The rhetoric continues: divisiveness, intolerance, emphasis on our differences. This is not who we are; not as a nation, not as a community, and especially not as children of our Creator.

Where are the voices celebrating our diversity coming together and seeking the common good which should be the very foundation of our lives; how we live each day; and how we regard each person.

Everyone believes they speak truth, peace and justice. None of these can be realized by exclusion or disrespect. So, how do we work for true peace, the common good and a mutually respectful society?

Bishop Helder Camara, asked what was the greatest obstacle to peace in the world, replied “I am.”.That’s right. It begins with each one of us, in our own hearts. A daily conversion required to see each person as a gift of God and an image of Christ.” Each person carries the seed of the Creator in them. Once we begin, commit to a true dialogue, not only hearing but listening and responding in a respectful manner acknowledging their viewpoint, no matter how much we may disagree. Thus, a basis for jointly recognizing and working for the common good.

If we commit to this, we will see some immediate results in our daily life, a change of heart that may, at first, truly startle us. This is our beginning, a start to getting to where we know we should be. We will be sustained in this by trust, prayer and perseverance.

St. Therese of Lisieux urged the daily practice of small acts of kindness as a way of transforming the world. We acknowledge our limitations, but do not deny our capacity to do something to change the world one small step at a time.

Dorothy Day observed: “what we do is so little and we may seem to be constantly failing. But so did Christ fail. He met with apparent failure on the Cross. And why must we see results? Our work is to sow; it may be for another generation to reap the harvest.”

God bless you and your families and give you his Peace.

Dan Miscavige

Weatherly