Dangerous Women Creed

Dear God,
please make us dangerous women.
May we be women who acknowledge our power
to change, and grow, and be radically alive for God.
May we be healers of wounds and righters of wrongs.
May we weep with those who weep and
speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.
May we cherish children, embrace the elderly,
and empower the poor.
May we pray deeply and teach wisely.
May we be strong and gentle leaders.
May we sing songs of joy and talk down fear.
May we never hesitate to let passion push us,
conviction compels us, and righteous anger energize us.
May we strike fear into all that is unjust
and evil in the world.
May we dismantle abusive systems and
silence lies with truth.
May we shine like stars in a darkened generation.
May we overflow with goodness in the name of God
and by the power of Jesus.
And in that name and by that power,
may we change the world.
Dear God, please make us dangerous women.
Amen.

-- Lynne Hybels, cited in In the Gift of This New Day: Praying with the Iona Community, edited by Neil Paynter, 2015

Because He Gave Birth

So

precious

is a person's faith in God,

so precious;

never should we harm

that.

Because

He gave birth

to all

religions.

--St. Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), Italian saint, deacon, and founder of the Franciscan religious communities of the Order of Friars Minor, the Order of St. Clare, and the Third Order of St. Francis, from Love Poems from God: Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West, edited by Daniel Ladinsky.

A Call to Awareness

The earth is at the same time mother.
She is mother of all that is natural,
     mother of all that is human.
She is the mother of all,
     for contained in her are the seeds of all.
The earth of humankind
     contains all moistness, all verdancy,
     all germinating power.
It is in so many ways fruitful.
All creation comes from it. Yet it forms
     not only the basic raw material for humankind,
     but also the substance for the incarnation of God's son.

--Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)

A Song of Christ's Goodness (Canticle Q, Enriching Our Worship 1)

Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you:
  You are gentle with us as a mother with her children;
Often you weep over our sins and our pride:
  tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgement.
You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds:
  in sickness you nurse us,
  and with pure milk you feed us.
Jesus, by your dying we are born to new life:
  by your anguish and labour we come forth in joy.
Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness:
  through your gentleness we find comfort in fear.
Your warmth gives life to the dead:
  your touch makes sinners righteous.
Lord Jesus, in your mercy heal us:
  in your love and tenderness remake us.
In your compassion bring grace and forgiveness:
  for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us.

--St. Anselm of Canterbury, (1033-1109)

Mosaic from the altar of Dominus Flavit Church on the Mount of Olives.