The Baptismal Call to Encounter Others

Compassionate and merciful God, 
Creator of all, 
You perpetually breathe 
Your Spirit into us and invite us 
to encounter others 
with the compassion springing forth 
from Your Son, Our Lord, Christ Jesus. 

Again and again, 
Scripture speaks to us 
of His encounters with those 
who were marginalized. 

From his teaching and example, 
we know that we too are 
to move beyond that which is familiar 
to us and encounter others. 

It is this very encounter 
that leads us to include them 
in our thoughts, our hearts, 
and our lives as we work 
to establish and nurture 
right relationships with You, 
ourselves and others.

From these relationships, 
You compel us to be in solidarity 
with those on the margins and 
to challenge the systems 
which are obstacles 
to justice and peace.

Humbly we pray 
that our comforts and privileges 
neither insulate nor separate us 
from the suffering and injustices 
which impact the lives 
of those whom You love. 

May Your Sweet Spirit speak 
to our hearts and compel us 
to live our baptismal call.
Amen.

(I wrote this prayer to precede my talk to the Archdiocese of Atlanta Council of Catholic Women on September 13, 2014.)