The warmth in recent days has extended summer play: picnics, swimming and yes more lawn-mowing too. The pleasures and chagrin of playing in mother dirt a bit longer before the leaves descend in full force. What a time and season!

God of all understandings; God experienced within and between in intimate encounters-through ecstasy, compassion, justice, nature and humor; We pause to affirm again the words across the ages, contained in holy writings, proclaimed by prophets: “This is the fasting I desire: releasing those bound unjustly, sharing bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed, the homeless ones and not turning your back on your own brothers and sisters in need.”

Might these words not be a distant and empty call, but rather invitation to become gifts for each other in word, resource and deed. As we commit to economic stability and fairer policies, may we link it all to everyday justice and sharing – restoring people back to community, working toward equality in all exchanges. May the value of peace and security be an ever-widening reality in our homes, families, workplaces. We move beyond limited perspectives, cultural biases, political party rhetoric, half-truths, entitlement, easy answers to empower ourselves and others through cultural and economic crises and dilemmas.

We dance between our attachments and letting go, of possessing and releasing. May our discernments and decisions about things and letting go be life-giving and empowering. In our enjoyments and simplicities, might we gentle and beautify this planet.

We consider now in discomfort, hope and possibility…the faceless idle millions, the economy’s unemployed, disillusioned, distressed and displaced. We hear the statistics of daily news and re-commit to further learning, becoming and caring. We pause now to remember all the human cargo of a civilization racing headlong on success’ interstate. The unknown, nameless, those in foreclosure – struggling to pay bills. And here and everywhere, those afraid of losing everything. Indeed, we remember all our friends, family, all those struggling with all that takes place under the sun….

May we look kindly on the refugees, the wanderers in the exodus of economics, the hungry, hurting, the anxious. Cousins of Jesus and us all - many with no where to lay their heads. Amen.

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