Mail Archive of the old Santa Clara Valley Lutheran Parish

Subject: Prayer/Meditation

Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:11:32 -0400

From: prjohnhrlc@aol.com

Received: by 10.114.37.1 with SMTP id k1mr3664335wak.7.1215537101318;
        Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:11:41 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path: <PrJohnHRLC@aol.com>
Received: from imo-m22.mail.aol.com (imo-m22.mx.aol.com [64.12.137.3])
        by mx.google.com with ESMTP id 39si6041623yxd.0.2008.07.08.10.11.41;
        Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:11:41 -0700 (PDT)
Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of PrJohnHRLC@aol.com designates 64.12.137.3 as permitted sender) client-ip=64.12.137.3;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: domain of PrJohnHRLC@aol.com designates 64.12.137.3 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=PrJohnHRLC@aol.com
Received: from PrJohnHRLC@aol.com
	by imo-m22.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v38_r9.4.) id r.d10.2db942b0 (37541)
	 for <scvlp@googlegroups.com>; Tue, 8 Jul 2008 13:11:31 -0400 (EDT)
Received: from webmail-nf07 (webmail-nf07.sim.aol.com [207.200.67.71]) by cia-mb02.mx.aol.com (v121.5) with ESMTP id MAILCIAMB022-92a548739fc32ef; Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:11:31 -0400
To: scvlp@googlegroups.com
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Subject: Prayer/Meditation
Date: Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:11:32 -0400
X-MB-Message-Source: WebUI
X-AOL-IP: 12.72.196.17
X-MB-Message-Type: User
MIME-Version: 1.0
From: prjohnhrlc@aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; format=flowed
X-Mailer: AOL Webmail 37668-STANDARD
Received: from 12.72.196.17 by webmail-nf07.sim.aol.com (207.200.67.71) with HTTP (WebMailUI); Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:11:31 -0400
Message-Id: <8CAAF34CD6D3D42-6B4-1215@webmail-nf07.sim.aol.com>
X-Spam-Flag:NO

During the month of June we displayed a banner in front of the church=20
proclaiming that Torture is a Moral Issue. We have now decided to=20
continue to display it -- at least through the inauguration of a new=20
president.

On the day that we went out during worship to put the banner up for the=20
first time, we used the following prayer:

Dear God of Many Names =E2=80=A6.

At the heart of our longing, there is a cry for compassion. In the=20
midst of war as we work and pray for peace, all the world's people must=20
nourish a kernel of compassion from which a true and lasting peace may=20
grow.

Mighty God, as you have stood with the saints, sages and prophets of=20
the world's great traditions, as you have stood with our ancestors who=20
have cried, "Peace, Peace" when there was no peace, we pray to feel=20
your strength and presence. We honor your name when we courageously=20
speak out against those actions that harm the soul of our nation, none=20
more than the torture of body, mind, and spirit of one human being at=20
the hands of another.

We hold in our hearts those who have been tortured. Their suffering=20
will not be forgotten or silenced so long as we give voice to their=20
plight.
We hold in our hearts those who have engaged in torture and pray they=20
will take up the powerful path of redemption. May they cease and desist=20
and turn away from this path that corrupts their souls.

And for those who would sully our nation's name out of fear, our=20
hopeful prayers envision a new day, when leaders will find strength in=20
the power of compassion and peace.

By our prayers and actions may we attain forgiveness for what we have=20
allowed to occur in our name. May we be worthy to do good deeds in Your=20
eyes. Amen.

John Freesemann


A church that doesn't provoke any crisis, a gospel that doesn't=20
unsettle, a word of God that doesn't get under anyone's skin, a word of=20
God that doesn't touch the real sin of the society in which it is being=20
proclaimed, what gospel is that? Archbishop Oscar Romero (1917-1980)