Chalica – Week Six

Chalice Lighting

As we light this chalice,

May its flame consume the forces of violence in the world;

May its heat warm the chill of misunderstanding and hate;

May its light brighten the lives of the sick of heart and mind.

Chalice, burn with the fire of peace and liberty.

Reading/Song

Hymn 159, This Is My Song, has the following lyric:

My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,

and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;

But other lands have sunlight, too, and clover,

and skies are everywhere as blue as mine.

O hear my song, thou God of all the nations,

a song of peace for their land and for mine.

Meditation

from Jeff Liebmann

Nearly every religion preaches peace. And yet, our world still labors under the wraith of war,

omnipresent poverty, and persistent harbingers of hate. We will never achieve peace in the world until each and every one of us finds peace within our own hearts; a peace that cannot be attained while the body hungers, limbs are shackled, and free will lies imprisoned.

As Unitarian Universalists, we can appreciate the sentiments of prophets of peace throughout history. We can also aspire to live lives in pursuit of peace for ourselves, our communities, our societies, and our world. As our love is unconditional, so must our struggle for liberty for others be unqualified. Every human being has the inherent right to live free, to love unrestricted, and to seek enlightenment via the path of their choice. We are all only as free as the most fettered among us.

Mindfulness and Action

On this sixth day of Chalica, we affirm and promote the goal of world community, with peace, liberty, and justice for all. You’re invited to select one of the questions or suggestions below for conversation with others or personal reflection. Suggestions for activities with children are included. Consider giving a gift that honors the global community.

• Can I find a way to volunteer with, or donate to an organization that has global influence, such as UNICEF, or Doctors Without Borders?

• Can I write a letter for Amnesty International?

• How can I help the Faith in Action Committee in their efforts to promote world community with peace, freedom and justice for all?

• Have I looked at the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee website recently, and updated my membership?