Is anyone as concerned as I am about the state of our country and the world? We are in unknown territory. I, for one, never thought we would be facing some of the issues that we are facing. Have you asked yourself what you can do when there seems to be nothing you can do?

I’m in the state right now and I am bunkering down on some deep inner work. I don’t know what’s coming and I am not going to sit here with my head in the sand. I am calling upon my inner spiritual warrior.

There is a prayer by St. Francis that I know we are all familiar with.

The St Francis Prayer
Lord, make me a channel of thy peace;
that where there is hatred, I may bring love;
that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit
of forgiveness;
that where there is discord, I may bring
harmony;
that where there is error, I may bring truth;
that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
that where there is despair, I may bring hope;
that where there are shadows, I may bring light;
that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort
than to be comforted;
to understand, than to be understood;
to love, than to be loved.
For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
It is by dying that one awakens to eternal life. Amen

I do not believe in an outside God, but that God expresses through each and every one of us. I believe that even this prayer speaks to this principle. If we are to be an channel of peace and and outlet for all the sentiments in this prayer, then we are indeed an outlet for the Divine.

I am keeping this prayer by me and will do my best to live it during these very, very challenging times. We might be seeking a Divine Intervention right now. I believe we are that Divine intervention. If we live the principles of love and compassion, if we can forgive others and ourselves and act a a beacon of light, we will be up for what comes next. We will be strong spiritual warriors.

And, I believe community is more important than ever right now. If you have a group of like-minded people that can support you, now would be the time to commit to being involved, joining together and loving our way through this uncertain time.

Much Love and Aloha

Rev. Dr. Rita, Author, Founding Spiritual Director CSL Kaua’i, Founder of the Red Dress Movement