God sent the Son, Jesus Christ, to meet us where we are. Jesus came to save us and show us the way to God. Though a Jew in a particular time and place, He has become one of us, sharing our joys and sorrows, our hopes and fears, our strengths and weaknesses. Jesus speaks our language and understands our cultures. He is everything to everyone, so that by all possible means He might save some (1 Cor 9:22).
Jesus does not reject or ignore the diversity of the human family but embraces it and celebrates it. He has welcomed people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and social classes. The Jesus we serve dialogs with persons and challenges them to grow in faith and love. He shows us that God’s truth is not limited by our human categories but transcends them and enriches them. He reveals that God’s grace is at work in all cultures, and that we can learn from them and share with them the gospel of God’s love.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to imitate His example and attitude. We are called to be open and respectful to people who are different from us, to listen and learn from them, to appreciate and affirm their values and gifts, and to share with them the good news of God’s love in Jesus Christ. We are called to be agents of God’s reconciliation and peace in a world that is divided and hostile. We are called to be witnesses of God’s love for the world, a love that is multilingual, multicultural, and pluralistic.
Prayer
God of all nations and peoples,
We thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to meet us where we are. We praise You for His saving and transforming work in our lives. We acknowledge that He is the Lord of all cultures and languages, the Savior of all races and classes, the Friend of all sinners and seekers.
We confess that we often fail to appreciate the diversity of Your creation, that we are often prejudiced and intolerant toward those who are different from us, that we are often ignorant and arrogant about our own cultures and traditions. Forgive us, Lord, and teach us by Your Spirit.
We ask You to help us to follow the example and the attitude of Jesus Christ, to be open and respectful to people who are different from us, to listen and learn from them, to appreciate and affirm their values and gifts, and to share with them the good news of Your love in Jesus Christ. We ask You to help us to be agents of Your reconciliation and peace in a world that is divided and hostile. We ask You to help us to be witnesses of Your love for the world, a love that is multilingual, multicultural, and pluralistic. Amen
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