From the prayers for Church Unity Octave by the Sisters of Grandchamp, www.grandchamp.org

In peace let us pray to the Lord: Lord, you are the vinedresser who cares for us with love. You call on us to see the beauty of each branch united to the vine, the beauty of each person. And yet, too often the differences in others make us afraid. We withdraw into ourselves. Our trust in you is forsaken.
Enmity develops between us. Come and direct our hearts toward you once again. Grant us to live from your forgiveness so that we may be together and praise your name.

(From the prayers for Church Unity Octave by the Sisters of Grandchamp, www.grandchamp.org)

Reflection

The world would like to change you;
There are pressures all around.
You must decide just who you are,
Then firmly stand your ground.
You have an image of yourself,
An ideal sense of you;
And to this vision you must always
Struggle to be true.
You know what you are good at,
And you know where your talents lie;
But if you’re ruled by others,
Your uniqueness could pass by.
Remember, there is much to learn;
But all new things aren’t good.
Wisdom lies in what you’ve learned
And what you have withstood.