Speak up

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Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9

I have posters hanging in my classroom designed by my students. They are on the Gospel of Mark. They have a scripture passage, a Catholic Social Teaching point that a current day organization lives out the message of standing up for the poor, needy and marginalized. We discussed many of the same points in the Gospel of Matthew, and now we are in the Gospel of Luke doing the same. The beauty of Luke is his sense of equality. He has a balance of gender and treatment of people. This Lenten journey is looking at how we use our voice. It is about balance with our actions and voices. Do we tear down or build up? Do we create tension or a safe place? This is a version of the five-step Daily Examen that St. Ignatius practiced: 1. Become aware of God’s presence. 2. Review the day with gratitude. 3. Pay attention to your emotions. 4. Choose one feature of the day and pray from it. 5. Look toward tomorrow. I think these can help us to search for ways we have been a positive voice in today’s world. Positive voices give balance to society. Perhaps on you can listen for where you need to speak out and speak up on the path…


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