First Spiritual Exercises – Threatened Humanity

The Lord fashioned human beings from the earth, to cosign them back to it. He clothed them in strength, like himself, and made them in his own image. He made them a tongue, eyes and ears, and gave them a heart to think with.

He filled them with knowledge and intelligence, and showed them what was good and what was evil. He put his own light in their hearts to show them the magnificence of his works. He set knowledge before them, he endowed them with the law of life. He said to them, 'Beware of all wrong-doing'; he gave each a commandment concerning his neighbour.

• Sir 17:1,3,6-8,11,14.

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1. Desire...I ask the Spirit for Greater Humanity.

I place my index and middle finger on the inside of my wrist, below my thumb, to feel

my heartbeat, a living symbol of my humanity. God gave humans a heart to love with,

to discern between good and evil, to understand and grow in our humanity.

As I feel my pulse, I consider my blood, how every human shares the same blood,

irrespective of colour, race, status, wealth or religion. In this, we are one.

I ask the Spirit for Greater Humanity.

2. Relish...I live in the Trinity of the Incarnation.

I imagine I am surrounded in a circle by the Trinity of the Incarnation, in which Jesus to

sent become fully human, to reveal the loving way of common humanity. Father,

Jesus and Spirit, address me by name, saying, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself'.

So I sit with this invitation, awhile, in the mystery of the Trinity of Incarnate Love.

I relish destroying the caricatures of those seeking refuge.

3. Human... I breathe the Spirit of Humanity.

I imagine the Spirit of Humanity breathing God’s own light into me to re-humanize

and break the stereotypes of those who seek refuge and flee persecution. I breathe it

in deep, wait, then breathe it out into institutions, policies, and conversations with the

marginalized. I repeat as desired – breathing, enlightened, humanizing.

I conclude giving thanks, moving forward in solidarity with every human.

PRAYER TIME: 10 minutes.

Click here to download the Prayer of Threatened Humanity.

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