosis, like a caterpillar to a butterfly. It requires shaking off what was in order to become the new. A New Creation.
Instructions: On the Feast of the Precious Blood, July 1, Members and Companions of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood celebrate the redemptive value of the Precious Blood of Jesus. This year let’s extend our prayer to an Octave of Prayer. There are reflections for each day with action steps each day. Let your voice be heard. It is your challenge to hear the Cry of the Blood.
These prayers are taken from our traditional Precious Blood Prayer Resources and now prayed in the context of our contemporary situation. The daily prayers can be prayed any time of the day, but we suggest 3:00 p.m., the hour that Jesus poured out the last drop of his Precious Blood for the redemption of all people.
All eight days of the Prayers for Racial Justice can be found here: pbernewalcenter.org/octave.
The full octave can be downloaded here as a pdf file. Prayers for Racial Justice during the Octave of the Precious Blood.
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Taizé is an ecumenical, meditative prayer experience using music, chants and scripture. We gather on the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. Each month we explore a different theme. The theme for September was "New Beginnings."
By Fr. Garry Richmeier
Just like houseplants have certain necessities — the right temperature, water, nutrients and sunshine — without which they can’t live and thrive. People too have a few necessities to live full and meaningful lives.