All Faiths United

Gratefulness: A Window of Light in the Darkness Thanksgiving and Advent Reflection 2019 by Ann Hayden, MM Window of Light It was a time of religious upheaval and When the angry, ugly mob withdrew Crystal beauty lay in a shattered heap on the floor In calm of darkest night, the pieces were collected in courage In love, they were washed of anger, and sorted one by one In patience, they were prayerfully placed for sacred purpose Shattered shards were transformed into window to let in the light To shine in glorious colors of hope for the courageous; To glow as soft colors of peace for the patient; To shine like a healing wash over the broken, over the damaged, and even over the ugly mob. There is so much to be grateful for in life these days. The approach of Thanksgiving Day here in the Rio Grande Valley has called forth efforts for inter-religious prayer services and dialogue sessions; and has inspired the efforts of community organizations, faith congr...

Reflection:  History Past and History Yet To Be November 4, 2019 By Ann Hayden, MM  History has long given us endless examples of violent efforts to decimate culture, art, religion and tradition built up by peoples that are feared, hated, and sacrificed as scapegoats to bigoted ideals of supremacy and power. The violence has been unrelenting and can be chronicled in the stories of ancient conquests; of middle-age crusades; of inquisitions; of reformations; of religious persecution; and of 1 5 th , 1 6 th , 1 7 th , 1 8 th , 1 9 th , 2 0 th , and   21 st century modern colonization of natural resources, slavery, and wars fostered by European, Middle East, Asian and North American military, economic, religious, and political powerbrokers.     In our lifetime and the lifetimes of our parents and grand-parents, human beings (like you and me) have been forced onto reservations, have been trafficked as slaves, murdered in pogroms, gassed in trenc...