A Ritual of Reconciliation and Peace by Rev. Dr. Barbara Billey, Priest ARCWP Heart of Compassion International Faith Community, Windsor, ON, Canada (26 July 17)

Our ritual began with a reading from the Gospel of Luke (12:49-53) and was followed by each person tying a knot in a scarf as they named a person with whom they felt separated due to a conflict. We ended by praying a Prayer of Reconciliation and Peace that was written by Michele Birch-Conery, Bishop, ARCWP. We laid the scarf on the table of worship during the Eucharistic Prayers.

A reading from the Gospel of Luke

All: Glory to You, our Holy One

“I came to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already ablaze! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what pressure I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, on the contrary: conflict! From now on five in any given house there will be conflict, three against two and two against three; they will be divided:

father against son

and son against father

and mother against daughter

and daughter against mother

and mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law

and daughter-in-law  against mother-in-law.”

After Reading: The Inspired Word of Jesus Christ! And we say ...

All: Amen!

Celebrant 1: Creator God, Holy Mother Wisdom, in the life of Your Cosmos You determined that light should rise from darkness, and the stars and the sun came to be.

Celebrant 2: We live in night and we live in day. As in the outer world, so it is in our inner selves.

Co-Celebrant 1: We are awake and we sleep in the rhythms of the hours, and we know joys and sorrows.

Co-Celebrant 2: There is never one without the other in the span of a lifetime because of the ultimate freedom You have given for all persons and all creation.

Co-Celebrant 3: In everyone, in everything, the dark and the light flourish.

Co-Celebrant 4: We ask You that we not perish in the darkness of too much dark or in the light of too much light, but that all be held in balance for the good of all.

Co-Celebrant 5: We take a few moments of silence to reflect upon when we have chosen Your way of balance and when we have not.

Co-Celebrant 6: Pour forth Your Spirit upon us that we may always witness You in light and in dark.

Co-Celebrant 7: Let light always overcome the blinding dark of violence and war.

Celebrant 1: Let us rise again with You in the peace of your merciful and compassionate heart.

Celebrant 2: This we ask in Jesus' name. All: Amen

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