Today is the International Day of Human Fraternity, a day recognizing the importance of embracing others of different races, cultures, religions, and castes. It began in early 2019 with Pope Francis and Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayyeb drafting the "Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together" in response to growing discourse between people worldwide. The document sparked the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, which was comprised of international religious leaders, cultural leaders, and scholars, all…
Traditional Buddhist Prayer May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness; May all be free from sorrow and the causes of sorrow; May all never be separated from the sacred happiness which is sorrowless; And may all live in equanimity, without too much attachment and too much aversion, And live believing in the equality of all that lives. ~Author Unknown A Prayer for Unity In this century and in any century, Our deepest hope, our most tender prayer,…
We are excited to welcome Pamela Ayo Yetunde this Friday for "The Dharma of Jesus" retreat (click here)! Ayo brings a wealth of spiritual knowledge to our audience. She will spend time with our guests, sharing the similaries between Buddhism and Christianity and how that can bring diverse faiths together through dialogue, prayer and meditation. Ayo's recent book "Casing Indra's Net" has received rave reviews and we encourage you to learn more. Spirituality and Practice recently reviewed the book and…
On Friday, we will welcome "The Wisdom and Practice of Prayer Within the World's Spiritual Traditions" retreat, presented by the beloved Gordon Creamer. We can learn so much about our own faith by exploring the various practices of other faiths and Gordon has a gift for incorporating these insights into Christian prayer. If you'd like to learn more about the retreat, please click here. So, today, we offer a few spiritual quotes and a prayer to unite all faiths for…
Tomorrow is our National Day of Prayer, a tradition that began officially in 1952. It is a day when the president is required to sign a proclamation that encourages all Americans to pray. May your prayers today be strengthened, knowing that so many are recognizing this movement and also kneeling, bowing their heads or lifting their hands to heaven as we pray for peace and also offer prayers of gratitude. If you live locally, we encourage you to stop by…
Today's blog features a homily given by Fr. Michael Schleupner a few weeks ago, but it's a timeless lesson for us all about having an open mindset and being inclusive. Let's open our hearts as we read about a lesson from the Gospels and how it ties into our modern world today. Mark 9:38-43,45,47-48 Hopkins Buildings One day several years ago, I was leaving Johns Hopkins Hospital after visiting a person who had major cardiac surgery. Something at Hopkins really…
As most of us still mourn the loss of being together in community for worship, this prayer provides a wonderful vision of uniting across the world. Please take a moment to recognize God's presence and pray for peace and unity with us... United in Your Love Almighty God, who are mother and father to us all, Look upon your planet Earth divided. Help us to know that we are all your children, That all nations belong to one great family,…
