Last week we posted information about a number interfaith Thanksgiving services around the country. Read the testimony of someone who decided to attend below:
The 20th annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle, Illinois began and ended in a way that solidified one of the great themes of interfaith engagement – we joined together in singing American folk songs, recalling the common narrative the binds our diverse religious and cultural backgrounds together, reminding us that among the many expressions of faith and spirituality, there is a thread that unites us as spiritual brothers and sisters. It unites our hearts in acknowledgement of the sacred mysteries and values of life, and turns our attention from fear and mistrust to joy and peace.
That thread is prayer.
We were introduced and exposed to expressions of prayer in a variety of traditions, ranging from Jews and Christians to Sikhs and Zoroastrians. Some sang, some spoke, some recited from holy scriptures, but in the varied means of prayer, we were united in our acknowledgement of life.The service followed the Papal Assisi Model, named for an interfaith day of prayer held by John Paul II in 1986, which calls for us to pray in the presence of each other. The Benedictine monks of St. Procopius Abbey graciously offered us their home and spiritual sanctuary so that we may build bridges that lead us beyond our limited understanding of each other and our traditions.
