"Christ suffers in the needy and the afflicted. Insofar as we access the mind of Christ, we too identify with the sufferings of others and reach out to help according to our possibilities.” – Father Thomas Keating
During these unprecedented times we are called to examine what is our role to play when we experience social injustice. Apart from three 30-minute periods of centering prayer the 1/2-day retreat will include a presentation starting with the parables where Jesus always identified with the weakest segments in the society: the sick, the poor, and the outcast. This will be followed by views on social injustice, in particular racial injustice, by contemplative and religious leaders such as Thomas Keating, Richard Rohr, Howard Thurman, and Barbara Holmes. It will be discussed how contemplative practice, such as centering prayer, strengthens in a fundamental way the effectiveness of our action. We will discuss what kinds of actions might follow from the grounding of our contemplative practice and our roles and responsibilities for healing the wounds of racial injustice.
In a statement issued on June 18, 2020, the Governing Board of Contemplative Outreach said, among others, “We invite all of us who consciously or unconsciously recognize that we participate or have participated in acts of discrimination to open our hearts to the healing power of God, so that united with those who have been the victims of discriminatory acts, we can all be healed together.”
The morning will include three 30 minute periods of centering prayer and an interactive discussion.
