A call to prayer, a call to love

Wait… before you roll your eyes and exit, or before you read on… let me first say that I am not here to evangelize. I do not care what your religion is or even if you don’t have one. I am not atop a soapbox preaching – far from it. If anything, I am kneeling on it imploring anyone to join me. Please just read…

My heart aches. The news relentlessly regales us with horrifying, heart wrenching stories of disaster, terrorism, murder, violence, starvation, etc. So much so that I fear we are numb from it. Perhaps it can be easy to disassociate and ultimately become desensitized; nevertheless these terrible things are happening to people just like you and me.

Lately, it’s tragic enough that natural disasters are devastating so many places, taking the lives and homes of people (just like you and me) – it is so much worse that hate is running rampant throughout our world and nation. People (just like you and me) are being murdered. Senseless killings have become all too common. The screen on my TV currently tells me that “at least 59 are dead, and 527 are injured” in the recent Las Vegas shooting. Those numbers are referring to people …just like you and me. Mercy, how this breaking news breaks my heart. Our world is becoming more and more frightening each and every day. How has hate become so very prevalent?

Our world so desperately needs more compassion, empathy, prayers, and love. I know that there is still good out there; that hate might violently roar, but love persists always… It whispers gently in the hearts of those who hold tight to what much of humanity seems to have lost. However, in moments like these it’s a bit hard to notice through the tears.

I ask myself how can I help? Sometimes the answer can be in the form of monetary donations, other instances can call for volunteering time and talent, and right now good and wonderful people are lining up to donate blood for victims. Invariably though, prayer always helps. And it is something that everyone, everywhere (people like you and me) can do to help others. This is no small or insignificant thing. On the contrary, I believe it to be quite powerful.

So if you’re feeling helpless as well, I invite you to join me in exhibiting compassion, empathy, and love always. And please, if you have a god, pray for those in need. If not, please send good vibes out into the universe. Because people like you and me can still change the world and make it a better place.

Behind the scenes fact:

Many people, even devout believers, do not pray. There are various reasons for this, not least of which is that they simply don’t know how. We are often told to pray, but sometimes no one actually teaches us. If you happen to relate, please feel free to contact me. There are many forms of prayer and I will be happy to help you find one that suits you – in whatever faith speaks to your soul. Yes, I am Catholic; no, I will not shove my religion down your throat.