"If you want peace, work for justice."
If prayer does not motivate us to action, then we are missing an important part of the whole picture. As one small gesture, a free-will offering for the food pantry hosted at St. Mary's is received at each Prayer of Peace. The money is used to purchase food for the pantry, which commonly serves over 100 families at each distribution (twice per month). This important service allows those who cannot afford sufficient food a measure of peace, dignity and security.
Action Steps for Justice and Peace
In order to promote peace on a greater scale, it is to our advantage that we are at peace with ourselves and others with whom we come into contact. What can we do? Many levels of action are open to us: personal, family, community, and beyond.
Begin with small steps, things that each of us can do to promote justice and peace. Small actions often have a great impact, and strengthen us for greater work.
» spend time in prayer together as a family or with friends
» strive for an attitude of openness and respect—even with those who are in disagreement
» use no violence, physical or verbal, towards any person
» refuse to retaliate with violence if threatened, but seek nonviolent ways to deal with conflict
» refuse to participate in conversations or emails that are racist, sexist, or religiously intolerant
» volunteer to visit the sick, work in a food pantry, or teach skills to youth
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