a blessing

During the month of July, join SALT as we pray for the men, women, and children in our country who have no place to lay their heads.  Homelessness increases during the summer months, which makes the vulnerable even more susceptible to sunstroke, heatstroke, and dehydration.  

And so we offer up this benediction, written in the tradition of St. Francis, not only to hold ourselves accountable for creating and maintaining systems that hurt and disempower others, but also to ask God to shower down blessings, dignity, and justice for all!

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A Franciscan Benediction

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done:  to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor. 

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Thanks to Shawn Shoemaker for capturing the joy and challenge of homelessness in Houston - may the spirit of St. Francis be with you all!